Exploring the Impact of Fresh Air on Your Home’s Atmosphere
As spring approaches, many homeowners begin their annual spring cleaning routine. This can involve a variety of tasks, including both exterior and interior improvements. For some, spring cleaning is an essential aspect of maintaining a productive and healthy living environment. Winter pollutants and allergens can accumulate indoors, and opening windows to let in fresh air can improve indoor air quality.
In this article, we will focus on indoor air quality in Lake County, IL, and investigate whether opening windows can reduce home pollutants. With the rise of air pollution and environmental concerns, it is essential to understand the impact of indoor air quality on our health and well-being.
What Are Common Air Pollutants In Los Angeles?
Air pollution can be a significant concern in Lake County due to its high population density and being near Chicago. The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures the pollution level, with a higher AQI indicating more pollution and greater health concerns.
When opening windows and doors, it is essential to know the common outdoor pollutants that may enter. The EPA regulates six criteria air pollutants, including particulate pollution, ground-level ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides. These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, heart disease, and other health issues.
Indoor air quality is equally important because indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air due to a lack of ventilation in homes and buildings. In addition to outdoor pollutants, Lake County has seven common indoor air pollutants, according to Lake County Health Services. These include environmental tobacco smoke, combustion pollutants, formaldehyde, lead, pesticides, radon, and asbestos.
Understanding the pollutants present in your home can help you find the best solution to improve your indoor air quality. It is essential to take steps to reduce exposure to these pollutants to protect your health and the health of others.
Open Windows vs. Indoor Air Quality
Opening windows is a common way to freshen up a home and increase air ventilation. However, it is important to consider the potential negative effects of outdoor pollutants entering the home. Below are three factors to consider when deciding whether or not to open windows and doors in Lake County and the surrounding areas.
IL Air Quality
Checking the outside air quality is crucial before opening windows and doors. Air quality can change daily, and outdoor pollutants can enter the home. A local weather app can identify the day’s air quality rating and is a helpful tool when determining when to freshen up your home with outdoor air.
Allergies & Health
Open windows and doors can help reduce indoor allergens, but outdoor pollutants can have negative health effects if breathed in. Each common outdoor pollutant in Lake County can present a variety of negative health effects, specifically on the lungs. If someone in the home struggles with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, it is important to consider the current outdoor air quality and how the pollutants can affect their health.
Poor air quality can lead to immediate health effects such as irritated eyes, runny nose, sore/dry throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. It can also present long-term health effects such as respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. Investing in a beneficial air quality home device, such as an air purifier or UV lights, can help mitigate these negative effects.
Air Conditioning System
It is important to consider the air conditioning system before opening windows and doors. Open windows allow cool air to exit and warm, outside air to enter, creating a larger workload for the AC unit. This can lead to the unit continuously running until it meets the thermostat setting, resulting in higher energy usage and possibly leading to a unit breakdown. Turning off the air conditioner before opening windows and doors is recommended. Additionally, air pollutants can clog air filters quicker than normal, so it is important to be aware of this factor when planning when to change air filters.
Optimized Air Heating & Cooling is committed to helping homeowners in the greater Lake County area experience total home comfort. We recommend considering these three important factors before deciding whether to ventilate and allow fresh air to circulate throughout the home this spring. For indoor air quality services or air conditioner needs, give Optimized Air a call.