By Anne Fonda
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the level of pollutants and irritants in the indoor air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), concentrations of some pollutants are 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. And since we spend about 90% of our time indoors, poor IAQ can lead to discomfort and health problems.
Most homes have multiple sources of indoor air pollution, such as dust, pet dander, and other irritants. These substances may not be harmful individually. However, when combined, they can pose a health risk.
The EPA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) agree that long-term exposure to pollutants can be harmful to health. Prolonged exposure to these pollutants can pose significant health risks.
Knowing about common pollutants and recognizing symptoms of poor indoor air quality can help you reduce contaminants.
Different pollutants can affect indoor air quality. These pollutants consist of visible particles in the air and tiny pollutants that are not visible to the naked eye. Measure these particles in microns, a unit of measurement equal to one millionth of a meter.
Some of the most common indoor air pollutants include:
Indoor air pollutants and allergens don’t affect everyone the same way. Some people will react to one allergen or irritant more than others. If someone in your family has allergies, asthma, or a weakened immune system, they will most likely notice a problem before anyone else.
Inadequate ventilation, high humidity, low humidity, and poor air filtration can cause these indoor pollutants to linger.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, poor IAQ can cause health symptoms and make respiratory conditions worse. Poor indoor air quality can cause some or all of the following symptoms.
It's important to know that a cold or other respiratory illness can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. If these symptoms go away when you or a family member is away from home, IAQ problems may be to blame.
Long-term exposure to certain indoor air pollutants can lead to long-term health effects. Improving indoor air quality can help vulnerable family members improve their overall health - or at least not make it worse.
Indoor air quality testing or air quality monitoring can help you get an idea of the pollutants in the air you and your family are breathing. Most devices you can buy online don’t tell the whole story. We would suggest working with an HVAC professional who can perform a comprehensive indoor air quality assessment.
Your American Standard dealer can perform an indoor air quality analysis and make recommendations. If you want to monitor your indoor air quality levels, we recommend the Awair® Element indoor air quality monitor. The Element is a smart IAQ monitor that can monitor the temperature, humidity, CO2, chemicals, and fine dust levels in your home. (Reworked this paragraph)
You can integrate it with the American Standard Home App. You can view your Awair Score right from the app and opt into the pre-programmed automation from American Standard Home. For example, this automation uses the Awair Score to trigger the HVAC fan to run if certain IAQ levels indicate the need for more air circulation.
While you may not have any control over the indoor air quality at work or your child’s school, you can take steps to improve your home’s IAQ. Examples backed by the Cleveland Clinic include:
Learn more about how your HVAC system and add-on components can help improve your indoor air quality.
Contact your local American Standard dealer to get expert indoor air quality product and system recommendations to help improve the IAQ in your home.
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Sean Goddard, Product Manager, Coils & Indoor Air Quality
Air cleaners reduce the total volume of allergens, dust, pollen, dander, and other harmful particles from the newly cooled or heated air circulating in your home.
Air filtration systems utilize an air filter to remove harmful particles from the air you breathe. In most air filtration systems, you can change and maintain filters on your own.
Allergens are substances that cause allergic reactions.
Particulate is a big word for something in the air that is very small – sometimes so small you can’t see it with the naked eye. Particulates are a source of indoor air pollution. Reducing the particulates in the air you breathe can improve your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ).
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