If there’s one thing we all take for granted, it’s the air we breathe. It’s all around us, all the time, but most of us never give a second thought.
For millions of people around the world, however, the quality of all that air should absolutely be top of mind. The quality of the air you breathe–whether it’s indoors or out–can impact everything about your body and your health, from how much energy you have to how often you get sick.
Understanding “Unhealthy” Air and Poor Air Quality
The air quality index, or AQI, is a universal indicator of how healthy or unhealthy the air in a particular area is, and it refers to a scientific measurement of how much stuff is in the air, such as particulates of allergenic material or concentrations of pollutants like ozone.
The AQI considers five main factors when determining air quality: ozone, particulate matter (like ragweed or dust), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The measurements are made on a scale ranging from 0 to 500, and higher numbers mean that more of these unwanted elements are present in the air, so the lower the number, the better.
The purpose of the air quality index is to inform people about how the contents of the air they breathe may impact their lives and well-being. “Unhealthy” or poor quality air can be categorized as that which contains high amounts of elements that can cause illness or adverse health symptoms, most of which result from pollutants like allergens. AQI ratings of 101 to 150 indicate air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups, while ratings of 151 or higher begin to accompany air quality conditions that are likely to cause wide-spread serious health effects.
People who spend significant amounts of time in places with poor air quality can suffer from respiratory issues, and they may even need to breathe harder because the air they are inhaling is clogged with pollutants, meaning there are fewer oxygen molecules per breath. Over time, this reduced oxygen can cause a host of physical symptoms, from dizziness to long-term damage to the heart and lungs. If you experience frequent allergy issues, headaches, or fatigue, or if you notice significant buildup of dust on surfaces over a relatively short period of time, you may be living somewhere with poor air quality.
Air Quality in Oklahoma
Oklahoma ranks 8th for worst overall air quality and 44th out of 50 for good air quality days, which is a percentage that describes the average number of days of good quality air. This is primarily because of air pollution caused by transportation emissions, industrial facilities, and oil and gas production, but weather patterns, including droughts and wildfires, also contribute to the state’s air quality. As with most large cities, Oklahoma City and the surrounding area rate the worst in the state, with the average AQI sitting at just over 100, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
Two other significant factors that impact Oklahoma’s air quality are allergens and the wind. The American Wind Energy Association has historically ranked Oklahoma as a very windy place, and that–combined with hot, dry summers, short, mild winters, and plenty of pollinating vegetation–makes for easy transfer of allergens almost any time of year.
To make matters worse, all of this airborne particulate matter clings to people, pets, and clothing and gets carried into indoor environments like homes and businesses. These pollutants then recirculate through the HVAC systems and start to affect the quality of our indoor air.
Steps and Strategies to Improve the Indoor Air Quality of Your Oklahoma Home or Business
While you can’t do much about the quality of the outdoor air here in Oklahoma, there is a lot you can do to improve the quality of your indoor air.
The best way to improve the air quality in your home or business is to work with a local professional company like The Mold Consultant in Oklahoma City. Not only do local air quality professionals have extensive training, experience, and tools to sample and test your air properly, but they also know what to do with the results. If you do have poor air quality, a local professional can help you develop an appropriate and affordable remediation plan that targets the root of the problem and optimizes the outcome.
To boost the air quality in your home or business, the first thing an air quality professional will need to do is determine what is making the air rate poorly. Are there free-flying particulates, and where are they coming from? Is the issue smells or carbon monoxide? Since there are a lot of factors that can contribute to the poor quality of your indoor air, you can’t take any effective correction against it until the problem is correctly identified.
Once the issue is known, they’ll search for the source. If allergens are a constant issue, how are they getting into the building? Are there cracks or gaps in weather stripping connecting the indoors with the outdoor air? In the case of other pollutants like gasses, are HVAC systems, water heaters, or other appliances responsible?
Then they’ll begin developing a plan to resolve your air quality issues. One of the most common solutions is the use of an air purifier, which draws the ambient air into a machine that forces it through a filter. HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are the gold standard within these machines, because their filter mesh is so fine that it can capture 99.97% of pollutants on the air’s first pass through the purifier. Molecules like dust and allergens are too big to pass through the very fine holes of the filter, so they remain behind while clean, fresh air is ejected. Maintaining your air quality then is just a matter of regularly cleaning and/or replacing the filter.
Because an air purification system typically only addresses the symptoms of your air quality problem and not the source, your air quality improvement plan will likely also include other steps to decrease or eliminate pollution inside the building as well as prevent more from coming in. This can be done by removing the source of the contamination, as in the case of mold; increasing ventilation to move contaminated indoor air outside and keep the indoor air circulating better; and fixing or replacing appliances that are emitting more gas than they should.
Improve the Air Quality of Your Home or Business with The Mold Consultant
The Mold Consultant has more than 10 years of experience providing professional, reliable, and thorough air testing services to homes and businesses in Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas. Using state-of-the-art equipment, our expert, certified team can perform air quality testing for common and dangerous contaminants like:
- Allergens
- Radon
- Bacteria
- Lead
- Asbestos
- Mold
Our testing goes above and beyond with both air and surface testing, and all of our consultants are trained by a CMRS, CR, and CRMI, with accreditations by the Restoration Industry Association (RIA), Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), and the American Indoor Air Quality Council (AIAQC).
Don’t gamble on the health of you or your loved ones. Contact The Mold Consultant today to schedule your professional air quality test.
