According to the EPA, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, where air pollutants can become 2 to 5 times more concentrated than they are outside.
Oftentimes, when we’re maintaining our homes or our office buildings, we think about how clean our floors, windows, and surfaces are. How often are we putting that same amount of thought and effort into the cleanliness of our indoor air?
Believe it or not, indoor air quality can have a direct impact on our day-to-day health. When you put effort into keeping your indoor air clean and well-ventilated, you’ll see real benefits right away.
Read on to learn how indoor air quality can impact your health and what you can do about it.
Indoor Air Quality and Respiratory Issues
What kinds of pollutants tend to impact the quality of your indoor air? For most homes and businesses, you’re looking at non-toxic pollutants like dust, pollen, and dust mites. These particles can become trapped in your carpeting and upholstery and pushed inside by old or dirty HVAC systems.
When you have a high concentration of these pollutants, you may begin to notice respiratory issues like sneezing, coughing, and itchiness in the throat, nose, and eyes. For individuals with asthma or seasonal allergies, these symptoms may be worse.
Ventilation and Viruses
One thing we’ve all learned more about in the past year is the correlation between poor indoor ventilation and the spread of airborne viruses. When indoor air becomes stagnant, you introduce less fresh, clean air into the building. That means that the concentration of virus-spreading particles becomes higher, increasing your chances of contracting that virus.
How to Boost Your Indoor Air Quality
There are several ways that you can boost your indoor air quality throughout the day. Getting rid of carpeting in exchange for a hard surface like wood or linoleum makes it more difficult for pollutants to stick to your floors. Regularly vacuuming and mopping can also help combat indoor pollutants.
Opening the windows is a great way to increase ventilation indoors, but it’s not always an option. In the hot summer months or cold winter months, you’re likely to close up those windows and turn on your cooling or heating system. Your HVAC system plays a direct role in the quality of your indoor air.
If you’re concerned about indoor air quality in your home or business, schedule HVAC services with us. We can inspect, repair, or replace your HVAC system to ensure that you’re breathing in cleaner, better-ventilated air.
Bentley’s Is Here to Help
We spend the vast majority of our time indoors, whether we’re at home, at work, at school, or running errands. Ensuring that we’re breathing clean indoor air is a great way to lower our risk of developing respiratory issues or contracting illnesses.
Bentley’s is here to help you boost your indoor air quality and boost your health. To find out more about our services or schedule an appointment, contact us today.