5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality
It might come as a surprise to many homeowners, but the quality of your indoor air might not be as good as you think. Most people associate pollution, pollen, and other air-borne allergens to be strictly outside threats, but the reality is – the air inside of your home could be filled with problem-causing pollutants.
As a result, taking the necessary steps to improving the indoor air quality of your home is essential for making your home as safe as possible and more comfortable for those with allergies, asthma, or any other breathing-related condition.
You clean your house regularly, but now it’s time to clean your home’s air. Here are five ways to improve indoor air quality from Comfort HVAC in Jacksonville NC.
Reduce Humidity in the Home
Moisture fosters mold growth and helps support dust mites and other allergens. Therefore, the lower the humidity in your home, the fewer of these problems you’ll encounter. Ideally, you should keep the indoor humidity in your home between 30% and 50%. Anything higher and you will suffer from more indoor allergens.
You can reduce the amount of moisture in your home by fixing any plumbing leaks, avoiding overwatering houseplants, ensuring the dryer is vented outside the home, and using an exhaust fan or cracking open a window when showering, cooking, or running the dishwasher. Keeping an excess of houseplants inside actually increases the indoor humidity, so if you have a lot of plants inside, you should reduce their numbers to lower your humidity.
Avoid Using Synthetic Fragrances
There are dozens of different air fresheners, laundry additives, and other cleaning products designed to help make your home smell cleaner. But, all of these products are filled with chemicals that can actually ruin the quality of your indoor air.
Instead, use only fragrance-free or naturally-scented cleaning and laundry products. Stop using aerosol spray products and open your windows to let fresh air in (on nice days). You can also strategically use certain plants to help naturally scrub the air clean (just be sure you don’t have too many plants and always check for toxicity issues if you have children or pets).
Keep the House Clean (Especially the Floors)
Cleaning the house regularly is essential for reducing dust and other allergens from collecting throughout the space. Most importantly, vacuum and mop the floors often to help prevent dust from accumulating. Placing a large doormat at every entry point into the home will also help keep dust and dirt from being tracked into the home where they can eventually enter the airflow. For the best results, make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter and a very strong suction.
No Smoking Allowed
Smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes are not only loaded with toxic pollutants but secondhand smoke has been linked to a wide range of childhood health risks, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Therefore, if you want to improve your home’s indoor air quality and reduce health risks for the entire family, you should label your home a “no-smoking zone.”
Test for Radon
Radon is an odorless and colorless radioactive gas that can enter a home through cracks in the foundation. The gas has been linked to lung cancer and it can be found in any style and age of home. Luckily, fixing the problem is relatively easy, but you have to know whether or not radon is in your home first. Therefore, test for radon every few years to ensure your air quality is as healthy as possible.
Keep Your Indoor Air Quality Clean – Call Comfort HVAC Jacksonville NC Today
Sometimes, even following the above five tips can’t get your home’s indoor air quality as clean as you’d like. In such a case, the HVAC system is often the culprit. Comfort Heating and Air can inspect and repair your HVAC system quickly and professionally. We are a fully-licensed and locally-owned and we’re a certified Rheem Team Top Contractor. We provide HVAC sales, service, installation, troubleshooting, replacement, and upgrade services to both commercial and residential buildings in and around the Jacksonville area. If you need service for your HVAC Jacksonville NC, call us today at 910-275-5451 for a FREE estimate.
As a result, taking the necessary steps to improving the indoor air quality of your home is essential for making your home as safe as possible and more comfortable for those with allergies, asthma, or any other breathing-related condition.
You clean your house regularly, but now it’s time to clean your home’s air. Here are five ways to improve indoor air quality from Comfort HVAC in Jacksonville NC.
Reduce Humidity in the Home
Moisture fosters mold growth and helps support dust mites and other allergens. Therefore, the lower the humidity in your home, the fewer of these problems you’ll encounter. Ideally, you should keep the indoor humidity in your home between 30% and 50%. Anything higher and you will suffer from more indoor allergens.
You can reduce the amount of moisture in your home by fixing any plumbing leaks, avoiding overwatering houseplants, ensuring the dryer is vented outside the home, and using an exhaust fan or cracking open a window when showering, cooking, or running the dishwasher. Keeping an excess of houseplants inside actually increases the indoor humidity, so if you have a lot of plants inside, you should reduce their numbers to lower your humidity.
Avoid Using Synthetic Fragrances
There are dozens of different air fresheners, laundry additives, and other cleaning products designed to help make your home smell cleaner. But, all of these products are filled with chemicals that can actually ruin the quality of your indoor air.
Instead, use only fragrance-free or naturally-scented cleaning and laundry products. Stop using aerosol spray products and open your windows to let fresh air in (on nice days). You can also strategically use certain plants to help naturally scrub the air clean (just be sure you don’t have too many plants and always check for toxicity issues if you have children or pets).
Keep the House Clean (Especially the Floors)
Cleaning the house regularly is essential for reducing dust and other allergens from collecting throughout the space. Most importantly, vacuum and mop the floors often to help prevent dust from accumulating. Placing a large doormat at every entry point into the home will also help keep dust and dirt from being tracked into the home where they can eventually enter the airflow. For the best results, make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter and a very strong suction.
No Smoking Allowed
Smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes are not only loaded with toxic pollutants but secondhand smoke has been linked to a wide range of childhood health risks, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Therefore, if you want to improve your home’s indoor air quality and reduce health risks for the entire family, you should label your home a “no-smoking zone.”
Test for Radon
Radon is an odorless and colorless radioactive gas that can enter a home through cracks in the foundation. The gas has been linked to lung cancer and it can be found in any style and age of home. Luckily, fixing the problem is relatively easy, but you have to know whether or not radon is in your home first. Therefore, test for radon every few years to ensure your air quality is as healthy as possible.
Keep Your Indoor Air Quality Clean – Call Comfort HVAC Jacksonville NC Today
Sometimes, even following the above five tips can’t get your home’s indoor air quality as clean as you’d like. In such a case, the HVAC system is often the culprit. Comfort Heating and Air can inspect and repair your HVAC system quickly and professionally. We are a fully-licensed and locally-owned and we’re a certified Rheem Team Top Contractor. We provide HVAC sales, service, installation, troubleshooting, replacement, and upgrade services to both commercial and residential buildings in and around the Jacksonville area. If you need service for your HVAC Jacksonville NC, call us today at 910-275-5451 for a FREE estimate.