Breathing Easy: Tips and Tricks on How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Are you looking for ways to improve the indoor air quality of your home?

Air pollution brings out a lot of health hazards. These diseases and health hazards include lung cancer and acute lower respiratory infection. Air pollution is also present indoors where it is also as dangerous.

Indoor air pollutants tend to consist of particulates coming from various sources. Among which include mold, tobacco, certain building materials like asbestos, and so on.

There are ways for you to improve the indoor air within your household or building space. We will look at these steps and methods for you to improve air quality. That way, you can breathe easily and avoid health issues from air pollution.

1. Check and Change AC Filters

One of the areas for you to check to improve air quality is your air conditioning system. These systems take on heavy-duty work in providing the proper temperature regulation.

They also cycle the air within the indoor space. Thus filtering out common air pollutants and bringing in fresh, clean air.

At some point, the filters would reach its threshold as it fills up. It will stop working once it reaches that point and would wear down your AC system. This can prove catastrophic when left unchecked, leading to costly repair bills.

Because of this, the filters need a regular check-up. This lets you assess if you need to change out the filters. That way, you can ensure you have clean air cycling through your air conditioning system, which also helps people with certain allergies.

You can call a professional for maintenance work on your air conditioning system. Doing so is a great way to adjust the air quality with minimum effort. Watching them do their job can also help you learn how to test indoor air quality on your own.

2. Open the Windows

Another approach that you can try, if this is possible, is to open the windows once in a while. It is among the cheapest methods you have at your disposal. Especially when your windows have that capability to open up.

This way, you can let in the fresh air and reduce humidity. It's also the quickest way for you to improve indoor air quality.

While this is both cost-effective and simple, there are certain times when you should do this. For instance, if you need fresh air after using chemical-heavy cleaning materials.

Otherwise, you might want to keep your windows closed to lock the warm air in. This becomes the case during the cold winter months.

3. Check the Other Air Filters

You have other filters that would need a regular check. These need regular maintenance and cleaning to eliminate possible sources of pollution.

A good place to start would be the vacuum cleaner. Make sure to clean out the filter on this appliance as dust and dirt can be a source of pollution.

Another appliance that you can check is the laundry dryer. This appliance also needs air to dry out fabrics. Which would also mean small bits and particles caught in the filters.

Kitchen vents, such as those above the stoves also need much attention. After all, these vents filter out the odor and scent from the stove and other appliances. Make sure to replace their filters for better air quality and to improve the performance of each one.

4. Use Cooking Vents While Cooking

Since we mentioned vents in a previous method, you should also use cooking vents in the kitchen. Using gas stoves would also involve contaminants like carbon monoxide. With a cooking vent on, you can have these pollutants siphoned out.

The other good thing is that you can also siphon out smoke and other particles out of the kitchen while cooking. It can also clear out certain odors while using the other appliances in the kitchen.

5. Manage and Control Humidity

Humidity can be an issue when it comes to indoor air quality. Humid conditions are the breeding ground for mold and mildew. Thus opening up a lot of issues that would prove harmful to everyone indoors.

If left unchecked, this could trigger respiratory problems such as asthma. Allergic reactions such as acute rhinitis also stem from air pollution.

Consider using dehumidifiers and placing them in certain areas. Pay attention to the type of humidifier that you use. This helps with your placement to ensure maximum effectiveness.

6. Clean Out Rugs and Carpets

The good thing about rugs and carpets is that they add a degree of comfort to your home. They also have another function where they act as air filters even if they are on the floor. In this case, they can trap dust and other particles within the many woven fibers.

To ensure that they continue to help in filtering out the dust and keeping them from filling the air, consider having these go through cleaning. You can use a vacuum cleaner on the rugs and carpets to rid them of dust. The other method is to bring them to professional rug cleaners for deep and thorough cleansing.

7. Conduct Regular Dusting

Make sure to do regular dusting whenever you can. This helps in eliminating the dust, pollen, and even pet hair. If left unchecked, these particles would build up and irritate your respiratory system.

To prevent and address this matter, you can use a vacuum cleaner to suction these particles out. Target areas you should pay close attention to aside from the carpets include the spots under sofas and beds.

Make sure to change your bedding every week. Having these washed at 60 degrees Celsius to kill germs and dust mites.

8. Keep Your Home Smoke-Free

One of the notorious sources of indoor air pollution is smoke, especially from tobacco. Aside from second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke is also a source of danger as it clings on to furniture as well.

The best way to prevent this is to avoid smoking indoors at all costs. Other sources of smoke also include candles and incense sticks, so make sure to use proper ventilation to air out pollutants.

Having Better Indoor Air Quality is Serious Business

Improving indoor air quality requires proper diligence. It does reward you with a healthier indoor environment where you can breathe without worrying about respiratory issues.

If you need help with your air quality, you can contact us today. You can set an appointment with us where you can let us know how we can assist you. We offer all air quality, heating system, and cooling services such as repair, maintenance, new installation and many other services.