How Clean is the Indoor Air You're Breathing? 4 Signs You Need to Be Aware Of

How Clean is the Indoor Air You’re Breathing? 4 Signs You Need to Be Aware Of

indoor air

Is our indoor air clean? It’s a question that all of us should be asking ourselves regularly, especially since the Canadian weather makes us spend most of our time indoors. Unfortunately, since we can’t see the air, people simply don’t pay attention to indoor air quality until health issues, or a major incident, happens.

Luckily, there are signs that can tell us that something is wrong with the air we’re breathing and allow us to act.

What Does Poor Air Quality Mean?

Before we dive into the signs of poor air quality, I believe it’s important to clarify what this means. By definition, indoor air is considered to be poor quality when there is presence of pollutants, such as:

Dirt
Bacteria
Viruses
Debris
Dust
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Carbon monoxide

Any of these pollutants can be found in the air regularly, but they become toxic at high levels.

4 Signs of Bad Indoor Air

1.Hot and Cold Spots

If you’ve been noticing that some areas of your building are unusually cold or hot, it could be a sign that the ventilation system (HVAC) is not working properly. In this case, it’s necessary to check the ventilation system to find the problem. Some of the most common are:

Dirty, leaking, or wrongly-sized ducts: if the air ducts haven’t been cleaned for a while, it is pretty self-explanatory that they can’t circulate the air properly. One the other hand, leaky ducts are a sign of wear and tear that can lead to inconsistent air circulation.

Lastly, if your HVAC system has incorrectly-sized ducts (whether they’re too big or too small) it has to work harder to circulate the air, resulting in hot and cold spots and a shorter life span for your ventilation system.

Wrong size: if your ventilation system is too small for the area it serves, it won’t be able to circulate the air properly and it will have to work harder, leading to those hot and cold spots around the building.

No zoning: ventilation systems, especially in large houses and buildings, need to have their temperature regulated in each area individually using multiple thermostats, this is known as “zoning” the HVAC system and allows a better performance, eliminating the hot and cold spots, and ensuring good air circulation.

2.Bad Odours

If you’ve noticed unpleasant smells and don’t know where they’re coming from, it could be your indoor air. Bad smells could be a sign of stagnant air and it is a clear sign that your HVAC system needs your attention. Usually with proper cleaning of the air ducts, the air will be clean and odourless again.

3.Occupants Experiencing Health Symptoms

This could be trickier, since not everyone will develop symptoms due to poor air quality. However, if there are a significant number of building occupants being vocal about experiencing symptoms while being in the building, you should be alert because it could be a sign of a phenomenon known as sick building syndrome.

Some of the symptoms include :

Fatigue
Headaches
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Nausea
Throat irritation
Coughing and sneezing

Managers should pay special attention to this if occupants report that the symptoms go away after leaving the building, or when they’re away after longer periods of time. This could also mean that there could be a mild presence of carbon monoxide in the air. In this case, it’s important to ensure the CO2 meter is working properly..

4.Difficulty Falling (and Staying) Asleep

At home, if you have trouble getting a good night of rest, it could be due to air pollution. Several studies have found a link between air quality, both indoors and outdoors, and sleep quality. Once again, giving your HVAC system a look and ensuring it’s working properly might be the answer to finally having a good sleep.

Indoor air quality has an impact on our health and well-being that many of us underestimate. If you’re noticing any of these signs at home or at your building, don’t wait until a major incident occurs. By having a health and safety plan that includes air quality preventive measures, you can tackle any health threat on time and have the peace of mind that you’re breathing clean air.

If you need help testing your air quality, Gasonic offers air quality equipment rental needed to monitor indoor air quality, and support from experts that will provide you with a solution suitable for your needs. Contact us to book a free assessment.