The air inside your home may not be as clean as you think.
Some of the most common air pollutants found in homes are particulates, such as mold, dust, and smoke, and gases, such as formaldehyde, oxides, and radon. The source of these pollutants can be found all over your home, such as carpets, fireplaces, fire-retardant fabrics, aerosol cans, household chemicals, and insulation.
The symptoms of breathing in these contaminants can range from mild to severe and include allergies, headaches, asthma, coughing, dizziness, or even cancer.
Change Your HVAC Filter
Regularly replacing your HVAC filter will improve the air in your home. A high-quality air filter will reduce pollution in your home by collecting allergens, such as dust, pet dander, smoke, and dirt.
Typically, you should replace the filter once a month, but if you have a large family, lots of pets, smoke indoors or live in a windy area, then you may need to replace it more often.
There are several types of air filters, so it’s important to use the right one for your home.
Add Houseplants
Image via Flickr by Amy Loves Yah
You don’t need a green thumb to make this improvement. There are many low-maintenance indoor plants that will thrive in your home while cleaning the surrounding air. Houseplants naturally absorb gases, release oxygen, and remove common toxins — like formaldehyde and benzene — from the air. Even the microorganisms in the soil have an effect on air quality. NASA recommends about one small six to eight-inch plant per 100 square feet of floor space.
Install An Air Cleaner
A proactive way to freshen the air in your home is to install an air purifier. Using a high-quality air cleaning system will trap and eliminate pollutants. You need an air purifier that removes both of the most common types of air pollution — particulates and gases. By actively removing air allergens, symptoms such as allergies and asthma will be greatly reduced. Professional heating and cooling companies offer services to help find the right air cleaning system.
Rearrange Your Furniture
No matter how many air cleaning tips you implement, they won’t work well if the air in your home is stagnant. Your HVAC system was installed with your home’s specific airflow in mind. When furniture, rugs, or wall hangings are blocking air vents, then you are reducing the airflow in your home. While this may not seem important, it can take a toll on your HVAC system, increase the energy costs, and lengthen heating and cooling time.
Improve Ventilation
Along the same lines, you can install a mechanical ventilator in your HVAC system to aid in improving airflow. Not only is circulating the air inside your home important but so is circulating outside air into your home. Bringing fresh outside air to the indoors will help push out stale inside air. Adding a mechanical ventilator will ensure that your home is getting the ventilation it needs.
The average person spends more time indoors than outdoors, and the majority of that time is spent in the home. Considering this, the quality of the air you breathe during this period can be a significant factor for your health.
It’s important to monitor and, when necessary, improve the air quality in your home.
Like this post? Please share!
On Tik Tok? Follow me there! @mystylespot