Indoor Air Quality Testing and Service from Peace Heating And Air Conditioning

When was the last time you thought about whether the air you’re breathing is as healthy as possible? If you can’t remember, or you’ve been thinking about it but been unsure of what to do, your Charlotte metro home or office is probably due for an indoor environmental quality check. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is the measurement of how “healthy” the air is in a given building or space, and it is one of the hot health topics for government agencies from Washington D.C. to Walla Walla, Washington. IAQ can vary drastically, even between rooms or floors in the same building! While you can’t see the quality of your air with the naked eye, its health effect can be very real for you and those around you. At Peace Heating And Air Conditioning, we’re not satisfied with your home’s air until it’s not just warm or cool enough, but feels good to breathe. Across the Charlotte area from Race City to Rockwell and beyond, Peace Heating And Air Conditioning can help you ensure your indoor air is as clean as it can possibly be. 

A beginner’s guide to indoor air quality from Peace Heating And Air Conditioning

The health of your  home or office and the people who work there is important year-round, but we tend to pay more attention to it during the winter, when we spend more time inside. A very old “old wives’ tale” says that being out in the cold can make you sick, but for most people the exact opposite is true! Prolonged exposure to poorly ventilated indoor air, increased demand on the building’s heating and cooling system and being in close quarters with other people for extended periods of time, such as at school or in office buildings, actually makes you more likely to get sick, regardless of what the weather outside is doing.

Part of this is due to air pollution, which is caused by a mix of particles and gases in the air you breathe, according to the National Library of Medicine entry on indoor air quality. Ironically, the very systems you rely on to heat and cool your home, business or school may actually help spread pollutants around the space. What these particles and gases are, how much of a health problem they can be and what you can do to protect yourself and those you care about from their effects depend on several factors:

• Where you live and work
• How much standing water is around your home or business
• Whether very young, elderly or immunocompromised people are building occupants
• Whether you or other occupants of your space smoke
• The cleaning chemicals and products you use to keep your space looking and smelling clean
• Whether your heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems are regularly and properly serviced and maintained
• Whether you have appropriate natural ventilation or mechanical ventilation, particularly in areas where a space heater, gas stove or common household products such as air freshener are frequently used

Peace Heating And Air Conditioning does more than just HVAC service and repair. We can test and service your Indian Trail heating and air conditioning systems to reduce pollution in indoors environments, allowing these systems to produce cleaner, more comfortable air for everyone in your home or office. This means fewer sick days from work and school, increased employee productivity and better overall public health for all.

What causes indoor air pollution?

The EPA’s frequently asked questions web site cites a dozen major sources of indoor air pollution. Some of these are a result of environmental factors, such as areas high in the heavy metal lead, or the presence of a high radon level, which is a radioactive, naturally occurring gas byproduct of the breakdown of uranium. Both substances can leach into drinking water as well as air. Some of them are the legacy of outdated construction practices in building materials or furnishings, such as older homes which relied upon asbestos for insulation or buildings where poor foundation practices permit water infiltration which can allow mold growth. Some come from cleaning products or the type of heating a home or business uses. Some pollutants result from habitual factors such as smoking. And some are simply a byproduct of having human beings and other biological entities coexisting in a building, such as dust mites. 

What are the signs of poor indoor air quality?

There’s no single, “catch-all” answer for this question. As Shakespeare famously wrote, “One man’s meat is another poison,” which means something which doesn’t bother, or may even be actively good for, one person may be irritating, detrimental or lethal to someone else. However, if you see any of these signs or indicators around your Sherills Ford home or office, especially when observed among very young, elderly or immunocompromised people, call Peace Heating And Air Conditioning immediately to arrange for an indoor air quality test. This is truly a case where an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure!

Signs of poor indoor air quality can include:

• Increased incidence or indications of respiratory ailments. In these instances, an indoor air quality audit can help pin down the underlying cause and determine what the best courses of action for mitigating the cause may be. Signs include:
  • Asthma attacks
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat 
  • Development of chronic respiratory disease or acute respiratory distress
  • Other respiratory health problems
• “Sick building syndrome,” where a number of people report illness without exposure to another possible illness vector of which they are aware. This can often be isolated to faulty or poorly maintained heating and air conditioning systems.
• Increased incidence or complaints of headaches, dizziness or fatigue.
• Chronic conditions which show up years after initial exposure, such as COPD, emphysema and certain types of cancers.
• Chronic or acute respiratory issues in pets, especially mammals like dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.
• Indications of gender-specific health risk particular to men’s health or women’s health 

When the health and safety of your home or office is in question, don’t wait! Peace Heating And Air Conditioning’ licensed, NATE-certified technicians have the training, equipment and skills to check your indoor air and help you and your family or staff fight back against the dangers of indoor air pollution.

Some quick ways to improve indoor air quality include:

• Crack a window: You don’t have to try to heat the whole neighborhood, but leaving an outside-facing window open just a little, especially in rooms where multiple people congregate for long periods, can help improve air circulation, combat inadequate air ventilation and flush out polluted indoor air. As an alternative which won’t raise your heating bill, an energy recover ventilator (ERV) is a module which exchanges stale indoor air for the fresher, cleaner air outside. Peace Heating And Air Conditioning can help you decide if an ERV is right for you and choose a model that fits your budget and the needs of your business or home. 
• Think green: Adding live indoor plants which don’t require a great deal of water to your home or office can not only make it look more welcoming and inviting all year long for building occupants, but plants are second to none when it comes to filtering air for pollutants and toxins such as benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide released by fresh paint, new carpet or wood products and cleaning chemicals, among other contaminants.
• Service, please: Having your HVAC systems serviced twice a year by Peace Heating And Air Conditioning can help keep your heating and cooling operating at peak efficiency. This prevents buildup of particulate matter and moisture which can lead to mold growth in your air filters and ventilation system, making your air more breathing-friendly.
• Take it outside: We get that quitting smoking is hard, but if you can, you should. If you absolutely must smoke or vape, do it outdoors in a well-ventilated area. Remember that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is composed of the chemicals and particulates released by smoking and vaping. These can linger on your clothes for hours or days after your last puff, adding to indoor air pollution and causing or exacerbating breathing problems for you and those around you.
• Do you even have filters?: Check your air filters every month or in accordance with manufacturer guidelines to make sure they’re not blocked or clogged, and clean or replace them as needed. Peace Heating And Air Conditioning offers a range of air filtration systems and air scrubbers, including mechanical filtration options such as HEPA filters recommended by the American Lung Association. These filters help trap particles and gases which can degrade indoor air quality. We can even install them so you know the job’s done right the first time, every time.  
• Get wet: Air humidifiers can help keep the ambient air in your home or office more comfortable for human use and minimize air quality problems. While they are not a cure-all and don’t replace filters, service and adjustment of habitual behaviors, they can help everyone breathe easier especially during the winter, when the air tends to be cooler and drier inside. Peace Heating And Air Conditioning can help you choose the right humidifier for your needs.
• Dry up: In the Carolinas, especially in the warm, humid summers, your indoor air might be too wet. This can lead to mold growth and cause respiratory problems, especially for people who are already susceptible such as children, the elderly and people with chronic respiratory or autoimmune disorders. Peace Heating And Air Conditioning offers a range of dehumidifiers for a wide variety of spaces and applications, from residential to commercial.
• Clean up your act: Do you know what your household cleaning agents contain? Most people don’t! Over time, many of these chemicals can break down or combine with other cleaning agents to produce toxic particulates and gases, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Consumer Product Safety Commission is a good starting point if you’re concerned about the health risks of the cleaning products your family or business uses.