If you’re like many Oklahomans here in Chickasha and Duncan, you’ve spent much more time inside your home over the last few weeks than usual. So why not make it healthier and a more efficient home.
While it might seem like staying inside would keep you protected from outdoor air pollution, the truth is that indoor air can contain 2 to 5 times the concentrations of certain pollutants as outdoor air. This is largely because your home is a confined space, and unlike the outdoors, pollutants can’t easily disperse.
Staying healthy inside your efficient home will be a priority this year more than ever for families across the Sooner State. Let’s learn a little more about the symptoms of unhealthy homes and how improvements to your HVAC system will help make the air circulating in your home safer to breathe and lower your heating and cooling costs.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS OF AN UNHEALTHY HOME?
Do any of the following health symptoms sound familiar?
- COUGHING AND SNEEZING
- HEADACHES
- DIZZINESS OR NAUSEA
- FATIGUE, SHORTNESS OF BREATH
- DRYNESS OR IRRITATION OF THE EYES, NOSE, AND THROAT
- INCREASED ALLERGIES
Did you know that these are all common symptoms of unhealthy indoor air? One of the reasons why many people fail to realize their homes have poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is because they mistake their health issues for just a common cold or virus.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY?
Many daily household activities, such as cleaning and cooking, can produce air pollutants like VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) inside your house. Smoking, pet dander, carbon monoxide leaks from malfunctioning combustion fuel appliances like stoves or furnaces, dirt and dust tracked in from outside—these can all contribute to unhealthy air quality.
HVAC SOLUTIONS FOR A HEALTHY HOME
If you don’t take steps to keep your air fresh and clean, not only are you putting your health at risk, but you’re likely affecting your energy costs as well. As pollutants build in your efficient home, they will get into your ductwork and central HVAC system. Not only will these harmful particles circulate throughout your entire house, but they can decrease the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems, leading to rising energy costs and increased repair calls to a service technician.
Luckily, there are a number of HVAC solutions that can help clean up your indoor air:
AIR DUCT CLEANING & SANITATION
When was the last time you had your ductwork cleaned? Dirty or dusty ducts can contribute to poor air quality and health issues, and they often force your heating and cooling systems to work harder, leading to more wear and tear on your systems and a shorter lifespan. DeHart can both clean and sanitize your air ducts for a healthy solution that will help ensure the circulating air in your home is safe to breathe.
AIR PURIFICATION AND AIR FILTRATION
One of the best ways to have clean indoor air is to install high quality healthy home air filters and an air purification system. MERV 16 rated filters will prevent nearly all airborne particulates from circulating through your system, and air purifiers use UV light to target and eliminate viruses, bacteria, pollen, and more air pollutants as they pass through your ductwork.
HUMIDITY CONTROL
Optimal indoor humidity levels for health and comfort are between 30-60%. Oklahoma winters are dry, and installing a central HVAC humidifier can help with dry or itchy skin, as well as respiratory irritations and even problems with the building materials of your home, like splits in wood floors or trim.
REACH OUT TO THE HEALTHY HOME EXPERTS AT DEHART
At DeHart Air Conditioning & Heating, we know Oklahoma homes like the back of our hands—we’ve been servicing them for 100 years! We understand the unique climate challenges and the effects that they can have on people and their homes. If you’re looking for a local HVAC contractor who can not only keep your HVAC system running efficiently for longer, but also help you take steps towards improving the air quality of your home and the health of the people living inside it, give our team a call today.