Common Valentine’s Day IAQ Concerns

Valentine’s Day gifts can also deliver big on irritations — to the nose, eyes and throat. In fact, indoor air quality can be negatively affected on this day of love.

Flowers and pollen-bearing potted plants, perfumes and other fragrant substances — and sometimes even a new pet — can all bring on a multitude of reactions, from sniffling and sneezing to asthma and acute respiratory distress.

So, let’s take a look at some of the pitfalls of certain traditional Valentine’s Day gifts, and the IAQ concerns that go with them.

Why Your Valentine’s Day Gift May Irritate

These are some typical pollutants that may enter the home by means of your Valentine’s Day gift.

• Pollen — Flowers may give off pollen, as may many indoor plants.
• Mold — Flowers and indoor plants may have collected mold on them during transport, or in a greenhouse.
• Volatile organic compounds — These are gases given off by a wide range of chemicals, including perfumes and other fragrant substances.
• Pet dander — It’s not the dog hair that causes an allergic reaction, but rather the flaky skin or dander shed by the dog.

All these substances can trigger allergic reactions. While the best remedy is always to limit exposure, you can improve indoor air quality by these means:

• Vacuum with a HEPA filter.
• Use a good quality, pleated air filter in the HVAC system to capture some of the airborne particulates mentioned above.
• Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation lights in the HVAC system help kill mold, mildew and fungus.
• Air purifiers or cleaners can capture many of these particulates; carbon-activated filters can help capture VOCs.

To enjoy your Valentine’s Day gifts without worrying about IAQ concerns, contact Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning of Elyria. We can help with all your HVAC needs.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.