“The air inside your home plays a huge role in the way you and the rest of your family feel on a day-to-day basis,” writes HGTV host Mike Holmes in an article for National Post. Aside from its significance to your comfort, indoor air quality can also affect your health. Surprisingly, Holmes notes that the air circulating through your house “can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside. In some cases, it’s 100 times worse!”
We are constantly exposed to pollution, toxins, pesticides, gases — even radon. Most of the time, these things get diluted into the outside air. But they can also find their way into our homes through tiny cracks in foundation walls and floors, through unfinished floors, windows, sumps, vents or gaps around pipes and drains.
The problem is that when these pollutants get into our homes and can’t escape, they will start to accumulate. In high concentrations, radon and other toxins can be big health risks.
Radon, as Holmes mentions , is just one of many air contaminants that can cause health scares. Mould, carbon monoxide, and pesticides may also bring about infections or poisoning through inhalation. Pet dander, dust mites, and tiny particles from home furnishings can spur allergic or asthmatic reactions. Excess moisture or humidity may also trigger breathing difficulties and even promote the growth or circulation of other pollutants.
Aside from ensuring that you use only safe products and abide by standard limits when building, decorating, or cleaning your home, you also have to make sure that your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is in tiptop shape. Aside from regulating temperature, your air conditioner also contributes to the cleanliness of your indoor air. For this reason, never delay AC repair in Toronto.
You can tell something is wrong with your AC when some rooms in your home don’t get cooled properly. You may also notice stuffiness and unusual smells throughout your home, as well as symptoms like cough and colds, headaches, or irritated eyes among members of your household. An AC repair technician should be able to detect the presence of toxic chemicals or fumes in your indoor air and recommend the necessary course of action. Upon confirming the need for air conditioning repair in Toronto, service technicians like Laird & Son can provide the appropriate solutions to effectively get rid of health concerns arising from a faulty AC.
(Source: Indoor air quality and radon levels should be on home inspection lists, National Post, November 5, 2013)