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Improving indoor air quality typically involves a few practical steps that work together. Reducing pollutants at the source, improving ventilation, and filtering the air inside your home all play an important role. Solutions like air purifiers, proper ventilation, humidity control with dehumidifiers, houseplants, and regularly changing HVAC filters can help create a healthier, more comfortable living space for you and your family.
Your home should feel safe and comfortable, but the air inside it is not always as clean as you might expect. Most people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, and in many homes, indoor air can be more polluted than the air outside. Understanding what is in your air and how it affects your health is the first step toward breathing easier at home.
In this guide, you will learn how to identify indoor air quality issues, test for common pollutants, and choose effective solutions to improve the air throughout your home.
Indoor air quality issues are common, especially in newer homes that are tightly sealed for energy efficiency. While this helps lower energy costs, it can also trap pollutants inside and allow them to build up over time.
Everyday activities like cooking, cleaning, and using household products release particles and gases into the air. Without proper ventilation, these pollutants stay indoors longer than they should. This can be especially concerning for children, older adults, and anyone with breathing or respiratory conditions.
Poor indoor air quality is rarely caused by a single issue. It is usually the result of limited ventilation, excess moisture, and everyday household pollutants working together.
When fresh air does not circulate properly, pollutants build up inside the home. High humidity can encourage mold growth and dust mites, both of which are common allergy triggers. Appliances that burn fuel, such as furnaces or water heaters, can also affect air quality if they are not operating or venting correctly.
Common sources of poor indoor air quality include:
Many indoor air pollutants are invisible, which makes them easy to overlook. These pollutants often come from building materials, household products, pets, or moisture inside the home.
Volatile organic compounds, often called VOCs, are released by items like paints, cleaners, and air fresheners. Particulate matter includes dust, pet dander, smoke, and pollen that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Mold spores thrive in damp areas, while radon gas can enter through foundation cracks without any noticeable smell.
| Pollutant | Common Sources |
|---|---|
| Particulate Matter (PM) | Dust, smoke, pet dander, pollen |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | Paints, cleaning supplies, new furniture, air fresheners |
| Radon | Breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water |
| Mold Spores | Damp areas like basements, bathrooms, and leaky pipes |
If something feels off in your home, it is worth paying attention. Lingering odors, visible mold, or unexplained symptoms can all point to air quality issues.
Different air quality tests can help you find what is in the air. You can use electronic air quality monitors to get real-time readings of several things in the air. Some kits will check for items such as radon. A carbon monoxide detector is a must-have in every home for safety. When you know what poor air looks like and learn how to test for it, you can take steps so that the air in your home is better.
Poor indoor air quality often shows up as symptoms that seem unrelated at first. Frequent headaches, fatigue, dizziness, or irritation in your eyes, nose, or throat may be connected to the air inside your home.
Breathing issues or allergies that worsen indoors can also be a warning sign. A persistent musty odor may indicate hidden mold, which releases spores into the air over time.
Common indicators include:
Home air testing has become more accessible in recent years. Indoor air quality monitors provide real-time readings for pollutants like particulate matter, VOCs, and humidity.
Some concerns require specialized testing. Carbon monoxide detectors are essential safety devices in every home. Radon test kits help detect a colorless, odorless gas that can enter through the foundation and pose serious health risks.
Here are some common home testing methods:
The right test kit depends on your specific concerns. If you want an overall picture of your indoor air, a multi-sensor air quality monitor provides continuous insight and helps track changes over time.
If you are concerned about a specific issue, such as radon or mold, targeted test kits offer more accurate results. Following manufacturer instructions and maintaining devices properly helps ensure reliable readings.
When choosing an indoor air quality monitor, look for one that tracks the pollutants most relevant to your home. Many modern monitors measure multiple factors at once, which provides a clearer picture of your indoor environment.
Consider monitors or detectors that measure:
DIY air quality tests are a good starting point for understanding common issues and overall conditions in your home. They are affordable, easy to use, and helpful for identifying concerns like elevated moisture or chemical pollutants.
