6 Ways Indoor Air Becomes Polluted in Spring Branch, TX
As a resident living in Spring Branch, Texas, you quickly learn how important it is to maintain the quality of your home’s indoor air. Understanding potential sources of indoor air pollution is essential to finding the proper solutions you need to minimize respiratory infections and adverse reactions to unwanted particles in the home.
1. Allergens
One of the most common ways the air in a home becomes polluted includes allergens. Standard allergens and pollen come from a variety of trees, flowers, and various types of grass, depending on your exact location in Spring Branch.
Allergens also stem from animal dander and skin particles that trigger adverse reactions in individuals, especially those with serious allergies to animals. Allergens and pollen spread through windows, open doors, and even in small spaces that have little to no ventilation.
2. Pesticides
Pesticides are becoming increasingly commonplace in everyday life. From watering plants and creating a new garden to eliminating weeds and even treating pest infestations, there are many pesticides in today’s world.
Using any form of pesticide poses a potential indoor air quality threat without proper filtration and ventilation systems in place. Even if you choose to use pesticides outdoors, tracking pesticides into the home is possible from clothing and shoes.
3. Asbestos
While newly built homes are less likely to include asbestos-containing supplies and materials, it’s essential to verify this in your home and around your property. Asbestos-based materials lead to a range of issues from respiratory responses to genetic damage and full-body inflammation.
Typically, materials from older homes, such as ceiling tiles, flooring tiles, and even insulation, have a much greater risk of containing any trace of asbestos. Exposing asbestos to the environment is a quick way to allow it to spread to others in the household.
4. Lead
In older homes, there is an increased risk of discovering potentially harmful lead, especially in some paint brands from the past. New laws in 1978 put a halt to the use of lead paint in homes, where lead paint was a primary choice in the past. However, lead-based paint is extremely hazardous and, in some cases, even toxic.
Always inspect the paint type and materials used in each paint you’re interested in for your home. Speak with contractors you hire to inspect your home for potential lead exposure and lead paint if you intend to complete any new updates or renovations.
5. External Contributors
Depending on where you are in Spring Branch, you may live near industrial regions that generate much more pollution than standard residential zones. Outdoor air pollutants that travel indoors significantly can sometimes increase the amount of pollution you will experience in the home, especially if you do not have a mechanical ventilation system or air purifier in place. In some cases, it is not uncommon for VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) to infiltrate the interior of a home, especially without a proper ventilation and air filtration solution.
6. Biological Hazards
In addition to traditional pollution risks, there are also biological hazards that pose a threat to a home’s IAQ, or indoor air quality. Biological hazards cover a range of materials from traditional pet dander and skin particles to hair, feces, and even food. Allowing biological materials to sit, rot, and waste away indoors is one of the quickest ways to generate pollution that triggers respiratory or immune responses.
If you have pets, food, or feces in the home, seeking a ventilation solution immediately is imperative. A lack of cleaning and ventilation is a leading cause of biological pollutants indoors, especially in smaller homes.
Learning how air becomes polluted in the home is essential for a homeowner living anywhere in Texas. Whether you’re searching for ways to improve the indoor air quality in your home or you want to pinpoint allergen, dust, and debris triggers, contact Legacy Home Services for more information.
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