How Does Cold Weather Affect Air Quality?
When most people think about things that affect air quality, some of the top items on their list are things like smog and burning fossil fuels. However, cold weather can actually affect the air quality around us. By understanding how cold air affects air quality, you can better develop tactics for preventing the deterioration of the air quality inside your home.
Heat Naturally Rises
When the weather gets cold, heat will naturally rise. Unfortunately, many of the harmful airborne pollutants will stay trapped in the cold air that remains near the surface. This is the area where we spend most of our time, which is why most people are exposed to more illnesses during the winter months than in the summer. Additionally, with more people burning fuels in the wintertime to stay warm, it introduces more harmful toxins into that lower cold air level.
Low Humidity
When the weather gets cold out, the humidity level drops significantly. The air will, in turn, try to pull moisture out of anything possible. One of the most common things is the human body since it’s made up of 60% water. This can leave you and your loved ones dealing with dry, itchy skin. Additionally, the lack of moisture in the air will exasperate sinus, allergy, and respiratory symptoms. This is simply due to the lack of lubrication in the nasal pathways.
Increase Indoor Air Quality in the Wintertime
One of the best things that you can do to improve your indoor air quality is to add a whole-home humidifier to help reintroduce moisture into the air inside your home. This will allow the air to draw less moisture from your body so that your skin won’t be dried out. In addition, this will help to reduce any allergy and respiratory flare-ups throughout the winter months.
Expert Indoor Air Quality Service
Morris Heating & Cooling offers expert indoor air quality service for Marion, NC and the surrounding areas. We also provide top-quality heating, cooling, and ductless mini-split services. Simply contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our HVAC professionals.