The dangers that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) poses to health, comfort and daily well-being are fairly clear to most people. However, you should also remember that airborne pollutants won’t stop causing harm just because you’ve fallen asleep. Read on to learn how IAQ can impact your sleep quality and what you can do to improve it in your University City, MO, home.
Intermittent Sleep
The more dust, pollen, dust mites, pet dander and other pollutants there are in the air in your home, the more of these things you’ll inhale on a regular basis. And the more pollutants you inhale, the more they will irritate your mouth, sinuses, throat and lungs. If this irritation occurs at night, you may find it hard to sleep at all.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to intermittently start and stop breathing. If the air in your home is exceptionally polluted, your body may react by limiting your breathing so that you don’t inhale as many contaminants as you otherwise might. If you already have sleep apnea, low IAQ may exacerbate it.
HVAC Issues and Their Consequences
Finally, indoor air pollution can affect how well your HVAC system functions, which can then have knock-on effects that diminish the quality of your sleep. When pollutants get into your HVAC system, they can clog its filters and ducts, which will prevent air from flowing smoothly through the system. Pollutants can also get into the system’s most important parts, including its coils and compressor.
As a result of things like these, your system won’t be able to cool your home effectively, and the high indoor temperatures that result may make it difficult or impossible to sleep. Regular tuneups and repairs may temporarily obviate some of these issues, but only improving your IAQ will truly eradicate them.
Low IAQ can quite literally keep you up at night. There’s no reason to endure problems like the ones we’ve discussed above and endanger your health. Call Fresh Air Heating & Cooling and request our IAQ services so that you can sleep soundly and enjoy peace of mind.
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