When you hear the word pollution, you may think of dirty car exhaust or factories billowing smoke, but in truth, the air in your home can be just as dirty as the air outdoors. Everything from dust and mold spores to cleaning chemicals and Carbon Monoxide are commonly found in residential air supplies. And while these contaminants can impact your health, they don’t have to be a permanent part of your daily routine. With the right strategies, you can drastically cut down on the amount of pollutants in your home.
1. Change HVAC Filters
Your heating and cooling system works hard to keep your home at the perfect temperature all year long. All that hard work exposes the system to a variety of air pollutants – pollen, cleaning chemicals, pet hair, and mold spores, to name just a few. Normally, the HVAC air filter captures these particles and removes them from your home’s air supply. However, the filter fills up over time and stops doing its job. Not only does a dirty air filter decrease your home’s indoor air quality, but it also takes a toll on your HVAC system. To keep your air healthy and avoid costly repairs, we recommend changing your air filter regularly. For standard households, changing the filter once every three months should be sufficient. However, households with pets or homes located in high-pollen areas may need to change the filter more often.
2. Change Appliance Air Filters
Your furnace and air conditioner aren’t the only appliances working hard to keep your air clean. Other appliances like vacuum cleaners, kitchen vents, and clothes dryers also play an important role. Be sure to periodically check their air filters and clean out any built-up dust or dirt.
3. Install an Air Purifier
Air purification systems will effectively remove most pollutants from your home. These devices can be free-standing or attached to your existing HVAC infrastructure. Air filtration systems use finely woven filters to trap even the smallest particles. Some systems also utilize advanced features like UV light to sanitize the air and destroy viruses and bacteria.
4. Inspect Your Air Ducts and Vents
Air ducts form a network of bulky metal tubes and vents that circulate air between your home and HVAC system. When they’re clean and in good shape, air ducts provide comfortable temperatures and clean air throughout your home. However, dirty ducts can actually reduce your overall air quality by distributing pollutants. Over time, contaminants like dust, pollen, mold spores, and dander will accumulate in your ducts. As air naturally moves through the ductwork, it picks up this detritus and re-introduces it to your air supply. We recommend scheduling professional duct cleaning every three to five years. During a duct cleaning appointment, an HVAC technician will use specialized tools to deep-clean the ducts and get into places that are hard to reach with a regular household vacuum.
5. Maintain Healthy Humidity Levels
High humidity creates the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. It can also aggravate respiratory issues like asthma and allergies. Keeping your home’s humidity level in check is essential to having healthy, breathable air. A healthy indoor humidity level falls anywhere between 30% and 50%. While your home’s humidity will fluctuate naturally throughout the year, you can use appliances like humidifiers and de-humidifiers to keep the level in check. Certain areas of your home may be more prone to humidity issues than others. The basement, cellar, attic, and crawl space are all prime locations for humidity regulation problems.
6. Encourage Healthy Ventilation
Opening your windows to encourage fresh airflow into your home can do wonders for your indoor air quality. Open windows release the stale, stagnant air inside your home and replace it with a fresh breeze. Even opening your windows for just a few minutes each day can have a noticeable impact.
7. Use Fans or Fume Hoods While Cooking
Cooking, especially with gas and electric stoves, can release harmful substances into the air. Gas stoves can be particularly hazardous because they put off gasses like Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Dioxide. When you’re cooking on the stove, be sure to ventilate the room. Opening a window, turning on the ceiling fan, or using a fume hood are all good options.
8. Clean Your Rugs and Carpets
That thick, plushy rug you love to sink your toes into can also harbor a shocking amount of dust, dander, and other particles. Dusty carpets can lead to respiratory issues like sneezing, stuffy nose, and itchy eyes. We recommend vacuuming rugs and carpets at least once a week to minimize how much dust they accumulate. To keep your carpets even cleaner, you can also have them steam cleaned every year. Steam cleaning gets down to the base of the carpet and removes dirt and other microscopic particles that vacuums can’t reach.
9. Use Natural Cleaning Products
Most household cleaners, from glass cleaners to furniture polish, use caustic chemicals that can irritate the skin and respiratory system. Ammonia, bleach, and chlorine are just a few of the many toxic chemicals lurking in your cleaning cabinet. These powerful cleaning agents can linger in the air around your home and even soak into your furniture and carpets. Unfortunately, this means you’re breathing in the remnants of these harsh chemicals on a daily basis. Switching to natural cleaning products can drastically improve your indoor air quality. Natural products use safe ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda to achieve the same squeaky-clean results without the danger of traditional cleaning chemicals.
10. Annual HVAC Maintenance
Your heating and air system has a major impact on the cleanliness and breathability of your home’s air supply. As time goes on, pollutants like dust and mildew can inundate the system. Regularly changing the air filter can help a great deal, but it can’t remove detritus that’s accumulated deeper in the system. That’s where annual HVAC maintenance comes into play. During a tune-up, your technician will perform a deep clean on the system. Not only does this improve your home’s air, but it also extends your system’s lifespan.
Indoor Air Quality Solutions
Dream Team Home Services is your go-to source for indoor air quality service in Havertown and Paoli, Pennsylvania. Our expert technicians will perform an air quality analysis to determine your specific indoor air needs. We provide a range of effective air quality solutions, including filtration, air purifiers, air sterilization, and HVAC maintenance. Together, we’ll put together a plan to restore comfort, health, and breathability to your home. We’re also your one-stop shop for all your heating and cooling needs, from repair to replacement, in addition to select plumbing and electrical services.
Ready to breathe easier at home? Call Dream Team Home Services today to schedule top-notch air quality service!
