Deep Breaths- Indoor Air Quality and Your Health

By Guest Blogger Marissa Joyce, Gwyn Services

Taking a deep, cleansing breath is one of the most beneficial 5-second things to do for your own mental and physical health. However, the air quality you are breathing in may have more of an impact on your overall health than you may realize. With spring allergy season looming, now is a great time to consider the air quality in your home. Additionally, consider how it is affecting your day-to-day life!

The average American spends roughly 87% of their time inside. Moreover, people who are immunocompromised, ill, or elderly spend an even higher proportion of their time indoors. While it is comparatively simple to see when it is time to dust or sweep, many indoor air pollutants aren’t obvious to the naked eye or easy to discern. Studies have shown that concentrations of some pollutants are, on average, two to five times higher in indoor environments. According to the American Lung Association, breathing indoor toxins can lead to everyday irritants like allergies, colds, and headaches. Along with much more serious long-term problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, and even cancer. Mental health symptoms, such as major depression, anxiety, and lack of focus correlate with environments with poor indoor air quality.

Research shows most of us know about the dangers of poor indoor air quality. Yet, not many people are actually taking steps to fix problems that exist in their homes. Apart from physical symptoms, good air quality has been shown to increased productivity, cognitive function, decrease long term risk of dementia. Dusting and washing linens regularly can certainly help allergy symptoms. Other simple fixes can dramatically reduce the pollutant load in your interior air and the resulting negative side effects.

Gwyn Services has been on the leading edge of air quality technology in the Piedmont Triad. Our experienced heating and cooling experts are able to install the iWave Air Cleaner. This cleaner utilizes ionization technology to reduce bacteria, virus, and particulate load in the air by as much as 99%. Since the COVID pandemic, air purifiers have been in high demand in businesses and residents across our service area.

Our Home Guard customers also receive twice-annual HVAC system tune-ups, which include filter replacement to make sure your air is thoroughly clean as it enters your home. We also help to ensure that your home has proper ventilation and air circulation, which can greatly reduce your home’s chemical or biological contaminants. Easy and relatively inexpensive upgrades like a modern thermostat that is set to circulate air for 15 minutes out of every hour can help clear the virus and bacteria load from the air in your house. It is also important to ensure that your home has spot ventilation systems like properly vented bathroom fans, kitchen vents and natural gas vents are essential to clearing chemical particulates from your home.

Want to take steps to protect your physical and mental health? Contact Gwyn HVAC to ensure your home’s air quality is in the safe zone today! Ask about savings opportunities for a new iWave Air Cleaner.