When you think of pollution, smog, haze and terrible outdoor air are what usually come to mind. Unknown to most people, the air circulating inside your home could be just as polluted as or possibly more polluted than the air outside. To make sure indoor air won’t pose a risk to your health, check out these ways to improve air quality.
Eliminate Sources of Pollution
Common sources of pollution include chemical cleaning solutions, anything that contains asbestos, a dirty AC filter, and any equipment that emits smoke, such as stoves and fireplaces. To improve air quality, eliminate these sources and replace them with more environmentally friendly alternatives.
For instance, use non-toxic cleaning agents. Also, instead of installing a wood fireplace, hire gas fireplace services in Utah. Gas fireplaces don’t release harmful fumes or particles compared to other choices.
Improve Ventilation
Open windows and vents to let fresh air in. Also, you might want to install exhaust fans in strategic areas like the kitchen and bathrooms. This way, there’s a healthy flow of indoor and outdoor air.
Most HVAC systems don’t allow fresh air in, so contaminants could just be circling inside your home. Improving ventilation is particularly helpful especially when you’re doing something that could increase pollutants, like when you’re cooking, painting, or you’re welding and soldering.
Keep Plants Out
While plants can be helpful as they release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, still, they can harbor allergens like mold and pollen. So just to be on the safe side, keep the plants out. Besides, most plants thrive more outdoors than they do indoors.
Clean Regularly
Regularly clean the house to remove contaminants. Use a vacuum with rotating brushes and strong suction. Pay particular attention to high-traffic areas inside your home as well as carpet edges, upholstered furniture and walls. These are the places that mostly harbor specks of dust.
Aside from vacuuming, you also need to mop the floor to remove particles that the vacuum might have left out. In addition, place a floor mat at the door entrance. The mat should remove a good deal of particles stuck in people’s footwear before they enter your home.
Invest in Air Cleaners
Money spent on air cleaners is money invested in your health. Let’s face it; some sources of allergens just can’t be controlled. For instance, your furry companion, however much you love it, could be a walking bearer of pollutants and there’s not much you can do about it. If keeping your pet out isn’t an option, it makes sense to invest in an effective air purifier.
Mind the Humidity Level
Mold and dust mite love moisture. So to prevent the growth of these harmful organisms, maintain a healthy humidity level of around 30 to 50% inside your house. That means fixing faulty plumbing promptly, drying out your clothes outside, and opening the windows regularly. Alternately, you could also use a dehumidifier especially if a family member is suffering from an allergy.
Improving the indoor air quality in your home might seem tedious at first, but it will do wonders for your health in the long term.
