If you’re questioning whether your Cedar Rapids home has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it probably does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re inside up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes could be 2–5 times worse than outdoors, which could create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Causes of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most ordinary sources of bad IAQ, the problems they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we suggest consulting with a professional like Ilten's about which products are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals leaked by regular household products.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

  • Furniture
  • Carpet
  • Building materials
  • Cleaning products
  • Cosmetics
  • Air fresheners
  • Candles

When these vapors accumulate inside, they can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They may also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your residence is in a rural or industrial location, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times higher than the air outdoors.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when painting or cleaning. Unlatching a window can help vapors disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also make it better. This unit partners with your heating and cooling unit to clean indoor air. When looking for a model, ensure it’s specifically designed to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets redistributed by your residence’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more routinely and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better fit.

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to provide mighty filtration. Some models offer hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

New residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stick around for a greater amount of time because your house is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Since keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t a possibility, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is placed in your ducts to wipe out odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the ability to wipe out dangerous VOCs. These units can also help keep your household healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stuffy indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two models of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which solution is right for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity keeps even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can cause respiratory symptoms.

Our techs suggest 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours in balance, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC unit.

In place of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers even humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It occurs when there’s insufficient combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It produces a severe health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It can be deadly in big levels.

We suggest regular furnace maintenance to double-check your system is running like it should. This work allows our specialists to see problems before they start, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your house free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms must be on every floor close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Enhance Your Home’s Air Quality with the Ilten's Experts

Informed that your residence has inferior air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is best for you? Give our kind HVAC pros a call at 319-208-2351 or contact us online today. With free estimates and pro assistance, we’ll help you locate the right equipment for your home and budget.