4 Common Threats to Indoor Air Quality in Lake Placid, FL

The general comfort level in your Lake Placid, FL, home depends on much more than just the temperature. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a crucial dimension of comfort as well. Here’s some information about four common threats that may be affecting your home’s air quality:

Pollutants and Gases in Your System

With cooler temperatures arriving in the not-too-distant future, there’s a good chance that you’ll be firing up your heating system over the next few months. Unfortunately, without proper care and vigilance, that which keeps you warm can also become what makes it hard for you to breathe.

The exact nature of the threats to IAQ here will vary depending on the type of heating system that you have, but there are two broad sources of trouble. These consist of dirt, dust and soot on the one hand and noxious gases on the other.

Any heating system, whether an electrically powered heat pump or a gas-burning furnace, will have to pull in air to treat. That air will likely contain at least some amount of dirt and dust in it. As the air flows through the system, its air filters will catch these pollutants.

As the filters get older, this filth will accumulate on their mesh and make the air that enters your home dirtier. System ducts can also get dirty and create many of the same difficulties.

If you have a system that burns natural gas, the additional danger of a gas leak exists. Carbon monoxide can also leak out of a furnace when it malfunctions. As the latter gas is both highly toxic and completely odorless, you should pay close attention to your furnace’s pilot light to see whether it ever turns yellow.

If you notice any of the above problems with your heat pump or furnace, please arrange to receive heating repair services as soon as you can. Maintenance can also take care of inspecting your system for dirt accumulation and its associated consequences.

Pets

Pet hair and dander have consistently had negative impacts on IAQ. Dander is the name we give to little bits of dead skin cells that your pets shed and release into the air as they run around. Pet hair, in addition to being unpleasant to inhale, can also attach other allergens like pollen and create a negative cascading effect on your IAQ.

The above can be especially serious for people who suffer from allergies. The only way to take care of this problem short of completely removing your pets is to scrub and clean them thoroughly, especially after they’ve just come in from being outside. You should bathe and brush all of your furry pets regularly to wash away dander and remove loose hair.

Critters, Insects and Biological Matter

Other animal life besides your beloved pets may also exist somewhere in your home. We’re referring to things like mice, dust mites, cockroaches, ants and other bugs.

Mice, rats and cockroaches can leave droppings inside your walls, around your plumbing and even in your HVAC ducts. Dust mites are tiny insects that attach themselves to dust particles and also harm IAQ. Anywhere there is heat or moisture, fungi and bacteria can start growing and drift into your air.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, can be quite hazardous to health but exist in many household products. Inhaling these chemicals can cause symptoms such as nausea, headaches, dizziness, vomiting and skin rashes. Paints, cleaners and insect repellants are a few items that contain VOCs.

One especially common VOC is formaldehyde, which exists copiously in the finished wood of some older houses. To remove VOCs from your home, it’s helpful if you get a strong air purifier with carbon filters.

No matter how many IAQ threats you face in your Lake Placid, FL, home, you don’t need to worry. To clear them all up, just call Miller’s Central Air, Inc. and ask for our indoor air quality services.

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