How Do You Fix Poor Indoor Air Quality?

Whether you’re escaping the heat in the summer or the cold in the winter, going inside your home is a safe retreat from the life beyond your front door. Although this should be the case, some Birmingham homeowners are plagued by poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Although air may seem harmless since it’s out of sight and (should be) out of mind, it’s not uncommon for pollutants to contaminate your home’s air and ruin the IAQ.

If you’re suspicious of your home’s air quality, you may be wondering what steps you should take moving forward. For homeowners in the Birmingham area, Skelton’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing has your back. Here’s what you can expect from our technicians as we help improve your home’s IAQ.

Conducting An IAQ Test

When you reach out to Skelton’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, our first step to determine your home’s IAQ is to conduct an IAQ test. These tests determine the types and levels of pollutants that are damaging your IAQ. Some common pollutants that these tests detect are allergens/dander, mold, dust, and smoke.

Conducting an IAQ test is essential for determining how to treat your home’s poor IAQ. The specific results from the test provide our technicians accurate insight into anything from what mold might be growing in your walls, or even alert them to the presence of radon, which is dangerous to consume.

How To Improve Indoor Air Quality

After an IAQ test, our technicians figure out the best way to treat your IAQ based on the specific pollutants present in your home.

Treating Dust

If your home is polluted with dust, our technicians will replace your air filter. Dust can easily cake your air filter and pollute all the air circulating in your home. In certain situations, our technicians may recommend replacing your carpeting if the concentration of dust is high. Another way to reduce the amount of dust in your home is by cleaning out your air ducts. Our team can check your ducts for the presence of dust or mold and clean them out as necessary.

Treating Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that are released from common household items and structural features. The presence of VOCs in your home can be very dangerous to your health, so removing them from the air is very important. To filter out VOCs, you’ll need to replace your home’s air filter with an activated carbon air filter. These air filters are effective at filtering out most VOCs from your home.

If your home has a more dangerous VOC, such as radon, further action will be necessary. For radon, our technicians may install a vent pipe and fan system that filters out the radon from beneath your home and releases it outside, rather than into your home.

Treating Allergens/Dander

Most of the time, replacing your home’s air filter will decrease the amount of pollen, allergens, and dander from your home’s air. However, you can also purchase an air purifier for certain rooms to boost the air filtration process. For particularly sensitive people, this may be a smart option.

Clean Air Tips

Once your home’s air has been tested and treated by our team at Skelton’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, there are a few steps you can take to maintain a good IAQ. Here are a few tips for keeping your air clean:

• Routinely dust your home
• Replace your home’s air filter every 6-12 months
• Make sure to vacuum
• Install and use a cooking vent above your stove
• Install dehumidifiers

If you’re looking for Birmingham IAQ solutions, Skelton’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is here to help. We have experienced technicians who are equipped to tackle even the dirtiest indoor air. Call us today to schedule a consultation!