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Scented Candles and Plugins: The Unknown Indoor Air Quality Dangers

Scented Candles and Plugins: The Unknown Indoor Air Quality Dangers

 

Scented candles are a popular way to make your home smell good, but they can also pose some risks. At A-Plus Quality, our HVAC experts recommend that you use unscented or low-scented candles because these products do not emit the same chemicals as scented ones. Let's dive into the unknown dangers of scented candles and plugins on your home's indoor air quality

Scented Candles and Plugins May Emit Pollutants

Even low-scented candle or plugin emissions can release a number of different chemicals into your indoor air, including:

Acetaldehyde – a combustible liquid that contributes to smog.

Benzene – a volatile organic compound that is known to cause cancer.

Carbon monoxide – a poisonous gas with no odor.

Hydrocarbons – small particles that can affect indoor air quality and pose respiratory risks.

Formaldehyde – a colorless gas used in some types of glues; known to cause nausea, headaches, and breathing problems.

Styrene – a flammable liquid used in the production of synthetic rubber and plastics.

Those who suffer from asthma or allergies may be especially sensitive to scented candles and plugin emissions. Scented candles can also cause allergies or trigger asthma attacks for some people. If you experience any of the following symptoms when around a scented candle, it's best to avoid them: coughing or wheezing, skin irritation, redness, rashes, watery eyes, burning sensation in the nose or throat, nausea or dizziness, fatigue, loss of sense of smell.

Plug-ins, Candles, and Scented Oils Emit Ozone

Ozone is a natural part of our environment that protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays. However, ozone from candles and plugins can cause significant health problems for some people when indoors. Those who have respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD may experience symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and wheezing when ozone concentrations are high.

Scented Candles Can Cause Chemical Reactions

According to scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, alkaline chemicals in the formaldehyde release process can react with other compounds in your home to create new pollutants that you've never encountered before. These new pollutants can be more difficult for your body to handle and pose risks that are still largely unknown.

The Importance of Good Indoor Air Quality

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, good indoor air quality is of great importance because we spend as much as 90 percent of our time indoors. This means that we are exposed to irritants, pollutants, and chemicals while inside our homes on a day-to-day basis. The quality of your indoor air can be affected by many factors, including scented candles and plugins if they emit high levels of pollutants.

If you have any indoor air quality concerns contact our team at A-Plus Quality, HVAC services in the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions. Our HVAC experts can test your indoor air quality and provide solutions to improve it. It's important to understand your home's indoor air quality in order to determine whether or not it poses a threat to your health and readiness. Contact us today to speak with an expert.

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  • What is a heat pump?

    Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house and during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors. Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide equivalent space conditioning at as little as one quarter of the cost of operating conventional heating or cooling appliances.

  • What are mini-split advantages?

    Just as the name implies, a “mini-split” system is a “split system” however available in smaller capacities, for single room to whole house conditioning. Mini-split systems may range from as small as 9,000 BTUh per hour, comparable to say, a small window AC unit, for individual room use, up to 4 and 5 ton capacities for “Room By Room” (also known as “Zoning”) and whole house conditioning. With near universal design, mini-splits are “heat pumps” which provide both heating and cooling for a home. Here are key advantages when compared to traditional split systems:

    Efficiency- Mini-splits are highly engineered systems which offer attractive operating efficiencies, in many instances, eligible for utility company rebates.
    Heat Pump- Most mini-split systems are heat pumps, providing year-round comfort.
    Solar friendly- Due to very low power requirements, mini-splits are an ideal complement to “Net Zero Energy” homes, or any home using renewable power.
    Carbon footprint- Mini-splits are 100% electric, with zero operating emissions of any type.
    Zoning- Most mini-split manufacturers offer systems capable of room-by-room “zoning”, to account for peak demands of a room based upon construction type, exposure orientation and usage.
    Variable capacity- Mini-splits are typically DC inverter driven. That is, a variable speed compressor which modulates in proportion to instantaneous demand. Most conventional split systems, by comparison, operate with an ON-OFF strategy. (Would you use an ON-OFF switch as the accelerator in your vehicle?)
    Location, Location, Location!- Mini-split outdoor units are compact; they can be located far away from noise-sensitive areas, such as bedrooms and home offices. Mini-split indoor units have the ability to be installed where conventional systems cannot.
    They’re perfect for additions and remodels where access to current HVAC system is difficult to access.
    Modern mini-split systems are remarkably quiet; in fact, many times their operation is unnoticed by the end user.

  • Why should I maintain my Furnace or AC?

    An annual maintenance will extend the lifetime of your heating and cooling unit. The technician will diagnose and repair any problem with the unit before it fails, so you won't need to worry about any problems when the weather gets very hot in the summer or extremely cold in the winter.

  • What is a mini-split?

    By definition, and simply put, a “Split System” is a heating and air conditioning system which has two main components, the indoor unit and outdoor unit. In short, the indoor unit absorbs heat energy in the cooling mode, and the outdoor unit rejects the very heat absorbed by the indoor unit. And the cycle is repeated until the set temperature is met. Although the indoor and outdoor units are located in physically different, hence “split” locations, they are connected and operate as, one system; continuously circulating refrigerant liquid and vapor by means of interconnecting, dehydrated copper refrigerant lines, commonly referred to as a “Line Set”.

  • How do I know what size unit I need?
    If you have any problems with your system, you should contact the contractor who installed the units. All our systems are covered by a 5 year parts, 7 year compressor limited warranty
     

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