The air in your home is essential to your health and well-being. Poor indoor air quality can lead to allergies, respiratory problems, headaches, and other health issues. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure that the air in your home is clean and healthy for everyone.
1. Use an Air Purifier
An air purifier can help to remove contaminants, like dust, pollen and smoke particles in the air. Some are equipped with HEPA filters that capture 99% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns in size. With a quality air purifier, you can improve your home’s air quality and reduce the effects of allergies and asthma.
2. Change the Air Filters Regularly
Your heating and cooling systems have air filters that trap dirt, dust, pollen and other allergens from entering your home’s air. Make sure to inspect them once a month and change or clean as needed for optimal performance. For higher-efficiency air filters, you may need to change them as often as every three months.
3. Clean Regularly
Make sure to dust and vacuum regularly to reduce the amount of dirt particles in your home’s air. If possible, try to use a damp cloth or mop when cleaning to reduce the possibility of creating airborne particles from sweeping and dusting.
4. Avoid Synthetic Fragrances and Air Fresheners
Synthetic fragrances, as well as air fresheners and scented candles, contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can negatively affect indoor air quality. Whenever possible, try to use natural cleaning products and opt for non-toxic air fresheners.
5. Reduce Humidity Levels
High humidity levels can promote the growth of mold and mildew, which in turn can cause health problems like allergies and asthma attacks. Make sure to keep your home at a relative humidity level between 30% to 50%.
6. Avoid Excess Smoke
Smoke from cigarettes and other burning materials can significantly reduce the air quality in your home. If you or someone else smokes, make sure to do it outdoors and away from windows, doors and vents.
7. Introduce Plant Life
Houseplants are natural air purifiers that absorb pollutants like formaldehyde and ammonia while releasing oxygen into the air. Place a few plants around your home to help reduce the amount of pollutants in the air and improve indoor air quality.
By following these tips, you can be sure that your family is breathing clean, healthy air in your home. It’s important to also get an annual inspection of your heating and cooling system so that any issues with your system can be identified and remedied before they become a health hazard. With the right combination of regular maintenance, air purification products and plant life, you can ensure that your home has high quality air.