Many people believe that poor indoor air quality can be easily detected by a large amount of dust settling on furniture or a bad odor in the air. However, there are many air contaminants that can’t easily be detected but are nevertheless present. These contaminants are often the most dangerous. Common air contaminants include:
- Tobacco smoke
- Dust
- Pole
- Pet debris (including skin flakes)
- Mold spores
- Carbon monoxide
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Asbestos
- Lead
- Pest debris (including droppings of rats, mice, cockroaches, ants and termites)
- Radon
Effects on health
There are various ways that bad air quality can affect the health of your family. These include:
- Worsen respiratory conditions – If anyone in your family has a respiratory condition such as asthma, allergies or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, their condition can be further aggravated by the presence of various air pollutants such as pollen, pest debris and mold spores. These pollutants will cause the person to sneeze, cough and develop watery eyes amongst other common allergy symptoms.
- Decline in health – Even if your family is healthy, their state of health is likely to decline when exposed to poor air quality for an extended period of time. Breathing in mold spores for example will increase their risk of developing infections in their respiratory system. Exposure to VOCs at low levels will result in the development of nausea and headaches.
- Affects long term health – Regular exposure to air pollutants can result in the development of chronic health problems such as asthma. Children exposed to cockroach debris are at a higher risk of developing asthma. Extended exposure to VOCs will put your family at risk of developing organ damage or cancer. Exposure to elements such as Radon will result in higher risk of developing cancers.
- Lowers comfort – high humidity levels will leave you feeling uncomfortably sticky and hot. High humidity also provides the perfect conditions under which dust mite and mold can grow. These will result in the development of bad odors that are likely to make you even more uncomfortable in your home. It is therefore important to find the right balance for indoor humidity in your home.
Poor indoor air quality can also affect your family by affecting:
- Your finances – your energy bills are likely to rise as more contaminants are trapped in the air filter causing the fan in your HVAC system to work harder.
- Damaging your HVAC system – your HVAC system could be damaged because of the high levels of contaminants.
Contact a professional contractor today to ensure that you protect your family.
Budget Dry is based in Killingworth, Connecticut and has been recognized as the areas leading basement waterproofing and foundation repair company.
We are passionate about providing the absolute best service to each home and homeowner we encounter, because we understand just how important your home is to you. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and use of cutting edge industry technology.
Budget Dry Basement Waterproofing is a leader in Basement waterproofing and basement restoration. Every Basement flood, leak or crack is evaluated thoroughly to ensure that we provide you with the best solution. So you can be secure and confident in the knowledge that Budget Dry treats the problem, not the symptom!