Have you ever noticed that your allergies start acting up more when you’re in your home than they do when you’re outside? That’s probably because your indoor air quality is causing you to breathe in harmful pollutants and allergens. Even if you’re not too worried about some sniffles and a cough, you should be. Poor indoor air quality affects your health in more ways than just irritating your allergies.
Indoor Air Contaminants
There are more air contaminants in your home than you probably would’ve thought.
- Carbon Dioxide: found in tobacco smoke, body odor, and perfume.
- Formaldehyde: found in dust and some gases.
- VOCs: found in cleaning products, pesticides, disinfectants, and glue.
- Microbial contaminants: mold, fungi, and other bacteria found in damp areas.
- Dust mites: found in carpets, upholstery, and drapes.
Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality
These symptoms are often linked to poor IAQ.
- Irritation or dryness of eyes, nose, throat, and skin
- Hypersensitivity and allergies
- Sinus congestion
- Coughing and sneezing
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Fatigue
Many of these symptoms are the same ones you would experience if you had a cold or other illness, so watch where you experience them. If you’re in a location that may experience poor indoor air quality but feel better away from that area, actions should be taken to make the area healthier.
Health Problems That Result from Poor Indoor Air Quality
If you are exposed to poor indoor air quality over a long period of time, you may suffer from more serious ailments, including:
- Increased Asthma Attacks
- Respiratory Disease
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
Don’t live with poor air quality — breathe easy with Air Treatment Heating & Cooling instead. We can outfit your home with air purifiers and better air filters to catch and kill 99% of viruses, bacteria, and fungi in your home’s air. For more information or to schedule a service, call us at (703) 270-0881.