Is The Air in Your Home Clean?

This has been a hot topic every since the Covid pandemic and I think now more than ever consumers are conscientious about the air quality in there homes. I see this also in the volume of requests we get annually as well as the inquiries I see on social media about services like duct cleaning and whole home air cleaners. Hopefully this article will help you understand what good indoor air quality is, how to measure it, and most importantly; how to create a healthy home.

When you envision good air quality, what are you thinking about? Clean? What does that mean? Maybe you're thought process go to physical or particulate contamination such as PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 micrograms in size). That is the size of physical particulates that when they enter your lungs are small enough to get absorbed into the body. Or maybe you think of chemical soiling such as carbon monoxide or volatile organic compounds (VOC). I think of both of these as they are equally important to treat in the air we breath in terms of contamination.

The first thing I always say about this subject no matter who I'm talking to is I ask "what have you done to measure the indoor air quality?". If your car doesn't start, you don't immediately assume it's a dead battery and go buy a battery, that wouldn't make sense as it could be a waste of time and money. The same is true for indoor air quality. My suggestion is if you are questioning the air quality of your home then you need a reliable means to measure. Personally I use the HAVEN indoor air quality monitors (no I'm not endorsed by them but if they want to send me some free products to "demo" I won't turn it down). The Haven products will cost a little more than the cheaper stuff found on amazon, but they have a guarantee and a since of pride in the manufacturing process that I found I can trust. This comes from installing hundreds at churches and homes to include my own. The Haven IAQ monitors use a mobile app to measure total VOC's (TVOC) and particulate matter in both the PM10 and PM2.5 range. With this means of measure in hand, we can now SEE this issue and begin a process to address it!

Let's baseline the particulate side first as it's the easiest to understand. I love the ability to quantify an issue so it becomes clear as day what the target is. According to the EPA, any indoor reading of PM2.5 over 35 µg/m³ puts the occupants of the home at risk of health complications such as respiratory and cardiovascular issues. If we see this reading on a consistent basis then it's safe to assume that we have a problem needs to be addressed. I specify consistent because a reading over 35 every once is while could be the result of cleaning processes in the home that stir things up. I personally wouldn't worry unless the PM2.5 is staying above 35 at least 15% of the day or run time of the HVAC equipment. Particulate matter this size is easy to stir up via opening and closing exterior doors, cleaning especially with a vacuum, or even moving furniture (these are just a few examples of activities that can impact readings). Most of us are not spending 20 hours of a day cleaning and moving furniture which is why I use the 15% rule. If you see higher than desired levels of PM2.5, where is it coming from and what can be done to resolve it?

Particulate matter comes from everything that has mass, meaning it's physical. Dust, dander, carbon compounds... this list is almost limitless. The introduction of PM10 and 2.5 comes from the earth and everything in existence so there's nothing you can do to stop it just short of making sure the universe never existed. But, we can treat it in our homes and control the level. PM comes into your home via your normal everyday activities, leaks around window and doors, poorly sealed duct systems, pets, kids, furniture, rugs... The first step in addressing high PM levels is trying to filter the problem. Remember that PM is a physical particulate with mass and mass can be captured. One of the easiest methods is to use your existing HVAC system and it's filter. A properly sized and installed filter can absolutely resolve many minor issues such as having a MERV 13 filter which CAN capture PM2.5. Can is emphasized as the filter's ability to provide satisfactory results are contingent upon the right application and air flow. Consult a professional before buying a MERV 13 filter as your existing ductwork may not support it (that's a rabbit whole for another blog). It can really be as simple as that especially in most modern construction home to resolve high PM levels. The extreme circumstances could include deep cleaning of carpets/rugs or even needing a home air sealed to some degree, but from my experience these are the rare cases.

VOC's are a little trickier and I'm going to take you down a controversial rabbit whole, but I'm going to try and leave personal opinions out of the discussion for unbiased learning. First our baseline. The EPA suggest that a healthy level of VOC's in a home is at or under .25 parts per million. VOC's are physical as well, but often times too small for even the best of filters. So what are VOC's? The easiest way to think about it is they are essentially gasses released by pretty much everything we do. Air fresheners, cleaning chemicals, new furniture/rugs, wood stain, treated lumber... the list goes on and on even the shampoo your use and the foods you cook release VOC's. There are two suggested methods for treating VOC's and we will discuss both.

The single best treatment for VOC's is the sun. The UV wavelengths produced by the sun naturally breaks down VOC's and they cease to exist, so you just need to install the sun in your living room. Ok, that's not feasible, so let's discuss an alternative. There are products on the market such as bipolar ionizers, ozone generators, and UV products that claim to address VOC's. While all these devices are different, they intend to work in a similar fashion and that is to disrupt the molecular structure of VOC's so that they are no longer the compound they use to be. I will now inject my only bias in this article and that is, most of these products are tested in a controlled and contained environment and since there's no regulation for these products in the United States, the results can and should be scrutinized. The main opposition to these products especially in the home building professional community is that when you break down the molecular structure, the free radicals (result of atom splitting) can now create new formation that COULD potentially be more harmful than the original compound we treated for. I can't add enough caution here as I'm not endorsing these products or condemning them, I firmly believe that you are going to subject yourself or loved ones to them, then I urge you to dig deep, and research for yourself and make sure it's a good move.

The last method for addressing VOC's is less of a risk (personally) and can be free... I like free! If your VOC concentration is moderately high, simple habit reforming can often times reduce this to a safe and healthy level. Cooking is a big one, while cooking especially foods with many sauces, try opening a window or a door to get a draft going. That being said, opening doors and windows when the ambient conditions are favorable is the best thing you can do. Remember when I talked about moving the sun into your living room? That's kind of what you are doing. The sun naturally cleans the air outside and bringing in that fresh air is a great way to reduce VOC's. Keep in mind that by doing so you may see a momentary spike in PM concentration, but if you followed the first half of this article, that should only be a momentary issue. If you live in an area where opening doors and windows is only favorable less than 20% of the year such as the south or in a busy congested city with poor outside air quality; you may want to continue reading. The last alternative is introducing mechanically ventilated and filtered fresh air. This can be done in a number of ways and I will suggest reaching out to your HVAC contractor of choice for appropriate recommendations for your home and your area. The only reason I'm not going to discuss the possible ways is because they are almost endless and it can vary greatly from region to region.

These are the pillars of great indoor air quality and I hope you've gained something from this article. As always thank you reading and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to comment or contact us.