IAQ Blog: The 5 Levels of Air Quality Contamination

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Indoor air quality can be a complicated thing to discuss. There are a lot of facets to it. But one thing is for certain: if your indoor air is stuffy or making you sick, then you need an air purifier or air filter to clean it and keep it in good shape.

But how do you know which system to get installed? And what contaminants cause stuffy air to form inside of your home? These are the right questions to ask, and luckily, we’re going to answer them today. There are 5 different levels of air quality contamination, and each one requires a unique solution in order to keep your home feeling comfortable and safe.

Don’t worry, you can skip all of this reading and just schedule an appointment with our team for indoor air quality in Greenfield, IN if you’re crunched for time. Our technicians can test the air in your home and find the right system that will treat contaminants.

Level 1: Dust and Allergens

Dust can be a huge hindrance on your day-to-day life. It can make your home feel stuffy and uncomfortable, causing you to open a window and waste the precious air conditioning or heating that your home worked so hard to create.

This doubles for readers who have allergies. Some allergic reactions come from dust, but others come from contaminants in the air like pet dander. Both of these contaminants can be treated with a powerful air filtration system, since the particles are large enough to capture. Our team can set you up with one of these ASAP.

Level 2: Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds (or VOCs for short), are particles in the air that are harmful for your body but might not be found naturally in the air like dust and pet dander. This category includes things like paint fumes, if you recently had a creative art project or painted some rooms in your home, or even contaminants like cooking smoke.

VOCs are related to asthma and other health complications, so it’s a good idea to get set up with an air filter to handle this kind of problem at its source.

Level 3: Mold Spores

Mold spores can spread through your air ducts and begin setting up a new mold infestation in a dark or damp place in your home. Sometimes this is a place like your basement or attic. The only thing that can eliminate mold spores as they travel through your home is a UV air purifier.

Level 4: Bacteria

UV air purifiers are also good at eliminating bacteria. They’re single-celled organisms which makes them exceptionally small and hard to catch in a filter. Luckily, UV light is dangerous to them and will inhibit the cell’s ability to reproduce.

Level 5: Viruses

COVID-19, the common cold, the flu … All of these are viruses and they can be pretty nasty when caught up in your home’s air supply. Our sneezing and coughing make it easy for anyone entering the house to catch these viruses. However, a UV air purifier will eliminate the viral organisms in the air and make it feel cleaner, safer, and more comfortable indoors.

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