In the past few years, there has been an increasing awareness about indoor air quality and its impact on health and well-being. We now know that the air inside our homes can be five to ten times more polluted than the air outside, and that polluted air can increase the risk of airborne illnesses. However, most people still do not prioritize investing in high quality indoor air quality management solutions.
Good indoor air quality is an essential component to a healthy and sustainable home. The health benefits of having clean, breathable air are numerous:
- Better lung health
- Improved skin condition
- Reduced allergens
- Better productivity,mood, and sleep quality
- Boost respiratory, heart, and arterial health, and more
But can we really measure the return on investment from improved air quality? It’s easier to quantify the ROI of good IAQ for businesses, but you can find measurable benefits for your home as well. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Improved Overall Health
Polluted indoor air can lead to respiratory conditions, heart problems, and even life-threatening illnesses like cancer. The result is a lot of money spent on healthcare. The average US household spends $1,152 per month on medical bills, or $13,824 per year. Improving your air quality can improve your health, resulting in fewer visits to the hospital, fewer medical consultations, and fewer medications.
Savings on Energy Bills
Even saving on your electric bill is possible if you improve your air quality. Keeping a close eye on the quality of your indoor air can help you determine how to ensure proper ventilation in your home at various times of the day. This involves taking actions such as ensuring optimal performance of your HVAC devices, using demand-controlled or mixed-mode ventilation, and so on. Increasing the efficiency of your HVAC devices increases your energy savings. A 2% improvement in energy efficiency results in an annual savings of $0.06 per square foot, according to JLL research. An additional study conducted by Carnegie Mellon found that mixed-mode ventilation, or using a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation for indoor spaces could result in energy savings of 47%-79% for HVAC systems.
Market Value Increase
It is becoming increasingly important to have “healthy homes.” Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing and Farnsworth Center have found that over a third of renters and one quarter of homeowners in the US care about the quality of their homes, citing healthy air as one of their top concerns. Potential homeowners are also more likely to pay more for healthier homes, according to the majority of respondents. The quality of your indoor air contributes to the value of your home.
Investing in good indoor air quality can be beneficial in both the short- and long-term. The most important thing is improving the quality of life for your family, and that is immeasurable.
