Why an Energy-Efficient House Can Influence Air Quality and How to Improve It 

Homes today are constructed with energy efficiency in mind. This involves added insulation and tightly sealed doors and windows to keep heating and cooling costs affordable. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good for your indoor air quality. 

Because air has decreased chances to escape, contaminants can build up and impact your house’s indoor air quality. In fact, your house’s air can actually be 2–5 times worse than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s particularly detrimental for family members with allergies, asthma, other respiratory concerns or heart disease. 

Let’s go over some of these everyday contaminants and how you can enhance your house’s indoor air quality. 

6 Routine Pollutants that Affect Indoor Air Quality 

When you visualize pollutants, you may think about smog or tobacco smoke. But a lot of substances that impact your air quality are normal substances. These things have chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. 

They entail: 

1. Cleaning products, including aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner. 

2. Personal care products, such as hairspray, perfume and nail products. 

3. Candles and air fresheners. 

4. Formaldehyde, which is frequently used in plastic, foam and particleboard products. 

5. Furniture, window treatments and carpet, particularly when they’re brand new. 

6. Paints and stains. 

Other everyday pollutants include: 

• Dust 
• Pet dander 

• Pollen 
• Mold 

Symptoms of VOC Exposure 

Some people are more affected by VOCs than others. The EPA says symptoms of VOC exposure entail: 

• Irritated eyes, nose or throat 

• Headaches 
• Dizziness 
• Fatigue 

In bad situations, the EPA says VOCs can cause respiratory and heart diseases. 

4 Ways to Enhance Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality 

It isn’t hard to boost your house’s air quality. Here are several ideas from Harvard Medical School: 

1. Clean Your Residence Often 

Routinely cleaning and washing surfaces that attract allergens, such as furniture, carpet and bedding, will help reduce on dust, dust mites and pet dander in your house. 

2. Frequently Switch Your Air Filter 

This essential filter keeps your house cozy and air healthy. How often you should change your air filter depends on the kind of filter you have. Flat filters should be replaced every month, while pleated filters should be replaced every three months. If you’re not sure if your filter should be replaced, remove it and tilt it to the light. Get a new one if you can’t see light through it. 

If someone in your household deals with allergies or asthma, we recommend having a filter with a better MERV rating. The bigger the number this is, the better your filter is at eliminating contaminants. 

3. Improve Natural Ventilation 

Keep fresh air moving by opening windows whenever the temperature allows. We also recommend running exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen frequently to get rid of pollutants and draw in more fresh air. 

4. Call Our Indoor Air Quality Pros 

From whole-home air purifiers, Strogen's Service Experts has a resolution to help your household breathe better. We’ll help you choose the best option during your free home comfort assessment. Reach us at 603-923-4570 to schedule yours now!