Air quality is definitely an important aspect of every home’s safety. Toxic agents and chemical particles can easily find their way into your house and affect the quality of your life and your health, as well. If you don’t cope with this issue from the very start, then, in the long run, it is possible that you and your family start to suffer from health conditions, including respiratory problems. Here are some effective ways that can help you determine the air quality inside your house:
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Check for signs of mold
Looking around the various spaces of your house for the presence of mold is a really important step you should take. To determine the air quality. Growing black spots or damp areas will typically signify the presence of mold. Moreover, if you smell a musty odor coming from specific areas, and you try to clean those spots, without success. You should consider hiring a professional to perform a whole cleaning procedure.
Check the air filters every few months
Air filters ensure that you are gonna breathe some quality air at all times. Therefore, it is really important that you check on them regularly and replace them if they appear to have signs of wearing down. If you inspect your filter and observe signs of accumulated dirt and dust or damages, like holes, tears, or wrinkled areas, then it is time for you to replace the filter immediately. HVAC filters should actually get replaced at least once a year, and if you or a family member suffers from allergies, then you should check on them more regularly, meaning every 2-3 months.
Use an air quality monitor
There are several types of air quality monitors on the market nowadays that can effectively detect the air quality inside your house. Those small devices check a series of important indexes, like the temperature and humidity of every space, the PM2.5 levels, meaning the total amount of allergens and dust particles, as well as the chemical pollutants that may be present in a space, like a room in your house. Although it is not the most affordable option to purchase such a type of digital device, it is still a good option for continuous monitoring of the air you breathe.
Pay attention to any sudden and unusual health symptoms
The air quality of a place is gonna highly affect your health, as well. Certain chemicals and contaminants, including mold, asbestos, and dust particles, can impact your health and make you suffer from some new symptoms, like coughing, sneezing, and nasal congestion. Although those symptoms may have nothing to do with air quality, they are also an allergy indicator you should not oversee. Moreover, if you suddenly find yourself suffering from frequent bouts of bronchitis or similar health conditions, then it is probably time to check the quality of the air you breathe into your house.
Watch for elevated carbon monoxide or radon levels
Both carbon monoxide and radon can negatively affect the air quality in our house. Those two devious compounds have the unfortunate characteristic that they cannot get detected easily. Carbon monoxide, in particular, is widely known as the silent killer because it is both colorless and odorless, and its levels can increase considerably in poorly ventilated areas. On the other hand, radon is one of the main causes of various cancerous conditions, including lung cancer. For this reason, it is really important to check your house for any sign of those two pollutants. Thankfully, there is a series of detectors on the market nowadays, that can determine the levels of those two compounds and help homeowners improve the air quality by cleaning them off.
Watch out for inconsistencies in air distribution
Suppose you become aware of any inconsistencies throughout a building, including temperature differences between two close spots. In that case, an issue in the air system may likely be present, which can also affect the airflow quality. After you determine the problem, you can solve it by purchasing an air purifier or humidifier or even make some necessary upgrades to your HVAC system. Always remember that to ensure that no complications will arise later on, it is best to seek the expertise of professionals like the technicians at denver air conditioning repair when it comes to installing, upgrading, and maintaining your AC.
Featured Photo by Mor Shani on Unsplash
