Indoor air quality should be healthy and comfortable so that you and your family can enjoy a safe living environment when you’re home. Unfortunately, many homes in the Shreveport, LA area experience poorer air quality than what is outside. Pet dander, mold spores, dust particles, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are just a few of the substances that can plague indoor air quality. Let’s look more in-depth at the four main pollutants that commonly occur inside homes in the area.
1. Volatile Organic Compounds
VOCs are chemicals that a variety of household products emit. VOC exposure in a home can come from something simple, like chemical-based cleaning products. In this case, you can likely smell the chemicals that are causing a problem. Unfortunately, there are other things in your home that are off-gassing VOCs, and you may not be able to identify them with your nose alone. For example, new building materials release VOCs. Items like new carpet, fresh paint, countertops, and new furniture can release chemicals from flame retardants, spot treatments, and fibers for many months or even years after they have been manufactured. When you combine the effects of all these items, they can have a very negative impact on your indoor air quality.
There are various methods that you can use to decrease your exposure to VOCs in the home. For starters, you can opt for “greener” cleaning products and building materials. Utilizing adequate ventilation to promote an exchange of air from the outside into your home is ideal. Air filtration devices can remove VOCs from indoor air if they use activated carbon as part of their filtration system.
2. Radon
A colorless and odorless gas that can seep into your home through your foundation, radon can be extremely dangerous to your health. When exposed to radon for several months or years, a person can develop lung cancer. There are tests that can be used to check for high levels of radon in a home. Unfortunately, many people don’t bother to test for radon unless they suspect that something is wrong because of health issues or physical symptoms that someone in the household is experiencing.
A radon mitigation system can be installed in the home if radon is detected at levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air or more. The most common system used is an active soil depressurization system. A series of pipes and fans will move radon gas from around your foundation and exhaust it out of the top of your house by way of a vent. You’ll need to have this system routinely inspected and maintained by a professional to ensure that it’s functioning properly.
3. Biological Pollutants
There are various biological pollutants that can negatively impact your indoor air, including mold spores, dander from pets, pollen, and dust mites. These are the culprits that most often result in allergy symptoms and respiratory ailments. Those people in the Shreveport area who suffer from asthma may see an increase in asthma attacks when they are exposed to indoor air pollution from biological components. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to completely remove biological pollutants from your home, especially the common ones like dust mites. However, there are several methods that can drastically decrease your exposure.
Biological particulates inside the home can be removed in several ways. The filter inside of your HVAC system will do an acceptable job of reducing particulate matter from your indoor air as well as protecting your heating and cooling equipment. However, you can have additional air purification and filtration equipment installed that will remove particulate matter from the air that is circulating throughout your entire home. High-efficiency particulate air filters, or HEPA for short, can remove up to 99.97% of the particulate matter in your home. HEPA filters can be used along with activated carbon filtration or other filtration methods to increase their effectiveness. Electrostatic filtration traps particles using charged collection plates or filters. Cleaner air will then pass into your home through your ductwork and vents.
If mold is an issue, filtration can remove spores so that they don’t circulate through your indoor air. However, it’s also important to address the root cause of the mold problem. Humidity levels in your home should remain between 35% and 55% to stop mold growth in its tracks. If you find that relative humidity is always on the rise in your Shreveport home, you can have a whole-house dehumidification unit installed to bring levels back down.
Professional plumbing services from our team can help you find any leaks or plumbing issues that may be contributing to high levels of humidity in your home. Things to watch out for that signal a plumbing concern include a sudden spike in your water bill, water pooling under sinks, water spots on your wall or ceilings, and mold accumulation in high-moisture areas.
4. Cooking Odors
You may love walking into your home around dinnertime and smelling your favorite meal cooking. But smoke, fumes, and particulate matter are all part of the cooking process. Breathing these things in can irritate your nasal passages and lungs. Many people experience burning eyes, coughing, and a stuffy nose because of IAQ concerns stemming from the kitchen. If you’re not taking action to reduce your exposure, these issues can linger for many hours or even days after you have cooked a meal.
The type of fuel source that you use for cooking may also be contributing to indoor air pollution. Both gas and electric stoves can create indoor air pollution. Gas stoves are a problem because they emit nitrogen dioxide and release airborne particles that are known as PM2.5. Electric stoves are a bit safer, but you can still decrease your indoor air quality while they are in use. You can minimize your risk by using an exhaust fan above your stove. You may also want to cook at a lower temperature to decrease the risk of producing smoke or vapors. Air filtration devices installed in your HVAC system can help reduce particulate matter in your indoor air caused by cooking. You can also upgrade your indoor ventilation equipment to increase the exchange of outdoor air with indoor air.
Assistance From an IAQ Professional
At Bobby L Greene Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Co., we offer various indoor air quality services that can help make your Shreveport home a healthier and safer space. Our indoor air quality testing can determine what kind of particulates are currently circulating inside your home. This data allows us to make a recommendation regarding the type of air filtration equipment or modifications that can improve your indoor air quality. In addition to indoor air quality solutions, we provide installation, repair, and maintenance for all heating and cooling equipment. Our plumbing services include drain repair, sewer replacement, hydro jetting, camera inspections, and more. We service and install both tank-based and tankless water heaters.
Reach out to Bobby L Greene Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Co. in Shreveport to schedule an appointment today!
