Why an Energy-Efficient House Can Affect Air Quality and How to Enhance It 

Homes today are constructed with energy efficiency in mind. This involves added insulation and tightly sealed doors and windows to keep energy costs affordable. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic for your indoor air quality. 

As air has reduced chances to escape, contaminants can accumulate and impact your residence’s indoor air quality. In reality, your residence’s air can actually be 2–5 times worse than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s particularly detrimental for loved ones with allergies, asthma, other respiratory disorders or heart disease. 

Let’s go over some of these everyday contaminants and how you can improve your residence’s indoor air quality. 

6 Everyday Pollutants that Affect Indoor Air Quality 

When you visualize pollutants, you may think about smog or tobacco smoke. But a lot of substances that impact your air quality are everyday substances. These things contain chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. 

They involve: 

1. Cleaning products, like aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner. 

2. Personal care products, like hairspray, perfume and nail products. 

3. Candles and air fresheners. 

4. Formaldehyde, which is frequently used in plastic, foam and particleboard products. 

5. Furniture, window treatments and carpet, particularly when they’re brand new. 

6. Paints and stains. 

Other everyday pollutants include: 

• Dust 
• Pet dander 

• Pollen 
• Mold 

Symptoms of VOC Exposure 

Some people are more affected by VOCs than others. The EPA says symptoms of VOC exposure entail: 

• Irritated eyes, nose or throat 

• Headaches 
• Dizziness 
• Fatigue 

In bad cases, the EPA says VOCs can lead to respiratory and heart diseases. 

4 Ways to Enhance Your House’s Indoor Air Quality 

It isn’t hard to enhance your residence’s air quality. Here are several ideas from Harvard Medical School: 

1. Clean Your Home Often 

Regularly cleaning and washing surfaces that attract allergens, like furniture, carpet and bedding, will help decrease on dust, dust mites and pet dander in your home. 

2. Routinely Switch Your Air Filter 

This essential filter keeps your home cozy and air clean. How often you should change your air filter depends on the kind of filter you have. Flat filters should be replaced monthly, while pleated filters should be replaced every three months. If you’re unsure if your filter should be replaced, pull it out and tilt it to the light. Get a new one if you can’t see light through it. 

If someone in your house deals with allergies or asthma, we suggest having a filter with a better MERV rating. The greater the number this is, the better your filter is at eliminating contaminants. 

3. Improve Natural Ventilation 

Keep fresh air circulating by opening windows whenever the temperature allows. We also suggest running exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen frequently to get rid of pollutants and introduce more fresh air. 

4. Chat Our Indoor Air Quality Pros 

From whole-home air purifiers, Levy & Son Service Experts has a fix to help your household breathe better. We’ll help you choose the right option during your free home comfort assessment. Contact us at 469-250-0932 to request yours now!