As the global climate changes, we are seeing more extreme weather events. No matter where you live you are likely seeing changes in the weather from stronger storms to more droughts to flooding, heat waves, and the polar vortex. What you may not have realized is that this changing weather can change the quality of your indoor air, and not for the better.
What Severe Weather Does to Your Air
There are many different ways in which weather is becoming more extreme. How you are experiencing it, and how it affects your home’s air depends on where you live.
Pests
Changing weather, especially when that weather is extreme, can cause pests to seek refuge in your home. Insects and bigger critters getting into your walls or HVAC system means you and your family could be exposed to dander, feces, mites, and other contaminants in the air.
Heat and Drought
In areas experiencing higher temperature and dryer weather, particulates in the air can become indoor contaminates. Smoke, dust, and other particles that get into your home will circulate through the air and can contribute to respiratory problems, including asthma and allergies.
Rain and Flooding
Some environments will be getting more rain as a result of climate change, and even flooding. The excess moisture can seep into your home and stimulate the growth of mold. Mold spores in the air can be harmful to your health.
The Effects of Weatherizing Your Home
With changing weather, more people will be weatherizing their homes. This could mean sealing up leaks, putting in insulation, getting modern windows, and other strategies to reduce the costs of heating and cooling as we see more drastic temperatures. Weatherizing can have unintended consequences.
The main reason that weatherizing can become a problem is that it tends to reduce ventilation. With less air flowing in and out of your home, humidity can build up causing mold growth, and you may get higher levels of toxins in the air like carbon monoxide.
Extreme weather may be an inevitability of a changing climate, but it doesn’t have to mean that you have poor indoor air quality. Our HVAC professionals can check your home and system and even do an air quality test and help you come up with solutions if a problem is found. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
