When you think of polluted air, more often than not, you tend to think about outdoor contamination. Haze, smog, fumes from vehicles, and other common sources do emit polluted air. Ironically, most households overlook indoor air pollution almost entirely. Offices, homes, and other indoor spaces can be even more polluted than outdoor air, if not cared for.

Well, you might not know this but indoor air carries several pollutants and allergens, particularly if you neglect cleaning your AC. Then you have paint coats on walls, carpets, mattresses, and other accessories that can accumulate asbestos, molds, and other allergens.

Older people, children, or those with asthma may be sensitive to polluted air indoors. This explains why households reach out to AC cleaning professionals at Clover Services for timely maintenance. Read more here about professional services that can eventually help you get cleaner interiors.

What Causes Indoor Air Pollution?

• Indoor air pollutants can range from dangerous gas leaks to contaminants that your pets bring in from outdoors.
• You also have carbon monoxide poisoning as a potential risk factor. In case the natural gas you use for cooking purposes escapes without burning, it may lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
• If your home is old, it may contain lead particles and asbestos, which may prove detrimental to your lungs.
• Your kitchens and bathrooms may have mildew and molds. This is because these places naturally have higher moisture levels.
• Lastly, you have VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) present in paints, varnishes, glues, and cleaning supplements.

Common Tests For Examining Indoor Air Quality

Have a look at the common methods to test the quality of your indoor air.

1. Get An Indoor Air Quality Monitor

An indoor air quality monitor is an electronic device designed to test and report consistently on the pollution level in your home. The contaminants to be tested varies from one manufacturer to the next.

Some of the common contaminants that you can check include chemical pollutants, particulate matter, humidity, formaldehyde levels, and carbon dioxide. Given that dust and pollen can lead to respiratory issues, it makes sense to purchase an indoor air quality monitor to track their level.

2. Examine The Level Of Mold

Indoor air quality monitors are not designed to report on the level of molds. However, you need to be careful about the presence of this contaminant indoors. While it is easy to detect mold accumulating on bread, you might find it extremely difficult to catch airborne mold spores.

You would need a petri dish to carry out the mold test. You need to put potato dextrose inside the dish. Note that potato dextrose is a substance that causes mold growth. It is necessary to leave the dish with this substance for a certain period.

Next, you can cap the dish and allow it to incubate for some time. Follow the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. This is because the period varies according to the brand. In case you notice mold growth, it indicates that you have mold issues.

3. Installing Alarms For Carbon Monoxide

Exposure to carbon monoxide for long periods can lead to death. This gas gets released into the indoor air as a result of fuel combustion. Therefore, the risk points include gas furnaces, stoves, gas dryers, etc.

In case your house has any of these appliances, make sure to install a carbon monoxide alarm. The alarm would go off and alert you about the danger should the level of this gas exceed the safe level.

4. Carry Out A Radon Test

Unless you have a dedicated device to detect radon, it’d be wise to carry out a manual radon test. This gas may enter your home through the foundation, cracks in the floor, pipes, and walls. To combat this pollutant indoors, you can purchase radon kits. These would show you a value, denoting the amount of radon around you. Radon is not to be taken lightly as it is fatal if consumed in larger quantities.

How To Enhance Air Quality At Home?

Now that you are aware of the common indoor air contaminants, it’s time you learn the possible means to mitigate the same:

1. Change Your AC filter

Your AC works round the clock to ensure a comfortable temperature indoors. However, you should note that these machines keep recycling the same air. Besides, some of the common pollutants get accumulated in air filters.

These contaminants will keep building unless you hire professional service providers for routine maintenance. This also reduces the efficiency of your AC. This explains why you need to change the filters regularly. Particularly, if someone in your home is susceptible to allergy, make sure to hire the experts on a routine basis.

Remember to clean your clothes dryer, vacuum cleaner, and kitchen vents. Periodic maintenance and cleaning ensure healthier indoor air quality.

2. Install Cooking Vents

Several indoor air contaminants arise from the kitchen, particularly from gas stoves. Nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are some of the common gases released from kitchens.

Moreover, electric burners also generate these gases albeit at a lower level. Installing kitchen vents would help you mitigate health risks. Note that these gases can easily make their way into your bloodstream and the consequences can be catastrophic.

3. Inspect Your Air Ducts

The primary role of your air ducts is to distribute hot and cold air in your home evenly. This ensures a comfortable ambiance in the interiors. However, improper installation or the lack of maintenance may lead to the distribution of contaminants from one room to the others.

Besides, mold, dander, and dust may collect in these ducts. This eventually messes up with the air quality in your room. This explains why you need to hire professionals to keep your air ducts in good shape.

Endnote

Keeping your home well-ventilated ensures cleaner interiors, which eventually leads to better health for the occupants. In case you’re looking for viable ways to improve your indoor air quality, make sure to hire a reliable AC service provider.

The experts recommend cleaning or replacing the filters at least once in six months or more frequently. Professional support from industry experts can help you significantly restore the purity of your indoor air.