Identifying These 7 Common Threats to Indoor Air Quality
The indoor air quality (IAQ) of your La Grange, KY home is important because it helps you breathe easier and avoid the common side effects of allergen exposure. Even if you don’t have allergies, you can still experience some side effects of the more common substances. Find out more about the seven common threats to your IAQ.
1. Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are substances found in some of the products you use every day. Air fresheners are just one example, but you also expose others to these substances when you use certain cleaning products. They can irritate your throat and cause asthma attacks.
Perfumes and colognes often contain VOCs as well and can spread through your home every time you use one. Some types of paints can also contain these substances, which affect pregnant women. Always look for paints that produce fewer fumes when you redecorate your home.
2. Indoor Air Particulates
Any hazardous compounds found around your home are examples of particulates. They often include soot and dust, which is a substance comprised of dead skin cells and other particles. Your pets can also bring some of these particles inside.
3. Dust Mites
Dust mites are just one of the pests that might live in your La Grange, KY home. They are invisible to the naked eye and typically live inside your pillows and mattresses. Dust mites prefer places that are both warm and humid.
People with breathing problems and allergies often have a hard time living with dust mites. The small creatures can affect your IAQ as they produce waste and shed their skins.
4. Pollen
Bees, animals, and wind gusts are just some of the things that spread pollen through your home’s indoor air. Pollen is a substance found on plants and flowers that is yellow in color. Not only does pollen impact your IAQ, but it also affects those with seasonal allergies.
5. Carbon Monoxide Contaminates Indoor Air
One of the biggest risks of carbon monoxide exposure is that it leaves you struggling with symptoms that can affect you for years. Regular exposure to this gas can even lead to death. It’s often hard to determine if you have a leak in your La Grange, KY home because the gas has no color or odor.
Any appliance that burns fossil fuels, such as gas stoves and furnaces, produces this gas. If you have these appliances, it’s always a good idea to have a combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. If you suspect a leak with your furnace, call us to schedule and make furnace repairs to keep you safe. The symptoms of carbon monoxide leaks include dizziness, nausea, tiredness, and headaches.
6. Lead
The United States banned the use of lead paint, but older homes in La Grange, KY may still have lead paint both inside and out. Lead is a type of pollutant that causes side effects when you mistakenly ingest it.
Exposure to lead can also occur when you have paint with this material that flakes off your walls. Some of the symptoms of lead exposure include behavioral problems, lack of development, lower IQ and damage to the kidneys.
7. Smoke
Secondhand smoke can enter your home when anyone you know smokes cigarettes. Those with allergies to tobacco smoke may develop dry and itchy eyes or have a sore and irritated throat. Long-term exposure comes with more serious side effects and can cause cancer.
Even if you or no one else in your home smokes, you can still bring secondhand smoke inside on your clothing, hair, and skin when you spend time with a smoker. In addition to serving as a threat to your indoor air, cigarette smoke can also cause asthma attacks.
Get Help Identifying and Removing IAQ Threats
Get help identifying the threats that affect the IAQ of your La Grange, KY home and removing them. We can install an air purifier or filter that helps you breathe better without threats like particulates, smoke, VOCs, dust mites and carbon monoxide getting in your way. Call us at Birkhead Co. Heating and Air Conditioning today to choose the indoor air quality services that will benefit your home.
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