Air quality affects everyone in your family. Even if allergies or asthma are not major concerns in your household, you strive to provide the healthiest environment possible for your children. If you’re looking for practical ways to improve the air quality in your home, consider these five tips.
Go Natural
One of the simplest ways to improve indoor air quality is to open the windows when the weather allows and encourage cross ventilation on all levels of your house. While you might consider insulation and airtight windows a money saver, newer homes with less freely circulating air can mean higher levels of indoor pollutants.
It’s true that pollen and other allergens enter your home through open windows, but periodically cycling the air allows you to remove indoor irritants like pet dander, dust, and fire-retardant chemicals.
Change Filters Regularly
Air filters are designed to trap most standard household pollutants while also keeping your HVAC system humming along at peak efficiency. HVAC professionals recommend checking the air filter on your unit once a month. There’s no hard and fast rule for how often you should change the filter, but the bottom line is if the filter looks dirty, it’s time to change it. By checking monthly, you’re guaranteed to catch pollutant buildup before it becomes an issue for your family or your HVAC system.
Add a Few Low-Cost Accents
An inexpensive mat at each door and $20 worth of indoor plants can go a long way in improving indoor air quality. Placing a mat near every entryway helps trap particles before they make their way into living rooms and bedrooms. Numerous studies tout the air purifying effects of indoor plants. Rubber plants, Golden pothos, and Boston ferns are all easy to care for and make attractive additions to any room.
Limit Chemical Exposure
Limiting exposure to chemical compounds in conventional cleaners, candles, and aerosol air fresheners is a smart way to reduce indoor air pollution. Consider natural alternatives when it comes to air fresheners, such as essential oil burners and soy-based candles. For less toxic cleaners, make your own using basic ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, Castile soap, and lemon juice. You can find timeless and tested recipes online by searching “green cleaners.”
Consider an Air Purifier
If you have little ones to look after, or if allergies and respiratory illnesses are major health concerns for your family, contact a trusted HVAC company to install an air purifier. The two main types of air purifiers are whole-home attachments that are part of an integrated HVAC system and smaller capacity models designed to clean the air in just one room or area of the house.
Reputable HVAC companies will offer both models and can help you decide on the best option for your family. In addition to standard purifiers that use filters to trap contaminants, some newer models come equipped with a UV light to eliminate the threat of living organisms like mold, viruses, and dust mites.
Keeping your family healthy year round is your top priority. With a few simple changes, you can ensure the indoor air quality in your home remains consistently high and contributes to the overall well-being of your family every day of the year.
