The air quality in your home is important for your health, especially since we are spending more time inside due to the pandemic. There are a number of different things that can contaminate your air. This is especially bad if someone in your house has allergies. These toxins can make allergies worse, even leading to respiratory attacks. If someone in your home has allergies, there are things you can do to make the air cleaner. Here are 10 ways to improve the air quality in your home.
- Change the Filter
Your air conditioner has a filter in it that picks up the debris in the air around it. It won’t clean the air throughout the house — only in the immediate area. You don’t want to let the filter get clogged, or it can release that debris back into the air. It’s crucial to change or clean the filter regularly. In most cases, you just remove the filter and throw the contents into the garbage, similar to the lint tray in your dryer. If your air filter isn’t reusable, you can pick one up at any of the popular grocery, hardware, or big box stores. The task is simple enough for anyone to do, but ask your HVAC professional for help if you need it. - Clean Ducts
The ducts in your home transport the air from the HVAC unit through your home. Naturally, with time, these ducts will get dirty. Cobwebs and other things can just naturally start to develop. Plus, any debris in the air will make things even dirtier. As the air is released into your home, it will bring some of the debris and dust with it. It’s a good idea to get regular professional duct cleaning from your local HVAC contractor. - Buy an Air Purifier
Air purifiers are devices that you can plug into your home to help clean up the debris in the air. You should put the air purifier in a location prone to allergens and other materials in the air, such as a living room where pets are allowed. You may also choose to put it into the bedroom of someone with allergies. Of course, the air purifier can only clean up the air in the immediate surrounding area. You may need multiple air purifiers if you want to clean multiple areas. They also work best combined with the other methods in this list. - Open Windows
Your home will generally have worse air quality than the air outside because the air inside is in one confined location. The pollutants don’t have anywhere to go. If you want to increase the air quality in your home, let some fresh air in by simply opening some of the windows. The bad air can get out while good air can come in. Of course, this works best if you live in an area with good air quality outside. - Buy Plants
In science class, we learn that plants take in carbon dioxide and release clean oxygen. Trees and plants are what provide clean air outside, so it makes sense that they can help produce clean air inside. Of course, there are certain plants that will be more helpful than others.Some of the plants you should put in your home include:
- Bamboo
- Ivy
- Daisies
- Dracaena
- Corn
These plants will feed on the toxins in your air and release oxygen. This is also a great way to learn how to tend to plants and connect with nature.
- Vacuum/Dust
One of the main locations where dirt and allergens can gather is the floor. You should vacuum regularly, especially if you have pets. If the floor doesn’t have carpet, mop regularly. You should also encourage everyone to take off their shoes before entering your home.Your furniture and other surfaces can contribute to poor air quality, too. Make a point to regularly dust the surfaces in your home. You should also clean bedding and all couches regularly.
- Prohibit Smoking Indoors
Smoking is a habit that can wreck habit on the quality of the air inside your home if you smoke indoors. If you smoke inside, it will make your entire home smell like tobacco smoke. It can even cause some discoloring. Plus, it drastically affects air quality, and everyone else will breathe in the smoke, too. They could even experience some of the same health problems as a smoker, simply from breathing in secondhand smoke. It’s a good idea to just prohibit smoking indoors. Designate a space outdoors for people to enjoy their cigarettes or pipe. - Use Natural Cleaning Products
Most cleaning products we use have chemicals in them. These chemicals are what make them so effective. Unfortunately, these chemicals get into the air when you clean. When those chemicals get into the air, people breathe them in. Luckily, there are a number of natural products on the market that are just as effective. Swap out your normal cleaners for these natural cleaners. Another way chemicals get into the air is through aerosol sprays. Therefore, you should look for cleaners with alternative application methods. You should also look at your hair products. Get natural hairspray that isn’t in an aerosol can. - Regular HVAC Maintenance
Earlier we mentioned that you need to clean the filter of your HVAC unit regularly. However, that only cleans it so much. You should also have a professional HVAC contractor to perform annual maintenance. Your unit will run better after they clean it and check it for problems. Since the unit will be its cleanest, the air that comes out of it will also be cleaner. - Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candles are candles made out of, you guessed it, beeswax. Beeswax is 100% natural. This means you won’t be putting toxins in the air as you would be with regular candles. Even good-smelling candles you think would be good for your home generally contain toxins. These candles also release negative ions. The negative ions counter the things in your air that release a positive charge, such as pollutants. It doesn’t hurt that the candles smell amazing and look good. Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bee populations.
Naturally, the HVAC unit in your home has a direct correlation to the quality of air in your home. If you think your air quality needs to be improved, call the experts at Summit Heating & A/C. We offer duct cleaning, HVAC maintenance, and new HVAC unit installation. Soon, you’ll be able to breathe better in your house. This can improve your health significantly. Of course, there are other ways to improve air quality in your home, too. You may want to combine numerous efforts to get the best results. We look forward to hearing from you and being of service with all of your home’s indoor climate comfort needs.
