Want to learn more about IAQ (indoor air quality) and ways to improve it? Action Air recommends you do! We’d like to inform Indianapolis homeowners on the fundamentals of IAQ by answering the common questions regarding the subject. Action Air is here to clear up misconceptions about IAQ as well as provide advice on maintaining and improving it.
Below is our FAQ about IAQ.
What is IAQ?
IAQ (Indoor air quality) is the status of the indoor air in your home. It’s essentially a measurement of your indoor air’s comfort and health effects. If IAQ is good, your home has clean and comfortable air. If IAQ is bad, your home can have polluted or dirty air, which can lead to negative effects on your health, as well as your overall comfort.
What Affects IAQ?
Multiple factors in your home help determine your IAQ. Each of them can either have a positive or negative influence on your IAQ. We have listed them below:
- Home Temperature
- Home Humidity Levels
- HVAC Performance
- Thermostat Readings
- Outdoor Air Ventilation
Although these aren’t the only factors that determine your IAQ, they do contribute the greatest impact. Therefore, to maintain your IAQ, you’ll want to help maintain these contributors.
Why is IAQ Important to Maintain?
As described, poor IAQ can affect your health. Letting contaminants and pollutants fill your indoor air can lead to symptoms of allergies such as a runny nose, sore throat, congestion, and headache. For those with existing health conditions such as asthma, their symptoms can exacerbate if they inhale air with poor IAQ.
Besides symptoms of sickness, poor IAQ can also make your home an uncomfortable place to breathe. Musky or dry indoor air can make staying at home unpleasant.
With these issues potentially arising from poor IAQ, it’s important to maintain and improve it when necessary. But first, you’ll want to measure your current IAQ.
How Do I Measure my IAQ?
With so many factors determining a home’s IAQ, there’s no single test to measure its status. However, there are a few tools to help get an understanding about your IAQ. There are three tools we recommend that can help determine your IAQ: The hygrometer, VOC Sensor, and CO Detector.
Hygrometer – Measures humidity via a percentage. It’s generally recommended for your home to have about 40-60% humidity.
VOC Monitor – Measures the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the air. More info can be found here.
CO Detector – Measure the amount of CO (carbon monoxide) in the air, which is an invisible, odorless, and deadly gas. More info can be found here.
What Hurts IAQ?
IAQ can be negatively affected by a variety of factors. We have listed some below:
- Overuse of Air Fresheners/Products containing VOCs
- Poor Outdoor Air Ventilation
- Tobacco Smoke
- Asbestos
- Pollen
- Pets
- Mold Growth in HVAC System
- Clogged HVAC Filters
- Unsuitable Humidity Levels
What Improves IAQ?
Improving IAQ can be done through a variety of steps. Below are some tips regarding improving IAQ:
- Maintain HVAC System Annually
- Clean Your Supply and Return Vents
- Utilize Houseplants
- Schedule Professional Duct Cleaning Services
We hope to have answered a few common questions regarding IAQ. If you would like to have your IAQ assessed by Indianapolis’ leading HVAC experts, contact Action Air today! Give us a call at 317-451-4371 for affordable and quality duct cleaning services.
