Most people are concerned about the air quality while outside or running errands around town, but the interior air in your home, office building, or school is also crucial to your health. Especially children who have a more susceptible immune system, indoor air quality can be a factor that causes frequent infections or skin problems. Improving indoor air quality can impact children’s health in multiple ways, especially during cold and flu season. The air they breathe can have a significant impact on their respiratory health, so understanding indoor air quality can help keep your child healthy and energetic.

Common Indoor Air Pollutants

Many pollutants or tiny particles can fill your home, floating around during all hours of the day. These particles are almost invisible, meaning you may not know that there is anything harmful in your air without research. Common irritants and allergens can include dust mites, pet dander, dead skin cells, pollen, and mold spores. All of these pollutants can attach to your nose, throat, and eyes, leading to irritation and infection.

Other chemicals or volatile organic compounds can cause lower-quality indoor air. These come from construction, air fresheners, candles, and interior paints. If your child is prone to sickness or has been irritated by pollutants before, you should do research on products without toxic chemicals or fumes.

Signs Your Child Is Reacting To Indoor Air Problems

Children are more prone to getting sick or being at risk of symptoms of indoor air pollutants, but prolonged exposure can cause major health risks. Looking for the signs of poor indoor air quality in your home and in your child’s health can help you reduce the health concerns for young children. Let’s look at some symptoms or health concerns that can come from poor indoor air.

Asthma

Throat irritation, cough, and wheezing that come with asthma can be caused by air pollutants. The worsening of asthma or a new diagnosis could be an indicator that you need to improve your indoor air quality. Changing filters, cleaning ductwork, or installing an air purification system may help reduce symptoms.

Reoccuring Infections

Ear or sinus infections are often caused by pollutants and are not just seasonal allergies. If your child is getting constant infections, this could indicate that there are heavy chemicals or mold spores circling your home. 

Skin Irritation

Rashes, eczema, or itchiness can also be symptoms of poor indoor air quality. Pollen, dust mites, and mold spores can cause skin problems that could turn into further problems that can cause scarring. 

How To Improve Indoor Air Quality

If your child’s health is being impacted frequently or they are experiencing prolonged sickness, improving your indoor air quality can be a great place to start. Here are some of the best ways you can improve the air quality in your home, remove pollutants, and reduce the risk of major health issues.

Keep Floors Clean

Cleaning your floors frequently will help reduce dust and other particles floating around your home. Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming are crucial if you want to keep pollutants from impacting your children’s health. Removing build-up from around the home, including dust mites, dead skin cells, and pet dander, will help keep the home clean and healthy, while also limiting sickness or random irritation across the body.

Increase Ventilation

Having more clean air or just air in general circulating through the home will help reduce the pollutants that can settle on children’s skin or in their throats. Open some windows, use exhaust fans, or open doors while cooking to help ventilate your space. If you live in an area with low outdoor air quality, using interior fans may be a safer option than bringing more debris and pollutants into your home. 

Check For And Remove Mold

Having HVAC inspections and duct cleaning can be helpful in finding common spaces where mold likes to grow. Mold spores can cause enhanced sickness, throat irritation, fatique, and brain fog. Removing mold from your ductwork, random corners of your home, or your carpets will help your children remain healthy. 

HVAC Services From MTN Valley Heating & Air

Everyone deserves to have a comfortable home, including having healthy air to breathe. Our team offers HVAC services, duct cleaning, and indoor air services to help you have peace of mind while relaxing in your home. If your HVAC system isn’t keeping up or you suspect you have bad interior air, reach out to our professionals to learn how we can help. Call or visit our Logan, Wellsville, or Brigham City office to improve your indoor air quality.