There are times when you need professional help. If you think there is a big problem, like a lot of mold, or if you find high radon levels from a DIY test, or if anyone in your family is having strong health problems, you should contact an expert. A professional can use special tools to get the right measurements and figure out what is causing the problem.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it is best to get professional help when checking for things like lead or asbestos in your place. If you use do-it-yourself tests and the results are not clear, or you spot high levels of something dangerous, going to an expert is the way to make sure that you get the right answer. A professional helps find out what is wrong and what you can do to fix it.
Improving indoor air quality typically involves three steps: reducing pollution sources, improving ventilation, and cleaning the air. Using these approaches together delivers the best results.
From simple habit changes to installing air purification systems, these solutions help reduce airborne contaminants and improve comfort throughout your home.
Ventilation is one of the most effective ways to improve indoor air quality. Bringing in fresh outdoor air helps dilute and remove indoor pollutants.
Many HVAC systems do not introduce fresh air on their own, so intentional ventilation is important, especially during cooking, cleaning, or home improvement projects.
Here are some simple ventilation strategies:
Air purifiers help clean indoor air by pulling it through specialized filters that capture particles and gases. Their effectiveness depends on the type of filter and how well the unit matches the size of the space.
HEPA filters are effective at capturing fine particles like dust, pollen, and pet dander. Activated carbon filters help reduce odors and chemical gases. Choosing the right air purifier can significantly reduce allergy and respiratory triggers.
When choosing an air purifier, consider one with:
Learning that your indoor air quality is poor can feel overwhelming, but it is also the first step toward improvement. Once you know what is affecting your air, you can take focused steps to reduce exposure and improve conditions.
Solutions may include lifestyle changes, equipment upgrades, or professional services, depending on the severity of the issue.
Improving indoor air quality does not always require major investments. Consistent, everyday changes can make a meaningful difference.
Here are some simple changes you can make:
Many potential issues can be fixed with DIY solutions. But some problems need professional help. If you think there may be dangerous things like asbestos or lead, you should call a certified professional at once. These things are not safe and can cause bad health problems. Only experts should deal with them.
You should get professional help if your tests show high levels of radon. Radon is a radioactive gas. It is a leading cause of lung cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency says to hire a qualified expert if radon levels are 4 pCi/L or higher. If someone in your home has bad health problems, and you think it could be from pollutants that affect the central nervous system, an expert can look into it and help.
If you try to fix air quality on your own but the air still seems bad, or if you find things like mold that keep coming back, it may help to call a professional. A professional can check the problem closely and fix it, so you feel less worried.
Maintaining good indoor air quality plays an important role in your comfort and long-term health. By identifying pollutants, improving ventilation, and using effective filtration, you can create a healthier indoor environment for everyone in your home.
Regular checkups, thoughtful habits, and timely improvements help ensure the air you breathe supports your well-being.
If you are concerned about the air in your home or want expert guidance, the team at Paschal is here to help. From duct cleaning to whole home air purification systems, we recommend solutions that fit your home and your needs.
Yes, it is a good idea to do air quality tests before you move into a new home. There can be air pollution from things like renovations, new items, or from people who lived there before. Testing for problems such as radon and mold can help you find and fix issues early. This helps you avoid the negative health effects of bad air quality for you and your family.
You can make poor indoor air better by using the right ventilation systems and by controlling where indoor air pollutants come from. A good way to clean up indoor air is to open windows and use exhaust fans. Picking products that have low VOCs also helps to improve indoor air quality. If you do regular maintenance and cleaning, that will keep indoor air quality good, and you will not need to spend a lot of money.
The time you see changes can be different for each person. If you use air purifiers or if you make the ventilation better, you might feel a change in a few hours. Sometimes it can take a few days. If you have respiratory issues because of indoor air pollutants like mold spores, it might take longer. Your body needs time to get better after the problem in the indoor air is fixed.
Common pollutants are things like volatile organic compounds, tiny bits of dust, mold spores, and high radon levels. These can get into the air in your home. Being around them can make your eyes feel sore or give you allergies. They can also lead to serious breathing problems. Being around radon for a long time is a leading cause of lung cancer. This is why you need to test the air for radon.
You can check your home’s air quality in different ways. An indoor air quality monitor will show you real-time data about different pollutants in the indoor air. If you want to look for a certain danger, you can use a radon test kit for radon gas or a carbon monoxide detector for carbon monoxide. These air quality tests can help you see what issues may be in your home’s air, and you can take steps to fix them.
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