Your Guide to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Oregon

Oregonians are a hardy bunch. We endure wildfire smoke, seasonal allergens, and the dampness of rainy winters, all of which make our indoor environment more polluted than the outdoors.

At Pyramid Heating and Cooling, we believe your Portland, home should be a sanctuary. With decades of experience serving both the lush Willamette Valley and the high desert of Central Oregon, we understand the specific challenges our climate poses and how it affects indoor air quality.

Our IAQ experts can help you choose the best air purification solution for your home, based on the indoor and outdoor pollution sources that affect your living space.

This guide tells you everything you need to know about keeping your indoor air cleaner, fresher, and healthier year-round. Let’s explore indoor air quality by first looking at indoor contaminant sources and what you can do about them.

How Oregon Weather Affects Indoor Air Quality

To keep heating costs down during those wet Portland winters or freezing Bend nights, we seal our homes tight. Although it’s great for utility bills, a tight seal traps stale air inside. Moisture from showers and cooking can lead to mold, while off-gassing from furniture and cleaning products (VOCs) lingers indoors.

When wildfire smoke rolls in, we take extra measures to keep it outdoors. However, microscopic smoke particles (PM2.5) are notorious for seeping through window seals and door frames. Wildfire season without proper air purification is like breathing campfire smoke in your living room.

Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Indoor pollution is a mix of different irritants. For example, the kitchen is a source of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulates from cooking. High humidity levels in the bathroom create a breeding ground for mold and mildew, and pet dander, dust mites, and VOCs from new furnishings can turn your living room into an allergy sufferer’s nightmare.

5 DIY Steps to Improve Your Air Quality

There are several steps you can take to lower the pollutant load in your Portland home:

• Mats and Shoes: Use high-quality mats at every entrance to stop pesticides and heavy metals from being tracked in on your shoes. Remove your shoes at the door and wear slippers inside your home.

• Ventilate While Cooking: Always use your range hood. It should vent to the outdoors. If you can’t install a range hood, be sure to either open a window while cooking or run a portable air cleaner. 

• Vacuum with HEPA: Use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter to prevent fine dust from being blown back into the air.

• Check Your Humidity: In Portland, use a standalone dehumidifier in damp basements. In Bend, where the air is bone-dry, place portable humidifiers in bedrooms or consider installing a whole-house humidifier to prevent dry skin and irritated sinuses.
• Clean Naturally: Swap out harsh chemical cleaners for vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils to reduce VOC levels.

Professional Air Purification & HVAC Solutions

While DIY steps help, they often can’t keep up with Oregon’s extreme conditions—especially during smoke events. Whole-home solutions take air quality improvement a step further.

High-Efficiency Air Filtration

Your HVAC filter is your first line of defense. At Pyramid, we recommend upgrading to a high-efficiency media filter. These filters are thick enough to catch the fine particulates found in wildfire smoke without strangling your furnace’s airflow.

UV Air Purifiers and Ionizers

Filtration catches particles, but air purifiers, such as ultraviolet (UV) lights or ionizers, kill or neutralize particles that filters miss. For example, UV lights installed inside your ductwork can kill mold spores and bacteria on the cooling coil. Active purification technologies send out ions that clump particles, making them easier for your filter to catch, while also neutralizing odors and pathogens.

Fresh Air Ventilation (ERV & HRV)

An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) or heat recovery ventilator (HRV) pulls stale air out of your home and brings in fresh air while exchanging energy between the two air streams. This means that in the winter, the outgoing warm air preheats the incoming cold air. It exchanges the energy between the two streams. An HRV transfers only heat, while an ERV transfers both heat and moisture.

Humidity Control

A whole-home humidifier adds moisture directly to your ductwork, and prevents dry air that can irritate your sinuses, dehydrate your skin, and aggravate respiratory issues. A whole-home dehumidifier removes moisture from the air, helping prevent mold and mildew from growing.

Our Pyramid professionals can recommend a humidity control system to help maintain moisture levels between 30 and 50 percent as recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Improve Your Indoor Air Today!

At Pyramid Heating and Cooling, we are proud to be a trusted name in Portland, Bend, and neighboring communities, providing the authoritative expertise you need to protect your family’s health. Is the air as fresh as it can be in your Portland, home? Don’t wait for the next smoke season to find out. Schedule a consultation by calling (541) 200-0694 or request service online.