Breathe in, breathe out. Those actions are performed millions of times each day by every member of your home. But what if the air they are filling their lungs with is polluted? Indoor air pollution is a serious issue that can harm your family. Here are some tips to keep the air clean in your home.
Don’t Smoke Inside
Smoking is not glorified in movies, television shows, or the media today as it was in years past, but there are still plenty of smokers in the world. While many cities have passed laws and ordinances to prevent smoking in public, smoking in the home has not been regulated. In-home smoking creates secondhand and thirdhand smoke, where toxic particles from a cigarette or cigar are left behind on surfaces in the home. Aside from polluting the air in your home with smoke, exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to issues like emphysema, bronchitis, and pneumonia and can trigger asthma attacks.
Do Your Spring Cleaning Year Round
Many pollutants in your home are products of the people and animals that live there. From dust to pet dander, air pollutants in your home can come in many forms. Best practices in the home include avoiding air fresheners and scented candles to mask odors, vacuuming as much as you can to remove pollutants, and using exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathrooms to remove smoke and steam.
You may not be able to see air pollutants in your home, but a thorough cleaning multiple times a month will do wonders. As an added benefit, it might help you keep up with the television remote or find some loose change in your couch.
Filter the Air
Your HVAC system is constantly working to bring you clean air at whatever temperature makes you happy; help it out with regular service, repairs, and installation of new air filters. Your HVAC system forces air in from outside, which can contain a number of pollutants, from smoke to pollen, and needs help with a new air filter each month and regular service. To keep your inside air fresh, you may also consider opening a window to bring in some fresh air and more ventilation, but be sure you aren’t doing so in a high pollen time.
Unavoidable Air Pollution
Many activities, like cooking, burning wood, and driving create pollution in the atmosphere, which can be brought into your home via your HVAC system. For these things, cleaning the air is important, be that with air purifiers or general maintenance, repairs, or service of your HVAC system. While every bit of air you breathe outside cannot be totally filtered and clean, taking a bulk of the air pollutants out in your home can help maintain cleaner air that is free from pollution.
The air we breathe is as important as the water we drink, so why should it be filtered any less? Take steps to improve the air quality in your home by removing air pollutants with an air purifier, servicing your HVAC system, and installing new air filters.
