Live Healthier
You may have heard a statement similar to this before “The air inside our homes is more polluted than the air outside!” While this statement is extremely variable, for many of us this is true. How can that be? A house is a complex system comprised of machines and materials which all have an impact on the air we breathe. Anyone who has ever had their hardwood floors refinished knows this very well since they often have to move out during the process and for several days afterward. This is due to something called “VOCs” or Volatile Organic Compounds, which are released from materials when exposed to the air. That “new car smell”, VOCs, the headache you get after you spend time in a freshly painted room, VOCs.
Additionally, it is possible to mechanically draw “bad” air into your home, with your clothes dryer, bathroom fans, furnace/air conditioner blower or your range hood. These appliances are designed to move tremendous amounts of air and can cause pressure differences in your house which seek to be balanced by drawing air back into the space, sometimes from undesirable locations, such as garages, combustion vents or storage sheds. Radon is another very real source of indoor air pollution that can pose significant long-term health issues.
Indoor Air Quality problems can be overcome or avoided altogether with a little upfront knowledge, some specialized tests and regular preventative maintenance. See our blog about pressure imbalances and VOC’s for some details on these issues.
