“We take about 20,000 breaths each day and spend 90% of our time indoors,” according to CEO and president of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), Kenneth Mendez. In recent months, people of all ages began spending even more time indoors than ever before. That means indoor air quality is more than important than ever..
What You Need To Know: The Facts About Indoor Air Quality
What exactly is it? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines indoor air quality (IAQ) as “the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.” Air pollution is anything that affects normal air quality, like gasses and particles, and it is far more common in indoor air than outdoor air. In fact, according to the AAFA, IAQ is two to five times more contaminated than outdoor air.
Poor Indoor Air Quality And Its Immediate And Long-Term Health Effects
So what? Before we dive into the importance of fully functioning HVAC compressors, it is important to understand why clean indoor air matters in the first place. Left untreated, poor indoor air quality can leave lasting ill effects.
Just one exposure to strong indoor air pollutants may cause headaches, dizziness, sore throat, fatigue, itchy eyes, and an itchy nose. Irritants can immediately make allergies and asthma worse and, in severe cases, cause asthma attacks.
Over time, repeated, long-term exposure to indoor air pollutants may cause cancer, respiratory disease, and heart disease. The American Lung Association (ALA) reveals poor IAQ and damaging indoor pollutants are among the leading causes of lung cancer.
What We Can Do
While the facts may be alarming, there are plenty of things that can significantly reduce — and sometimes eliminate — exposure to pollutants. Start with filtering out harmful or damaging particles. Air conditioner or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system maintenance is critical to success in this venture. Adequate ventilation filters contaminants out of the air, ensuring cleaner air in every home. To maximize the efficiency of HVAC systems, inspections should be followed up on an absolute minimum of twice per year. To your customers, this means diagnosing and taking steps to repair any problems right away before they compound into much larger issues.
For example, failing HVAC compressors will fail to cool the air to the same degree as before. Your customers may report their home feels muggy or unpleasantly warm. That means contaminants like mold and mildew can grow more easily indoors and that the unit is closer to total breakdown due to greater stress on each of its parts.
If money is tight, economical replacement parts, like aftermarket HVAC motors, can be a godsend. Whether you need HVAC compressors, a motor, coils, or replacement electrical components, chances are you can find these parts at a reasonable rate.
Poor indoor air quality can be a debilitating problem — one that leads to lung disease or cancer down the road. Nip it in the bud for your customers with frequent cleaning, regular AC inspections, and by replacing any failing HVAC parts, like HVAC compressors, as soon as possible.
