Congested interstate traffic, industrial smoke in the air, this is what comes to mind when we mention air pollution. How about interior air pollution, though? Do you ever consider how secure the air in your house is?
Perhaps the most neglected aspect of your quality of life is indoor air quality. In reality, we spend a good portion of our lives—well over 70%—inside our homes. Your indoor air quality may not receive as much attention as air pollution from power plants and automobiles. But, it may surprise you to know that the air inside your home may be 2 to 5 times more contaminated than the air outdoors. Yes, the air near your home may be safer and cleaner than the air in your living room! How come?
To begin with, airtight construction is a feature of contemporary architecture. While it sounds great, it could also mean that whatever is brought into your air supply is essentially imprisoned inside. We’ll look at what you can do to maintain clean, healthy air for you and others you care about below.
In actuality, indoor air pollution can be just as dangerous as outdoor air pollution, if not worse. However, keep calm. You may take immediate action to enhance your indoor air quality right now with a little preventative maintenance and some fundamental understanding.
Improve the ventilation in your home
The airtight construction of modern homes, as well as the fact that we frequently cover windows and doors to keep the treated air inside, makes ventilation less than optimal in many situations. Moreover, other sources besides cigarette smoke might also add airborne pollutants. You might breathe in dust from a variety of everyday cleaning products, paint toner, pet dander, mold spores, paint, and even bacteria that your kids track inside on their shoes. These toxins won’t be able to leave, so they’ll remain moving about in your home.
Although it is possible to take some simple steps, including opening a kitchen window while cooking and opening windows and doors as the weather permits, this isn’t always practical. Leith Heating and Cooling Inc, can work with you to create a ventilation plan for your house that doesn’t compromise comfort.
What else can you do? Turning on window or attic fans or using a window air conditioner with the vent control open all improve the rate of outside ventilation. Local exhaust fans for bathrooms or kitchens clean the air directly in the room where they are installed while also boosting the rate of outdoor air ventilation.
Modern home designs are beginning to incorporate mechanical systems that bring outside air inside the house. Heat recovery ventilators that use less energy are among these designs (also known as air-to-air heat exchangers).
The removal or dilution of indoor airborne contaminants from indoor sources is another benefit of ventilation. Thus, the amount of toxins is decreased, and the quality of the air indoors is enhanced. When there may be nearby external sources of pollutants, such as smoke or garbage, carefully consider employing ventilation to reduce indoor air pollutants.
Replace the AC filter
Your home’s air conditioning system works continuously to maintain the ideal temperature throughout the year. However, some of those typical air contaminants are being filtered out as they cycle through all that air. Their air filters eventually clog up and stop functioning. This affects the quality of your interior air as well as your AC system, which can eventually require expensive repairs. Therefore, if you are prone to allergies or reside in a city with high levels of pollution, make sure to clean your AC filters on a regular basis or sign up for an air conditioning service plan, which typically includes a filter change.
There are other factors at play in your home environment besides your AC filter that help to maintain clean air. Check the filters in your other household appliances if you’re serious about raising the quality of the air in your house. It’s a good idea to regularly inspect and maintain your kitchen vents, clothes dryer, and vacuum cleaner. These typical home filters should be cleaned or changed every several months.
Manage humidity levels indoors
More than only the temperature in your home can be impacted by humidity. In addition to making summertime hot and sweaty, high humidity encourages the growth of mold and plenty of yucky bacteria in your house. Your indoor air quality, comfort, and even your utility costs can all be significantly enhanced by a good whole-home dehumidifier! Most homeowners discover that when the humidity is just right, they may raise the thermostat a few degrees in the summer and remain comfortably cool.
Air circulation through open windows and doors also known as natural ventilation, when used properly, can occasionally assist in regulating the indoor air temperature, which can get too high in homes without air conditioners or in situations where the use of air conditioning is restricted or impossible due to power outages.
Air purifiers
Air cleaners come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from simple and affordable tabletop devices to complex and pricey whole-house systems. Some air cleaners, such as the majority of table-top devices, are far less successful than others at removing particles. Typically, gaseous contaminants cannot be removed by air cleaners.
Spend money on an air purifier. Using an air purifier may be helpful if you have an indoor allergen and are unable to control the source of the problem (for example, you refuse to give up your family pet). These gadgets, especially ionic purifiers, can help capture some of the irritants that might cause your symptoms if they are installed in the regions of the house that are used the most frequently. Although you generally won’t be able to eliminate these allergens entirely, you can reduce their intake, which might improve the issue.
Also think about installing a dehumidifier in wet locations, such a basement, to help stop the development of mold. Make sure restrooms are properly ventilated as they are another possible source of mold.
Keep it clean
Did you know that having dirty rugs and carpets can make your home’s air more polluted? Although they are fantastic for comfort and ambiance, carpets and rugs can collect dust in their fibers. You can enhance the quality of the air inside your home by routinely cleaning your carpets and rugs. In general, a cleaner home will have a significant impact on your air quality—and that goes beyond just your carpet!
Maintaining proper indoor hygiene can significantly reduce the amount of dust and pet dander in a home, making it healthier overall. Focusing on methods to lessen the buildup of dust, mold, and pet dander in your home should be the main goal of your cleaning efforts. Consider the following:
Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to thoroughly clean the carpets and area rugs at least once or twice every week. Making the switch from wall-to-wall carpeting to hard flooring may also reduce the number of allergens in the house.
Cleaning your bedding, drapes, and other potentially allergenic materials on a regular basis, especially if you have dogs.
