4 Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollution in New Bern, NC
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the indoor air inside your New Bern, NC, home may have between two to five times more pollutants than the air outside. When many people think of air pollution, they think of smoke, smog and other pollutants commonly found outside, but there are plenty of threats to your home’s air quality lurking inside. Here’s a look at four of the most common sources of indoor air pollution that you need to watch out for:
Cigarette Smoke
There are plenty of studies that focus on the dangers of smoking to the smoker and the people around them. However, it’s important to understand that smoking also does significant damage to your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ).
Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals and cancer-causing carcinogens. Over time, these chemicals get into your home’s carpet, upholstery, curtains and more, lowering your indoor air quality. Giving up smoking is a healthy choice, but if you just can’t break the habit, avoid smoking inside.
Pets
Pets, especially those with fur such as dogs, cats and rabbits, are lovable members of the family, but they can also be terrible for your home’s air quality. When your pet sheds its fur, usually during the warmest time of the year, you’ll deal with fur and pet dander in your home’s air. Pet dander is a microscopic substance that comes from animals with fur or feathers and is especially dangerous for people with respiratory issues like asthma or allergies.
Shedding and pet dander isn’t the only way that pets can lower your home’s air quality. When your pet relieves itself inside, even if it’s in a litter box or on a puppy training pad, the smells that come from that waste lower your air quality. Continued exposure to animal waste is dangerous, which makes it so important to quickly clean up after your pets.
Regularly grooming your pets is important, not only for them but also for your home’s air quality. Give them routine baths and brush them or take them to a groomer.
Biological Growth
Bacterial growth is a dangerous threat to your indoor air quality, thanks in large part to how quickly it multiplies. Bacterial growth typically needs a food source, heat and dampness to grow, which makes places like basements, attics and crawlspaces ideal locations for it.
If part of your home suffers water damage, it only takes between 24 and 48 hours for bacterial growth to take hold. This is also why it’s important to control your home’s humidity levels, which measures the level of moisture in the air. If any area of your home has too much humidity for an extended period, bacterial growth is likely.
Pesticides
Obviously, you probably don’t use pesticides inside your home, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not a threat to your IAQ. This is especially true during the spring and summer when many people choose to keep their windows open to allow fresh air to flow into their homes. If you spray the areas around your windows with pesticides, it’s safe to assume that some of these potentially harmful chemicals will get inside.
You can also let pesticides into your home by spraying around your heat pump. When you spray these chemicals around the outdoor unit, it’ll pull some of them in before pushing them into your home. It’s important to not use any sort of pesticide near your HVAC system and to shut your windows when spraying them around your home.
Protecting your home’s air quality starts with recognizing some of the biggest threats to it. Our team is here to help you choose the right IAQ products to keep your home and family safe from harmful indoor air pollution. Contact J & J Mechanical, Inc. today to find out about our IAQ products and other HVAC services.
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