There are all sorts of benefits associated with having good indoor air quality. However, in many American homes, as air quality is not something that can be seen, it often goes forgotten.
In the winter months, indoor air quality often declines due to the lack of fresh air from outside. As most of the air pollutants that cause problems are odorless, people are often left with the symptoms that poor air quality can trigger. Such symptoms include fatigue, digestive issues, and even respiratory problems, without ever knowing their cause.
In this article, we’re going to help you clean up the air in your home. We’ll introduce some simple steps that you can take to improve your air quality. Then we’ll discuss the benefits associated with a fresh, clean, and healthy home.
Why Is Your Indoor Air Quality So Important?
A lot of us worry about outdoor pollution, but when it comes to the air that we breathe in our homes, people don’t tend to think so much about it. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the air quality inside your home can be between two and five times worse than it is outside. Indoor air can contain allergens such as pet dander, dust, and mold, as well as potentially hazardous particles. These allergens can be released into the air by furnaces, wood-burning fires, candles, paint, cooking, and even newly installed furniture.
Poor indoor air quality can cause a range of conditions, from allergies to respiratory problems. However, it is the most vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, and certain disabled people who are most likely to suffer. That’s why it’s so important to keep a close eye on your indoor air quality.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
If you’re serious about improving your air quality, then a good first step is to book an indoor air quality audit. Air quality experts will come to your home and test all of the factors that affect your air quality. These factors include carbon dioxide, dust, temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They’ll then analyze the results and explain the issues you have and what you can do to resolve them.
Here are a few of the different changes you can make take to get better air quality in your home.
Invest in an air purifier
Dust, pollen, and the other particles that reduce the quality of your air are impossible to remove completely, even in the cleanest homes. That’s where the air purifier comes in. Some of the best air purifying machines are capable of removing nearly all of the pollutants in your air. They draw in the dirty air, filtering it and releasing much cleaner air back into the room.
Clean your filters
The main focus of air conditioning systems is to regulate the temperature of the air in your home. But they also filter out some of the more common indoor air pollutants as they go. As your air conditioning filters fill up, they become less effective at trapping the air pollutants. This also puts an additional strain on your AC system. That’s why it’s so important to change your AC filters regularly. You should also make a habit of cleaning out the filters in household appliances such as your clothes dryer, vacuum cleaner, and kitchen vents.
Check your air ducts
Air ducks that are not installed or maintained properly can distribute air pollutants from one room to another. They are also a place where dust, pet dander, pollen, and even mold can accumulate. Most HVAC installation and repair teams will be able to make sure your ducts are circulating air properly and are spotlessly clean.
Use cooking vents
The kitchen is one of the leading sources of indoor air pollution. This is because gas stoves and even electric burners release potentially harmful pollutants into the air. For that reason, you should always turn on your kitchen vents when you’re cooking and open a window if you can.
Keep your rugs and carpets clean
The rugs and carpets in your home act as air filters by trapping the dust and other particles that they come into contact with. By cleaning your carpets regularly, you can remove all of those harmful particles and improve your indoor air quality.
What Are the Benefits of Having Better Air Quality in Your Home?
There are several benefits associated with having cleaner air in your home, including:
- Better health – The less exposed you are to allergens and pollutants in your home, the lower your risk of developing allergies and respiratory problems.
- Improved sleep – Cooler, cleaner air helps our bodies to relax and reduces the stress levels that can keep us awake.
- Fewer odors – Improving your indoor air quality removes many of the germs, mold, and pollutants that can contribute to odors.
- Easier breathing – Having cleaner air helps to reduce the risk of breathing problems and is also beneficial if you like to work out at home.
- Increased happiness – A review of 178 research articles found that when compared to polluted air, clean indoor air increases happiness, decreases levels of depression, and improves cognitive functioning and decision-making.
Wrapping Up
Indoor air quality is not something enough people think about. The good news is that there are several simple steps that you can take to improve the air quality in your home. A good first step is to contact an indoor air quality expert. They’ll be able to show you what problems you have in your home and where you can make improvements. You’ll then be able to experience the benefits of improved indoor air quality without spending a fortune.
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