Based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American adult spends over 90% of their time inside. While that’s great news for those who want to enjoy the comfort of heated air in the winter and cool air in the summer, it can be bad news for those with poor air quality. Bad indoor air quality is not always immediately obvious, so it’s important to know the signs that you could use professional help for the air quality inside of your home.
Headaches
Those who deal with headaches often have multiple triggers that increase the likelihood one will start. Some of the most common triggers include strong odors and exposure to harsh chemicals. Using things like household cleaners, pesticides, and heavy perfumes indoors without proper ventilation will lead to poor air quality and can cause headaches or migraines.
Dry Eyes or Throat
Many different contaminants and types of indoor debris can irritate your sinuses and your mucous membranes. The combination of dry air and indoor allergens in the winter can do even greater damage. Some of the signs that you might be dealing with poor indoor air quality or extremely low humidity include frequent unexplained nosebleeds, dry mouth, a scratchy throat, and eyes that are itching or burning. The symptoms may be more common in the morning after you wake up.
Persistent Congestion or Coughing
Do you find yourself feeling like you have allergy or cold symptoms all year long? Do you experience a persistent cough that doesn’t appear to be correlated with any other lifestyle factors? You might have high indoor allergen levels that are leading to these symptoms. It’s normal for everyone to encounter a certain amount of mildew, dust, dander, and indoor allergens in a day. However, they become inescapable when they are present at high levels and can impact your comfort.
Skin Irritation
Beyond the impact that poor air quality can have on your mucous membranes, it can also start to affect your skin. People who live in homes with persistently poor air quality are more likely to experience rashes, redness, flaking, dryness, peeling, and other types of skin irritation. Those who already have a skin condition like psoriasis, acne, or eczema are more likely to have a flare-up due to the presence of indoor allergens or lack of humidity control.
Ongoing Illness
Another indicator that you might have poor indoor air quality is feeling like you are always sick. A house that has low humidity levels can allow airborne illnesses to flourish. As a result, you might find yourself getting sick more often despite no changes to your daily life or routine. This is one of the reasons why people are more likely to get sick in the winter months than in the summer months.
Poor Odors
Do you find yourself wrinkling your nose when you walk into certain areas of your house? Are there persistent odors that you notice in different rooms? Bad smells are another sign that you might be dealing with poor indoor air quality. Mold and mildew have distinct and unpleasant odors. Pay special attention to where you are noticing bad smells, particularly if it is in wet parts of the home like the bathroom or basement.
Visible Dust
One of the physical signs of poor indoor air quality is dust accumulation on hard surfaces. Elevated levels of dust lead to dust mites, and large amounts of dust are also likely to trigger asthma or allergy symptoms. If you find yourself needing to dust frequently, there could be a ventilation problem that needs to be addressed with an HVAC professional. Working with a trusted professional like Hoot Heating & Air, will ensure that your air quality is as good as you deserve.
Contact Hoot today to learn more about how you can provide better air quality in your home!
