If you’re questioning whether your Omaha home has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re in a building up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes could be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, which can create long-term health problems.

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most ordinary causes of inferior IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your home, we advise consulting with a specialist like Interstate Heating & Air Conditioning about which products are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from regular household things.

They’re found in paint and stains in addition to:

  • Furniture
  • Carpet
  • Building materials
  • Cleaning products
  • Cosmetics
  • Air fresheners
  • Candles

When these vapors accumulate in your home, they might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They can also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home is in a rural or industrial location, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times worse than the air outdoors.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Opening a window can help fumes dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling unit to improve indoor air. When seeking a system, ensure it’s specifically created to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets recirculated by your residence’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more frequently and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better match.

This unit hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some kinds offer hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy costs, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time since your residence is pulling in less fresh air. As keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t a possibility, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is installed in your ducts to neutralize odors before they recirculate. Search for one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down damaging VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your family healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more info on which type is ideal for your residence.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s important your house’s humidity stays even. Air that has too much moisture can create mold, while dry air can cause respiratory troubles.

Our pros suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours even, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your heating and cooling unit.

Instead of having to lug a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers consistent humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning units, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It creates a serious health risk. In little levels, it can cause flu-like symptoms like headaches and nausea. It could be deadly in heavy concentrations.

We advise yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your system is running smoothly. This job allows our professionals to discover troubles before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms need to be on all floors by bedrooms and living rooms.

Enhance Your House’s Air Quality with the Interstate Heating & Air Conditioning Professionals

Know that your home has poor air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which option is a good fit for you? Give our approachable HVAC experts a call at 402-509-5940 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and pro assistance, we’ll help you choose the right solution for your needs and budget.