Taking
an active stance in managing your indoor air quality can be a relatively easy,
although often overlooked, task. Its
importance arises from the fact that indoor air pollution can cause many health
problems, both immediate and long-term, if it goes unrecognized and uncorrected. Indoor air pollution can be caused by a
variety of sources, some of which are more controllable than others. If you’re able to keep your indoor air
quality under control, you’ll be keeping harmful pollutants out and fresh,
pleasant air in.
Pollutants can come in many different forms. One type, called combustion sources, release carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and even particles into the air. These sources include equipment that burn things, such as your stove, furnace, fireplace, and smoked tobacco products. Inhaling dangerous gasses and particles from these sources can lead to symptoms similar to a cold or the flu, but can actually cause lung and heart diseases, cancers, and even death. Products for household cleaning and maintenance or personal care can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs coming from common products such as paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and permanent markers can have a variety of short- and long-term health effects. Even everyday home furnishings can lead produce air pollution. For example, a wet or damp carpet or rug can grow mold, leading to allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and infections.
While keeping unwanted pollutants out of your house is a great step in the right direction, completely sealing your house from the outside won’t help – in fact, that’s the worst thing you could
do! Proper ventilation is necessary for
flushing out polluted air, and can be accomplished in several different ways, both
natural and mechanical. Natural ventilation is when air moves freely through open windows and doors (a similar form of ventilation, infiltration, is when air flows through cracks in your walls, floors, or ceilings). This is obviously the most cost effective method for ventilation, although it requires the weather to be on its best behavior. When natural ventilation is not an option, mechanical ventilation, or forcing air out of a room or entire house by way of outdoor-vented fans or complete air handling systems, is your next best option. In the warmer months, you can even create a great breeze in your house by positioning a window fan facing outwards in one window and opening up a different window. This way, you provide an excellent source of entry for fresh air to come in as your stale air is blown out by the fan.
Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) are the perfect solution for ventilating your home while saving energy and money. Recovery ventilators work by using your home's air to either heat or cool the outside air before it enters. This process allows your home's ventilation system to not work as hard while still maintaining optimum outputs and ensuring outstanding indoor air quality. The advantage of an ERV over an HRV is that an ERV transfers water vapor with the heat energy, controlling humidity in your house during the summer and winter. By controlling your indoor humidity levels, you can prevent unwelcome mold that grows on condensation.
If you are looking to install a new air conditioning/heating system in your home while keeping air quality in mind, LG Mini Split Systems are a great option. First, these systems have a dehumidifying mode which accurately senses room temperature and shuts down the compressor before a room is over-cooled, reducing condensation caused by changes in humidity. They also contain air purifying systems, including a large permanent filter and an electronic purifier that captures microscopic contaminants like dust, mites, pollen, and pet fur. They even have self-cleaning indoor coils, so that dirt and moisture are removed automatically, keeping the coil (and air) smelling fresh and clean.
See, it's easy to keep your indoor air fresh and clean. So why put it off?
Get eComfort-able now!