Nowadays, people are spending much more time inside their homes. However, your indoor air can have many harmful pollutants and can be much more dangerous than outdoor air. Some of these pollutants are odorless and difficult to notice. And they often lead to serious health issues, which can range from worsened allergies, respiratory problems, skin rashes, and fatigue to heart problems, lung disease, and cancers. Luckily, there are a number of steps you can take, some of which are surprisingly simple, to clean up your air. Read on to find more helpful information on how to improve the air quality in your home.
Improve Ventilation
One way to improve the air quality in your home is to improve ventilation. Even turning on your ceiling fans or just opening a window can make a difference. Yes, improving your indoor air quality can be that easy and that cheap. Indoor air quality can be worse in the winter because people aren’t opening their windows or turning on fans as much.
Ventilating your bathroom helps prevent too much mold and mildew buildup. And in your kitchen, ventilation can reduce cooking fumes, grease, and smoke. If you have a gas stove, ventilation can exhaust carbon monoxide emissions. Even when it’s colder, you can try briefly turning on a fan or opening your windows just to get a bit of fresh air in.
Change the Air Filters
Make sure to regularly change or clean your air filters. Your HVAC system has these filters to trap the dust mites, bacteria, and other air pollutants and prevent them from recirculating in your home. However, if they’re not changed or cleaned often enough, they aren’t able to do so effectively. Check how long your air filters are good for. Some recommended being changed every six months, while others are good for up to a year, depending on the type.
Invest in an Air Purifier
Purchase an air purifier for your home if you don’t have one already. These are especially helpful if anyone suffers from severe allergies, as the recirculated particles in the air can seriously aggravate them. Once you have one, place it in the most commonly used area of your home. In addition to the air purifier, some house plants can help by reducing the effects of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and other pollutants.
Get the Whole Family Involved
How can others help you to improve the air quality in your home in an incredibly simple way? Ask everyone to take off their shoes at the door when they walk in. This can reduce the number of harmful particles from the outdoors—such as pollen, allergens, dirt, and germs—brought inside.
Manage Humidity
Dust mites and mold can especially thrive in moist environments, so make sure the humidity in your home is under control. Keeping the right humidity level is how you can improve the air quality in your home to ward against mold, bacteria, and viruses. The ideal level of humidity in a home should be 30 to 50 percent. The health problems that result from mold and mildew include sore throats, wheezing, itchy and watery eyes, and headaches.
If you don’t have one already, get a dehumidifier for your home. And make sure to empty it regularly. If you have any plants inside the house, be careful not to overwater them. If you notice leaks, get them fixed as soon as possible. Also, regularly wipe down bathroom surfaces after showering or bathing, as well as the condensation that appears on windows and window sills.
Tidy Up
It might sound obvious but keep your home clean. Regularly dust surfaces and vacuum floors, rugs, and carpet. For your vacuum, consider using HEPA filters. Make sure it has strong suction. If your vacuum doesn’t seem to be working as well as it used to, it’s worth it to get a new one. And don’t ignore the furniture in your cleaning routines. Your couch cushions and chairs can have a lot more dust and bacteria than you’d think. Also change your sheets, drapes, and other linens often. And don’t let any clutter pile up too much, as that will accumulate lots of dust.
Go Green
Use more natural and organic products instead of those containing harsh chemicals. Switching from synthetic to natural home cleaning products for your bathroom, laundry, kitchen, and floors can make a big difference. Particularly, make sure to avoid aerosol sprays, which can lead to breathing troubles. If you’re using any products with a lot of chemicals, keep the room as ventilated as possible to reduce the effects.
Take Extra Care with Pets
How do you improve the air quality in your home if you have pets? Purchasing an air filter can be helpful for pet dander, which is the dead skin cells your furry friend sheds. You should also regularly groom and brush your pets to reduce this issue. And vacuum up the pet dander from the floor and furniture.
Test for Radon
Watch out for radon, especially if you live in an older house. Radon is naturally occurring and can come from the soil and move into your indoor air through the foundation. You might be at greater risk for radon if your home’s foundation has cracks and drafts. Sometimes, granite countertops can also increase the risk.
This gas is incredibly dangerous for your health. Too much exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, even if you’re not a smoker. Radon is, unfortunately, hard to notice on your own because it’s invisible, colorless, and odorless. But, thankfully, there are radon detectors that you can buy for your home, and they’re usually inexpensive. Be sure to test radon levels regularly, just in case. The United State Environmental Protection Agency has a guide for how to improve the air quality in your home by reducing radon on their website.
One important way to improve the air quality in your home is to keep up an annual inspection of your HVAC system. You want to make sure your unit keeps working as efficiently as possible. Another method many recommend is duct cleaning, which can get rid of trapped dust and debris. Both of those are available from Entek. We’ve provided highly rated service to the Pacific Northwest area for 75 years. You can find more information on our website.