Los Angeles IAQ: Get the Facts About Indoor Air Pollution and How to Improve It

Los Angeles IAQ: Get the Facts About Indoor Air Pollution and How to Improve It

Are you interested in getting true data about air quality Los Angeles?

As if the periodic problems with outdoor air pollution in the LA basin weren’t serious enough, the U.S. EPA has found that some indoor environments pose a major health risk due to high levels of airborne contaminants. Between tight homes with little ventilation and the many man-made products used indoors, indoor air could pose a greater health risk than the air outdoors.

A study measuring the knowledge and habits of Americans regarding indoor air quality (IAQ) found that 91 percent of participants knew that high IAQ contributes to good health. However, some of those respondents failed to change the air filters for their HVAC systems on a regular basis, and others used products inside that contribute to unhealthy indoor air.

Airborne particulates and some gases can adversely affect health. Dust, a combination of fibers, pollen, dust mite waste and dander, is a common trigger for allergies and asthma. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from commonly used household products like paint, furniture, plastics and cleaning supplies can have serious side effects, including cancer and long-term neurological damage.

Fortunately, it’s possible to reduce the level of indoor air pollution by using fresh air ventilation along with your HVAC system to minimize the risks bad air presents.

Ventilation

Keeping doors and windows open brings in fresh air, but it’s not always a viable option. You can use a mechanical ventilation system called an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) to exhaust stale air and pull in fresh outdoor air. During the winter, they remove the thermal energy from the outgoing air and put it into the incoming air to save on heating. During the summer, they remove heat energy from incoming air to keep cooling costs down.

Filtration

A whole-house air filtration system attached to your HVAC system will trap offending airborne particulates, lowering the dust load indoors and helping allergy sufferers. When combined with ultraviolet (UV) lights, such a system will lower the toxicity of VOCs and reduce viral and bacterial populations indoors.

For more information about curbing indoor air pollution, contact Air-Tro, Inc. We’ve provided HVAC services for greater Los Angeles homeowners since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Los Angeles, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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