Indoor Air Quality in Stillwater, OK

Whether you own a home or live in a rental unit, the indoor air quality in your Stillwater, OK, living space is an important health consideration.

Even if the air doesn’t carry an unpleasant odor, there may be unseen contaminants affecting the health of your family members and pets. Once you know how to recognize the causes and signs of poor air quality, you can do something to improve it.

Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality

There are several reasons that your Stillwater, OK, home might have poor air quality. While each cause is unique, it’s important to recognize that there might be multiple reasons that your home’s indoor air quality isn’t as good as it could be.

Once you identify any of the following causes, you can take steps to improve air quality in your home.

Chemical Pollution

There are a variety of chemicals that could be contaminating the air in your home. This array includes the chemicals contained in traditional household cleaners. Each time you use a cleaning agent, you’ll be exposing your home’s air to ammonia and other chemicals that are harmful to breathe.

Paints and Fibers

There may be more harmful fumes in your home’s air than you realize. Be wary of using VOC (volatile organic compound) paints in your home.

You may also be exposed to fumes from your carpets for as long as five years after a new carpet installation. The adhesives used and the vinyl backings of some carpets can emit fumes strong enough to cause nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

Mold

Watch for water damage in your bathroom, kitchen, basement, and attic. These areas are especially prone to leaks that can lead to mold growth.

If you find leaks or water damage, call a professional to repair the problem and take steps to fix the cause of the leak. Exposure to mold growth can lead to respiratory infections, cancer, and other debilitating medical conditions.

Other Contaminants

Make sure to clean or replace your air filter every month. Additionally, a seasonal HVAC inspection from Sitton Mechanical, LLC can help ensure your system is properly filtering the air. Otherwise, contaminants such as cigarette smoke, pet dander, and pollen will be recirculated into your home’s air.

Symptoms of Breathing Contaminated Air

When you live with indoor air pollution in your home, everyone living there will be breathing that contaminated air. This exposure to poor air quality will lead to several different changes in health and wellness. You should schedule an appointment with Sitton Mechanical, LLC if your household members often have to deal with:

  • Headaches or migraines
  • Persistent coughing
  • Asthma and other respiratory problems
  • Frequent colds
  • Sore or scratchy throat
  • Red or irritated eyes
  • Fatigue or lower energy levels
  • Dizziness

It’s important to recognize changes to your home’s indoor air quality as early as possible. Once you recognize that there is poor air quality in your home, you can take steps to improve it.

Ways to Improve Your Stillwater, OK, Home’s Indoor Air Quality

When you suspect you have poor air quality in your home, you’ll find that there are plenty of changes you can make to positively impact the indoor air you breathe. Here are a few ways you can improve air quality in your Stillwater, OK, home:

Add a Dehumidifier

In hot and humid weather, the humidity provides the perfect environment for bacteria and other harmful microbes to thrive. Your home’s air conditioner can help to improve air quality by reducing the humidity. 

If you live in a warmer climate, you may need to supplement your AC with a dehumidifier. Your HVAC contractor can help you choose the unit that’s best for your living space.

Humidifier

You may also need a humidifier when your home gets dry on those cold winter days. As the cooler temperatures hit, the air will become drier. This dry air may cause skin and eye irritation, chronic coughing, and a scratchy throat. A humidifier can help add some humidity to the air to make it easier for you to breathe. 

UV Lights

You can also attack indoor air pollution by using UV lights inside your home. While UV lights aren’t strong enough to cause damage to people, they do attack the mold and spores that contribute to indoor air pollution. This protection ensures the air that your HVAC system recirculates is cleaner and healthier for you to breathe.

Sitton Mechanical, LLC can help you meet all of your heating, cooling, and air quality needs in Stillwater, OK. Contact us today to schedule an inspection, maintenance, repairs, or a new HVAC installation.