The air inside your home can have much higher concentrations of mold, pollen, and other contaminants than you’d find outside. Poor indoor air quality can be hazardous, especially if anyone in your family has allergies or respiratory conditions. Below are a few telltale signs you should schedule air quality testing for your home.

What Are Common Signs of Poor Air Quality?

1. Chronic Cold Symptoms

Coughing, sneezing, and a running nose may be normal when the seasons change, but they should go away within a few days. However, mold and other allergens can cause chronic symptoms that persist until the contaminants are removed.

If anyone in your family is experiencing frequent cold symptoms, nausea, or irritated eyes, contaminants in the air may be to blame. One common sign is if you have all the signs of a cold or flu, without the fever that usually accompanies an illness.

2. Skin Irritation

Along with respiratory symptoms, many common indoor contaminants can also irritate your skin and cause unexplained rashes. The mucous membranes inside your nose might also be dry and cracked.

Heated air during the winter can cause these symptoms, or they might be caused by other irritants. However, if you’ve ruled out other common causes of skin irritation, air quality testing for pollutants may help you identify the issue.

3. Dusty Vents

Air filters are designed to remove dust and contaminants from the air, but they can quickly get overwhelmed. If your air filter seems to be clogged with dust after a few weeks, or you notice visible dirt around the air vents, it won't be able to clean the air.

Your contractor may recommend using air filters designed to remove fine particles. Additional free-standing filtration devices can also eliminate dust and dirt from the environment before they make it into your HVAC system.

Since 1989, American Environmental has been helping home owners and businesses throughout the St. Louis area with indoor air quality testing. If you’ve been feeling under the weather or are dealing with unexplained symptoms, their air quality testing professionals will identify the cause and craft effective solutions. Visit their website for an overview of their services, or call (314) 664-2800 to schedule your air quality test today.