Although Mother Nature has its way of cleaning the air outside, the same can’t be said for our homes. In fact, over the past 30-40 years, our homes have become more and more susceptible to polluted air – a phenomenon known as sick house syndrome.
So what is sick house syndrome and how can you protect your family from its harmful effects?
The history behind sick house syndrome
The roots of sick house syndrome go back to the energy crisis of 1973. At that time, people were searching for all kinds of ways to conserve energy because of the sharp rise in energy costs. One solution was to change building codes and make homes much tighter so that they could better contain heated and cooled air.
However, tightening homes also had a side effect. Over the next few decades, there was simultaneously a sharp rise in the use of indoor chemicals like perfumes, hair sprays, air fresheners, cleaning chemicals, and new building materials. Because our buildings are so tight, these chemicals are contained in our homes and spread throughout the air we breathe.
Add that to all of the other indoor air pollutants like pet dander, mold, and bacteria, and you’ll realize that the air in our homes can be highly contaminated. This can make people in your family sick and aggravate symptoms of other conditions like asthma and allergies.
How to protect your home from sick house syndrome
The best way to protect your home from sick home syndrome is to install a high-quality air cleaner. An air cleaner uses a technology that can pull harmful particles out of your air as it is cycled through your HVAC system. The best air cleaners can remove over 95% of air particles from your home’s air!
If you have any questions about sick house syndrome, or if you’d like to have the air quality of your home tested by a professional, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing, your St. Louis area heating and cooling company.