If you want to achieve cleaner air in every room, you must first identify the activities that directly cause indoor air pollution. Then, you can apply solutions that lessen the activity’s impact or eliminate the contaminant source altogether. But the primary sources in your home or business might show up where you least expect them.
Leith Heating & Cooling’s indoor air quality professionals in Barrington, IL, outline some obvious and surprising activities that can release indoor air pollution. We’ll also help you lessen their presence with some simple suggestions below. Keep reading to freshen your building’s air and breathe a little easier.
What Is Indoor Air Pollution?
Indoor air pollution refers to the particles of filth, chemicals, and allergens circulating the air inside a building at any given moment. You might expect to find pollution outdoors from cars, pollen, and manufacturing by-products. However, many people are shocked to learn that pollution can develop indoors, too.
In fact, indoor air pollution might pose a bigger problem than its outdoor counterpart. You likely spend the majority of your time inside watching television, working, sleeping, or eating. So, indoor air has a more significant impact on your health. When you can quickly identify the activities that directly cause indoor air pollution, you can squelch them and implement healthier habits that make your air more breathable.
Now, Identify the Activities That Directly Cause Indoor Air Pollution
What pollution sources might challenge your health and comfort? You’ll find both obvious and hidden activities that produce pollution below. If you can eliminate them at their roots, you can create a healthier, more enjoyable atmosphere for yourself and the people you live or work with.
Household Cleaning Products
Some property owners can’t believe their ears when we tell them their favorite cleaning products might be pollution culprits. However, many formulas release volatile organic compounds into the air. These VOCs contaminate your indoor air supply and may take months to break down.
Smoking or Burning Substances Indoors
This polluting activity is a little more recognizable. Burning almost any substance releases contaminants and irritants into your building. You might smoke cigarettes or vape in the privacy of your room.
Alternatively, you may light some candles or burn a stick of incense to improve the smell. Each activity pollutes your indoor air quality with every wave of smoke.
Building Materials
Some pollution sources are more dangerous and nefarious than others. Was your home or business built before 1985? If so, it might house toxic building materials that let off contaminants when disturbed. Some examples include asbestos in ceiling structures or lead in plumbing or paint.
Pet Ownership
Yes, your furry, four-legged friends can also pollute your indoor atmosphere. You see, pets constantly shed fur and dead skin cells, which can irritate your sinuses and make you sneeze, cough, or blow your nose constantly.
Outdoor Contaminants
Finally, you can also unwittingly bring outdoor contaminants into your home or business in Barrington, Illinois. You can identify the activities that directly cause indoor air pollution from outside sources, such as:
- Lighting bonfires and allowing the smoke to enter the building
- Not changing your clothes or shoes after going outdoors
- Never bathing your furry pets
- Forgetting to wash your hands upon entering
It can be easy to let these habits fall by the wayside during a busy day. But they do increase the allergens you’ll breathe.
How Can You Assuage These Contaminants in Your Home or Business in Barrington, Illinois?
The solution is simple: develop new habits in place of these activities to combat their effects on indoor air pollution. Developing a solid habit is the most difficult part. Once you’ve nailed it down, you’re that much closer to fresher air in your home or business in Barrington, Illinois.
Change the Air Filters
Replace your air filters every three months. You may benefit from more changes if you own pets, smoke indoors, or have a respiratory health condition that makes pollution intolerable. Choose a filter rating that works well with your HVAC system and removes your primary airborne concerns.
Schedule Tune-Ups
HVAC maintenance is a must for excellent indoor air quality. Not only does your HVAC technician clean the equipment, but they can also identify the activities that directly cause indoor air pollution to help you out. Schedule tune-ups in early spring and late autumn to optimize your seasonal performance.
Smoke Outside
Whether you smoke, vape, or use any similar inhalants, take your habit outdoors. Smoking inside releases a constant stream of solid toxins that can stick to your air ducts and other surfaces. Tar from tobacco will catch dust, mold, and other contaminants, worsening your indoor air quality.
Switch Up Your Cleaning Products
You sometimes need those strong chemicals to fully cleanse a filthy surface. However, try using those products more sparingly, and reach for water-diluted vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or green cleaning formulas when appropriate. These combinations don’t release as many airborne contaminants and keep your home tidy.
Consistently Keep House
Wipe down surfaces and sweep or vacuum the floors two to three times a week. You might be surprised at how these housekeeping additions effectively eliminate excess dust. Fewer fine particles mean better indoor air quality.
Do Laundry and Store Shoes Near the Door
Since some pollutants hitch a ride on your clothes, you might switch up your laundry habits to minimize pollen, dirt, and other filth from getting into your building. Exchange your outdoor shoes for slippers as soon as you walk through the door.
Place the clothes you wore outside in a designated laundry hamper and slip into something more comfortable. This habit can be particularly useful during pollen season.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality With Help From Leith Heating & Cooling in Barrington, Illinois
Finally, work with Leith Heating & Cooling to find customized IAQ solutions for all HVAC systems. We understand how furnace filters improve air quality and can identify the activities that directly cause indoor air pollution. Leith Heating & Cooling technicians can match you with the best filter, humidifier, or purifier for your property in Barrington, Illinois.