If you have a leaky or drafty window, it could be negatively impacting your home’s air quality. With a drafty window, air from the outdoors seeps into your home. This can cause the transfer of pollutants and allergens to the air that your family breathes day in and day out. While a leaky window may not seem like a major issue, over time, it could seriously impact the comfort of your household.

Scheduling a Denver window replacement for your leaky windows could significantly improve the air quality in your home. Read on to learn more about this topic.

Pollutants and Allergens That Can Come Through Leaky Windows

Pollen

Pollen is a powder that’s produced by plants including flowers, trees, grasses, and weeds. Millions of Americans are allergic to pollen, to varying degrees. If you have a leaky window, as a fine powder, pollen can easily drift into your home and trigger allergy symptoms among members of your household. Especially in the spring, when pollen counts reach a peak, a leaky window could significantly exacerbate hay fever and cause discomfort among your loved ones.

Carbon Monoxide

When the carbon in many fuel sources doesn’t burn all the way, carbon monoxide is formed. Most carbon monoxide pollution in urban communities is found in car emissions, although non-transportation-related fuel combustion and industrial work can contribute to carbon monoxide pollution as well.

Usually, carbon monoxide pollution is more severe in cold weather. Low temperatures force engines to work harder, thus making them burn more fuel. People suffering from cardiovascular disease are the most affected by carbon monoxide poisoning, and it can cause reduced oxygen intake. This can compromise the delivery of oxygen to tissues and vital organs.

Ozone

Ozone develops when primary pollutants are exposed to sunlight. This makes it a secondary pollutant. Volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides are the primary pollutants that can cause ozone to form. These pollutants mainly come from emissions from cars, refineries, and chemical plants, among other industrial processes, and can easily pass through leaky windows.

When people are exposed to ozone in excess, it can cause lung inflammation, reduced lung function, chest pain, and a heightened risk of respiratory infection. Ozone exposure can also exacerbate existing conditions, such as asthma.

Reduce Outdoor Pollutants in Your Home

There’s no doubt that exposure to outdoor pollutants can compromise the health of you and your family. One way that you can reduce your exposure to these pollutants is to ensure that all of the windows in your home have a strong seal. This will help preserve the air quality in your home while improving the energy efficiency of your heater and air conditioner. It’s a win-win! But, to fix a leaky window with a Denver window replacement, you’ll first need to identify it.

Signs That You Have a Leaky Window

There are several signs that a window is leaking, including:

A draft

If you can feel a draft coming in through a window when it’s closed, there’s likely a problem with its seal. This sign of a leaky window is usually the most obvious during the winter, when low temperatures can make a draft particularly uncomfortable.

Moisture between the window panes

If the seal around one of your home’s windows fails, it can lead to moisture in between the window panes. This is because humidity from the outdoor air is leaking through the failed seal and accumulating between the window panes.

Mold

If you have a leaky window, moisture from outside can create the perfect environment for mold growth. Mold may become visible on the window frame. If you notice mold on any of the windows in your home, there’s a high chance that a failed seal is to blame.

Denver Leaky Window Replacement

If you have a leaky window in your home, the best way to fix it is often a full window replacement. Clearwater Exteriors provides Denver window replacement services. With a new, fully sealed window, you can improve the air quality in your home while preventing further damage from a failed window seal. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

How Leaky Windows Impact Your Home’s Air Quality