Your home is your retreat. It’s where you unwind after a long day, spend time with your family, and relax. But what if your home — your safe space — was secretly making you feel sick? You may have heard the term “sick building syndrome” or wondered, “Can bad air quality make you sick?” Well, it turns out that it absolutely can. Poor indoor air quality is something many homeowners overlook, but it often has a considerable impact on how you feel every day.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how bad air quality can affect your health, what symptoms to look out for, and how you can take action to improve the air in your home. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how indoor air pollution can influence your well-being and the steps you can take to breathe easier at home.
What Is Poor Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the air within buildings and structures and its impact on human health and comfort. When pollutants, airborne particles, and contaminants start circulating through your home, that’s when you run into problems.
Poor indoor air quality can result from many factors, including inadequate ventilation, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cleaning products, and even building materials like manufactured wood products. Other indoor air pollutants, like mold, dust mites, pet dander, and even household chemicals, can also cause issues.
The scariest part? Most of these pollutants are invisible. So, while you might not see anything wrong, your body might be picking up on the poor air quality in your home, leading to a host of health problems.
Common Poor Indoor Air Quality Symptoms
So, can bad air quality make you sick? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. When you’re constantly breathing in contaminated air, it can result in a variety of symptoms. These symptoms are often subtle at first, which is why it’s easy to overlook them as something else, like allergies or just the usual seasonal cold. Here are some of the most common poor indoor air quality symptoms you might experience:
- Fatigue: You might find yourself feeling tired all the time, even after a full night’s sleep.
- Headaches: Persistent headaches are a common sign of exposure to indoor air pollutants.
- Throat Irritation: You might notice that your throat feels scratchy or sore, especially if the air is dry or full of dust.
- Allergic Reactions: Indoor allergens can trigger symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and a runny nose.
- Muscle Aches: Some people even experience muscle aches and pains due to poor air quality.
If you experience these symptoms regularly in your home, bad air quality could be the culprit.
What Is Sick Building Syndrome?
You’ve probably heard about sick building syndrome (SBS) but might not know what it really means. SBS refers to a situation where people experience health problems or feel ill while spending time in a particular building, usually an office space or even a home. The symptoms go away when they leave the building, which makes it hard to pinpoint the cause.
Indoor air quality sick building syndrome symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, dry skin, and eye irritation. SBS can be caused by poor ventilation, exposure to volatile organic compounds, temperature and relative humidity issues, and more. Modern buildings, especially those that are designed to be energy-efficient, can sometimes trap air and pollutants inside, which contributes to the problem.
So, yes, bad air quality can make you sick — and if your home or workplace has poor IAQ, you might be experiencing sick building syndrome.
How Does Bad Air Quality Make You Sick?
Let’s review how exactly bad air quality can make you sick. It’s not just a matter of being a little uncomfortable or feeling off for a day. Over time, exposure to pollutants in the air can have serious effects on your health. Here are a few ways that poor IAQ can impact you:
Respiratory Issues
Breathing in pollutants can irritate your respiratory system. This can lead to asthma, bronchitis, or even long-term lung conditions. Those who already have respiratory problems, like asthma, will feel the effects even more severely. Indoor air pollutants, such as dust, pet dander, and mold spores, are common culprits behind building-related illness.
Allergic Reactions
Indoor allergens like dust mites, pollen, and mold can trigger allergic reactions. Symptoms may include sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and skin rashes. When these allergens circulate in your HVAC system, you’re constantly breathing them in, which can worsen your symptoms over time.
Fatigue and Dizziness
Feeling constantly drained of energy, dizzy, or just mentally foggy can be due to poor air quality. Carbon monoxide, a dangerous pollutant often found in poorly ventilated homes, can cause serious health issues and even be fatal in high concentrations. If you’re feeling unusually fatigued, air quality problems might be at play.
Mold Exposure
Mold is a huge factor when it comes to poor air quality. Mold grows in damp, poorly ventilated areas, and its spores can become airborne, triggering allergies and respiratory problems. Exposure to mold can cause chronic coughing, wheezing, and even skin irritation.
Exposure to VOCs
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals found in many everyday household products, such as paints, cleaners, and air fresheners. VOCs can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even long-term damage to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Over time, repeated exposure can seriously impact your health.
How to Improve Your Home’s Air Quality
Now that you know the symptoms of poor air quality and how sick building syndrome can make you feel ill, let’s talk about how you can improve the air quality in your home. Fortunately, there are numerous steps you can take to make your indoor air cleaner and healthier for your family.
Upgrade Your HVAC Systems
Your HVAC system plays a huge role in maintaining the air quality in your home. Regularly servicing your system can help it work more efficiently. Consider upgrading to a high-efficiency HVAC system with better filters to catch more air pollutants. You can also look into installing a whole-home air purifier.
Improve Ventilation
Poor ventilation is a key factor in bad air quality. Opening windows regularly, using exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and keeping doors between rooms open can help with air circulation. Proper ventilation and air movement will reduce the buildup of indoor pollutants like VOCs, mold, and dust.
Monitor Humidity Levels
Relative humidity can affect air quality. If your home is too humid, it creates an ideal environment for mold growth. On the other hand, air that’s too dry can irritate your skin and respiratory system. A humidity level between 40% and 60% is ideal. You can monitor this using a humidistat or a smart thermostat.
Use Air Purifiers
Portable air purifiers are a great way to improve air quality in specific rooms, like bedrooms or living areas. These devices can capture airborne particles and contaminants, making the air in your home cleaner to breathe.
Regular Cleaning
Dust, pet dander, and other pollutants tend to accumulate on surfaces, so cleaning regularly is a necessity. Vacuuming with a HEPA filter, dusting with a damp cloth, and using natural, VOC-free cleaning products can help reduce the amount of harmful particles in the air.
Breathe Easy With Carini Home Services!
Your home should be a place where you feel comfortable, safe, and healthy. If you’ve been experiencing any of the symptoms of poor indoor air quality in San Diego, CA, or you suspect that your home might be contributing to health issues, it’s time to take action.
Carini Home Services offers a wide range of indoor air quality services to combat airborne building contaminants. We can assess your home’s air quality and provide solutions that are customized to your needs. Whether you need to upgrade your air conditioning systems or invest in an air filtration system, Carini Home Services has you covered. Contact us today, and let us help you breathe clean, fresh air!