The Best and Easiest Methods You Can Use to Improve Indoor Air Quality
In the United States, people spend 90% of their time indoors.
Exposure to indoor air pollution is a major contributing factor to sickness and breathing problems. In order to improve indoor air quality, there are some steps you can take.
Whether it is at home or in a business, we breathe air inside structures all the time. The quality of that air can make a large difference in terms of health. Air conditioners, furnaces, and fans all move air around inside our homes and bring air from outside in.
Improve Indoor Air Quality
In order to have a great quality of life, you need a great quality of indoor air. In order to test the quality of your indoor air, you can hire a professional. They will be able to take samples of the air and analyze them for possible contaminants and health concerns.
How to check indoor air quality can also be done by hand scanners that you can purchase. This will not be as informative as a professional, but knowledge is power. If you discover you need to improve indoor air quality in your home or business or want to keep it good here are some things you can do.
Check Filters and Replace
You should be checking your air filters and replacing them at least several times a year. Air filters are easy to find in your HVAC system, and can be removed most often without the use of tools beyond a screwdriver.
The dust and particulates that get trapped in the filter will clog it over time. Once the air filter is clogged, you will need to replace it to prevent these contaminants from reaching your air. This will can have a substantial effect on the quality of the air inside your home or business.
You should consider getting a high-efficiency air filter. This will ensure that the maximum amount of potential pollutants are stopped.
Professional Duct Cleaning
Having your ducts cleaned gets rid of a lot of dust and debris. Anything that gets past the filter can get trapped or build up inside the ducts. Over time the air passing through the ducts will dislodge this debris. Once that happens, you will be breathing in the dust, mold, or other contaminants.
Ducts are often forgotten by a lot of homeowners since they are on the floor, and larger debris can be pushed into them by accident. A professional duct cleaning by Western Heating and Air Conditioning will help make sure that this build-up doesn’t happen. A thorough cleaning is one of the best ways you can improve indoor air quality.
Indoor Air Sterilization
It is important to make sure that your air is clean. UV sterilization can help to prevent the health impacts of poor indoor air quality. Installing a UV filter is one step in how to purify the air in your home. Mold and bacteria can grow in damp, warm places, and so should be dealt with.
Ultraviolet lights are used in hospitals to kill microorganisms that even cleaning chemicals can’t always take care of. This will ensure that no matter what contaminants you have to deal with, they are destroyed.
Have Indoor Plants
Keeping plants inside your house is a great way to make sure the air stays clean. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen. In this way, they act as a natural air filter, taking harmful chemicals and substances out of the air.
There are various types of plants that work better for this. You can find a list of plants that will keep you safe and happy, and will even provide other benefits. One of the best plants for this purpose is Aloe, which will be of great use to you if you get a sunburn or any kind of burn also.
Regular Cleaning and Dusting
Another step you can take to provide yourself with better indoor air quality is to dust. Rugs, carpets, and fixtures should all be dusted. If you fail to do so, the dust on them will be dislodged, and you will be breathing it in.
Fans are a big culprit of this as they catch a lot of debris on their blades. This is true of both ceiling and floor fans. Make sure you are taking the time to clean and dust everywhere you notice dust building up, especially the fans in your home.
Install and Use a Cooking Vent
When we cook, the steam that escapes is full of oil and organic compounds. These can not only stain your walls and make your kitchen greasy. They can make you sick.
Using a kitchen vent and keeping it clean will help reduce the impact of regular living on your indoor air quality.
Use a Dehumidifier
Controlling the amount of moisture in your inside air is a critical step in how to improve indoor air quality. Moisture in the air takes the form of water molecules. These act as magnets drawing dust and contaminants and suspending them in the air that you are breathing.
If you get a dehumidifier, you can combat this problem. The cleaner and dryer your air is, the easier it is for you to breathe. This can relieve symptoms of asthma and other ailments, which are made worse by having poor quality air.
Protect Your Family and Home
The quality of our indoor air is one of the most important things we can control. If you suspect that your air is not good, have it tested by a professional. If you notice dust and debris gathering anywhere in your home, make sure to clean it up and remove it.
Don’t risk your health and that of your family. Air pollution can make you sick, and it can lead to trouble breathing for the rest of your life. Let us help you protect your family and yourself.
If you are serious about wanting to improve indoor air quality, get with a professional that can help you. Contact us to get your HVAC and air quality issues resolved. We serve Orem and Lehi, Utah and the surrounding area.
