Breathe Easy: 5 Effective Tips to Improving Air Quality Indoors

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution levels are 100 times higher than outdoors. The health impacts of indoor air pollution will depend on the pollutant present in the air, but they often include pneumonia, asthma, cancer, and more.

If you spend most of your time indoors, ensuring clean air can reduce your risk of developing diseases and improve your quality of life. This article covers the health impacts of indoor air pollution, the benefits of improving indoor air quality, and the effective tips to achieve healthier air indoors.

Benefits of Improving Indoor Air Quality

Improving indoor air quality like regular AC maintenance can help improve indoor air quality and provide significant benefits, including:

• Mitigated climate change effects
• Reduced risk of respiratory diseases
• Increased performance and productivity
• Increased cost savings
• Increased energy efficiency
• Improved air quality
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions

5 Effective Tips for Healthier Air Indoors

Implementing effective strategies can help you significantly improve indoor air quality. Below are five effective tips that can help get your effort off to a great start:

1. Use an Air Purifier

Just like patio shades, an air purifier provides benefits that are hard to miss. Air purifiers with high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filters have been proven to effectively remove harmful particles from the air.

Air purifiers with HEPA filters can also help remove airborne flu particles. It can also help reduce the following:

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Excess carbon dioxide
• Smoke
• Mold spores
• Allergens such as pet dander

2. Improve Ventilation

Improving ventilation is a simple and cost-effective way to boost indoor air quality. Opening doors and windows to allow outside air is an easy way to improve ventilation.

Air can also enter your house through vents and other weak spots, like tiny spaces around your door. Ensure air that is channeled through vents is not contributing to any problems by:

• Changing the filters of your home and heating systems regularly.
• Ensuring the air ducts are unobstructed and clean.
• Changing the filters in appliances that allow air into your space indoors regularly and according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Test Your Air Quality

If you are worried about the quality of your air indoors but unsure about the changes you need to do, testing the air quality would be a good place to start.

You have the option to get expert help or go the DIY route. The method you use should depend on your needs. While the DIY route is less expensive, getting professional help can give you more personalized information and extensive results.

• Professional Testing. While hiring a professional will cost more, they can provide other services to help you manage possible pollution sources they find during testing. Case in point: professionals that offer air quality testing may also help with mold removal and prevention.
• DIY Air Testing. You can easily find various air quality test kits online. Some kits are designed to check for multiple pollutants, while others can only check for a specific pollutant like radon.

4. Control the Allergens at Home

Some common irritants and allergens you can find at home include dust mites, pet dander, mold, and dust. Keeping these allergens at bay can significantly improve the overall indoor air quality and minimize your chances of developing respiratory symptoms, such as:

• Itching
• Skin rashes
• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Sore throat

Effective management of indoor allergens will entail prevention and upkeep. Some of the proven preventive strategies you can look into include:

• Washing your bedding twice monthly to remove dust mites.
• Bathing your pets regularly.
• Replacing wood, carpet, and drywall with mold.
• Dusting and vacuuming regularly to keep dust, dust mites, and pet dander from accumulating.

5. Minimize Dampness

Dampness indoors can cause health hazards, including mold growth. High humidity and dampness can also cause VOCs to leach into the indoor air.

Damp indoor air can be attributed to several factors, such as areas with pooling water, leaky roofs or pipes, humid climates, and low kitchen and bathroom ventilation.

To reduce dampness indoors, the following can help:

• Using a dehumidifier.
• Turning on an opening or fan when you cook or shower.
• Removing areas where there’s moisture or pooling water.

Conclusion

Improving the air quality indoors is crucial for maintaining good health and well-being. Poor air quality can lead to respiratory problems, allergies, and other health issues. Fortunately, you can use many effective tips and tricks to improve the air quality in your home or workplace.

It is important to prioritize the air we breathe and take proactive measures to ensure it is clean and healthy. By making small changes in our daily habits and routines, we can create a safer and healthier environment for ourselves and our loved ones.

About the author

Stella Ohler is a Senior Content Editor for We Write Best and written a blog forNew AC Unit.She has an extensive background in writing and editing, as she has worked on several high-profile publications. Stella is dedicated to providing the highest quality of content to her readers. With her dedication to producing well-written, accurate, and engaging pieces, she ensures that her readers get only the best content.