5 Tips For Better Indoor Air Quality
To keep your home safe and comfortable all year round, focus on improving your indoor air quality. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Indoor Air study, “concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.” Without taking the necessary measures to get rid of dust mites, pet dander, and mold in your home, members of your family may suffer from allergies or respiratory illnesses.
The health of your family is too high a price to pay for your failure to maintain fresh and clean air inside your home. Here are 5 steps to achieving a safer and healthier home environment:
Clean your AC Air Filters.
Your air conditioning system works to provide your home clean, filtered air throughout all seasons. And as time goes by, the accumulated dust and dirt make it harder for the AC air filters to function, forcing the system to work harder and consume more energy. Cleaning and replacing the air filters are part of the required periodic AC maintenance, which is best left to licensed and experienced contractors.
Aside from your AC filters, check the filters in your other household appliances, such as your vacuum cleaner, kitchen vents, and dry cleaner.
Vacuum The Floor, Then Mop It Up.
Carpets and area rugs are highly susceptible to dust, dirt, and pet dander. Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter will help get rid of allergens inside your home. Vacuum clean carpeted floor areas and upholstered furniture two times or more every week to get the best results. To pick up the dust that vacuuming leaves behind, make sure to mop the surfaces with water.
Prohibit Smoking Inside Your Home.
According to Philip Landrigan, MD, Director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center, “the single most important aspect of indoor air pollution is secondhand cigarette smoke.” Cigarette smoking does not only cause health problems to the smoker, but also to family members who are exposed to secondhand smoke. To protect your family, especially the kids, you have to strictly implement a no-smoking policy inside the house.
Buy Indoor Plants.
Getting indoor plants will create great aesthetics in your interior. More importantly, these plants help improve the indoor air quality as they act as natural air purifiers. The top houseplants for improving indoor air quality include bamboo palm, English ivy, gerbera daisy, dracaena, and corn plant.
Let The Fresh Air In By Opening Windows.
To remove stagnant air and let fresh air in, simply open the doors and windows in your house. However, if you live in the city, choose the time of the day wisely to open your house windows. You can get fresh air during the early morning or late evening.
On average, people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. To be able to protect your family, it is important to keep indoor air as clean as possible. Installing a quality air conditioning system reduces the amount of harmful contaminants that enter your home. Contact a reputable HVAC company today to discuss your air conditioning needs at home.