What are VOC’s? What is IAQ?

VOC's Indoor Air Quality

You’ve probably come across the acronym VOC if you’ve purchased paint lately. Volatile organic compounds are a group of chemicals that contain carbon and hydrogen.

VOCs have a negative impact on IAQ (Indoor Air Quality). VOCs leak into your home’s air from a variety of sources including:

Health Canada estimates that Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors, at home, work and recreational facilities. Obviously, the largest portion of this time is spent in your own home.

Newer homes  present more problems than older homes. Newer homes are built to be as air tight as possible for energy efficiency. New homes are more comfortable and less drafty year round. Newer homes also contain more VOCs, coming from new furniture, fresh paints, new carpets, etc. These pollutants stay trapped within the home.

Indoor Air Quality has a major influence on your health. Exposure to indoor pollutants can result in eye and skin irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headaches, nausea and fatigue. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in the United States uses the name Sick Building Syndrome to describe illness caused by poor Indoor Air Quality.

There are several steps homeowners can take to improve IAQ:

Air Purification Equipment

PureAiRx UV Light
PureAiRx Bypass HEPA Systems

The PureAiRx line of air purification equipment includes UV lights, HEPA filters and Polarized-Media air cleaners. PureAiRx equipment will keep your family safe by removing VOC’s, along with germs and viruses from your indoor air.

HRVs & ERVs

vänEE Air Exchanger
vänEE Air Exchanger

A Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) keeps your home supplied with a steady flow of fresh outdoor air. As stale, warm air is expelled, the heat recovery core warms the incoming fresh, colder air before it is distributed within your home. This constant supply of fresh air eliminates drafts and provides increased home comfort. By providing proper ventilation, an HRV controls excess humidity in your home. Improved ventilation will also improve indoor air quality.

Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV) are suited to climates with hot humid summers, like we have in Southern Ontario. Similar to an HRV, the ERV recovers the heat in cold season, however, it also captures the energy trapped in moisture, which greatly improves the overall recovery efficiency. The ERV works as follows: In air conditioned homes, when it is more humid outside than inside, the ERV limits the amount of moisture coming into your home. In winter, when the humidity level is reversed, the ERV limits the amount of moisture expelled from your home.