In our last blog, we talked about how the summer season can make moisture and humidity problems in your Eastern Shore home worse. Today, we’re going to continue to discuss how the warmer months of the year can pose unique challenges for families looking to create and live in healthier home environments—specifically, air quality and outdoor air pollutants.
Why Are Outdoor Air Pollutants Such a Risk in the Summer?
Homes can suffer from poor indoor air quality and air pollutants at any time. But the hottest parts of the year can make certain air pollutants worse.
Pet dander – Your pets shed more when the weather’s warm, which can introduce more pet dander into your air.
Open windows – Opening the windows when the weather finally starts to heat up in Easton and Annapolis is a relief for homeowners. But if you have pollen allergies, you’re essentially opening the floodgates and welcoming outdoor allergens into your home.
Mold growth – Spring and summer are when outdoor air gets more humid. That humid air can lead to indoor mold growth—in your crawl space or basement as well as in the living areas of your home.
Dust mites – When humidity rises in the summer, so does the prevalence of dust mites, which many people are allergic to.
What Are the Health Risks of Poor Indoor Air Quality?
Air pollutants can pose a number of health risks to the people living in your home, including:
Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat
Headaches
Dizziness
Fatigue
Asthma
Cold-like symptoms
What Can You Do To Improve Your IAQ and the Health of Your Home
A healthy home is one that is filled with cleaner air and fewer indoor air pollutants. With healthy home services from Total Home Performance, you can not only address existing air quality issues (like mold remediation services) but also find the right solution to reduce the levels of air pollutants in your home and create a healthier and safer indoor environment for your family moving forward.
Whole home dehumidification systems connect to your central ductwork and remove humidity from the air circulating throughout your home. Dehumidifiers make your home more comfortable, help prevent mold growth, and can reduce the likelihood of dust mite problems indoors.
Whole ventilation systems, like ERVs (energy recovery ventilators), exchange stale indoor air (where air pollutants can concentrate) with filtered outdoor air. By exhausting polluted air and replacing it with outdoor air that’s been filtered (unlike unfiltered outdoor air that gets into your home through open windows), you can keep your home’s air healthier and fresher.
Mechanical indoor air quality solutions work around the clock to maintain healthy air quality throughout your home any time of the year, but they really come in handy during the hot summer months. A mechanical IAQ solution will fight back against one of the most challenging times of the year for air pollutants in your Easton or Annapolis home.
Schedule a Healthy Home Assessment for Your Maryland Home Today
Worried that you’ve been breathing in unhealthy indoor air this summer in your house? Have you been suffering from some of the health symptoms listed above and wondering if air pollutants are the cause? Reach out to Total Home Performance today. With a healthy home assessment, we’ll conduct indoor air quality testing for:
Humidity and moisture
VOCs (Volatile organic compounds)
CO & CO2 ( Carbon monoxide and dioxide)
Airborne particulates
Gas leaks
Mold, lead, and asbestos
Our assessment also includes our recommendations for the best changes you can make to your home to improve its health, safety, and energy efficiency.