If you’re like most people, when you hear the words “air pollution,” you probably have visions of smog-covered skies in Los Angeles or the hole in the ozone layer. It’s an outdoor phenomenon, not anything that affects your home.
As bad as air pollution outside can be, however, there is a much more viable threat to your health from indoors. This comes in the form of indoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollution is a dangerous thing. Air pollution in your residence can cause things as mild as a headache to such severities as cancer.
Don’t panic, though! There are ways to improve indoor air quality. In this article, we give you seven ways to improve your air quality. Don’t wait around on this! Take steps to improve your air quality today!
1. Change Your AC Filter
Your HVAC system works hard throughout the year to keep your home at the perfect comfortable temperature. As it cycles the air, it filters out a lot of common indoor pollutants.
The problem is, eventually, your filter fills up and stops doing its job. This not only leads to those particles becoming trapped in your air but also wears down the air conditioning system itself.
You can save yourself money on future repairs and improve your air quality by changing your AC filters regularly. Alternatively, you can get an air conditioning service plan that includes regular filter changes.
2. Improve Indoor Air Quality Through AC Duct Cleaning
Maintaining your HVAC system involves more than just keeping the AC vents clean. Throughout your house, AC ducts and vents play a crucial role in distributing hot and cold air efficiently. Regular maintenance is essential to prevent a buildup of dust, dander, and mold within the ducts. Visit Quality Air Brothers for professional services that ensure your HVAC system operates at its best, providing clean and healthy air throughout your home.
Regular inspections and cleaning by experts can significantly improve the overall air quality, contributing to a comfortable and safe living environment for you and your family.
This means contaminants will get distributed throughout your house, not isolated to any one location. If you need air duct cleaning or repairs done, discover more about companies that provide those services.
3. Check Other House Filters
You use a lot of appliances to keep your home and belongings clean. Many of those, such as kitchen vents, dryers, and vacuum cleaners, also have filters that trap harmful particles in them.
If left unchecked, just as with AC filters, the buildup in the filters can cause them to cease working. This means those harmful particles will go right back into the air.
Be diligent in checking your filters regularly and replacing them as needed. It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s better to put the effort in and spare yourself future health problems.
4. Kitchen Ventilation
Many air pollutants come from your kitchen. Your stove releases such contaminants as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
While an electric stove produces these contaminants in smaller quantities, it doesn’t mean your home is safer. These contaminants can absorb into your bloodstream.
Once again, there’s no need to panic! The cure to this is one of the more straightforward indoor air quality solutions. If you open a window or turn on your kitchen vents, you can filter most of these contaminants out.
Of course, if you are using your kitchen vents to catch these contaminants, remember that you must replace these filters regularly as well.
5. Beware of Humidity in the Home
Trapped moisture can do a fair amount of damage to a home. Humid conditions cause mildew and mold to grow in your house.
This is particularly true of rooms like your bathroom, where hot and steamy conditions make it a breeding ground for these contaminants. Depending on the region you live in, the summer months can also bring a lot of moisture to your home.
To avoid this problem, all you have to do is place some dehumidifiers in strategic locations around your home. Your bathrooms are a good place to start, along with your front and back doors.
6. Avoid Heavy Fragrances
It’s a harsh irony that many of the things we use to keep our homes clean also contaminate them. Many fragranced cleaning products contain contaminants that serve to pollute your indoor air quality.
This doesn’t mean you have to give up cleaning the house, of course. Instead, pay attention to the types of products you buy. Often, buying more natural and organic products can get ensure you don’t release air contaminants.
If you don’t trust the products on the market or aren’t sure how to find natural solvents, there’s another solution!
You can improve indoor air quality by cleaning with homemade products. Many cleaning products are straightforward to make on your own. You may even find it more rewarding to clean with things you crafted yourself.
7. Buy Some House Plants
A beautiful assortment of house plants can liven up your home better than most any other product. A stronger connection to nature can help calm your mind and make your home feel more relaxing.
Moreover, house plants are excellent for combatting indoor air pollution. Plants are the world’s natural air filters. As you probably know, most of the world’s oxygen comes from trees.
Smaller plants likewise produce oxygen, so you can always have a bit of natural freshness to the air in your house. If you purchase organic house plants, remember to keep them watered and attended to keep them alive.
Test Your Air Quality Today
If you find that your air is polluted, all the methods in this article can help combat it. Making a regular habit of them can also prevent your air from becoming polluted.
If you’re uncertain about the quality of your air, there are ways to test it. Among the simplest methods is buying an air quality monitor.
These devices can read the quality of your air and tell you if it’s standard or polluted. To improve indoor air quality, test it today!
