How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Improving indoor air quality concerns isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. The air inside your home can be affected by various structural and environmental factors in your home and community. Since the conditions might be unique to your residence, it’s best to seek out expert advice.
7 Easy Ways to Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
An expert will pinpoint what’s in the air you breathe and then tailor solutions designed specifically for your home. Here’s a look at some of the options that might be recommended for making your indoor air healthier:
1. Air Purifiers
While your air conditioner’s filter helps remove some particles from the air, its real job is protecting your HVAC equipment from dust and debris build up. For better filtration levels, you may want to consider adding a whole-home air purifier. This equipment works in conjunction with your AC system to filter the conditioned air before it’s circulated throughout your home. Whole-home systems are more effective at cleaning indoor air than standard AC filters that just aren’t made for the job.
2. Air Ventilators
If your home is relatively new, chances are it’s buttoned up tight to conserve energy while preventing air leaks. While tight seals are very effective at helping keep conditioned air in, they can also trap pollutants inside, as well.
Unfortunately, many pollutants are derived from indoor products. Cooking emissions, air fresheners, office supplies, and laundry products can each lead to excessive indoor pollution.
A good ventilation system is important for expelling these materials and pulling fresh air into your home. An energy recovery ventilator is helpful in this case, providing a healthy exchange of indoor and outdoor air. Filtration of incoming air helps prevent the introduction of unwanted outside particulates, and recovery of cooling energy from outgoing air keeps your cooling costs in check.
3. Dehumidifiers
Not only does humidity make it feel hotter than it really is, but it can also promote the growth of mold and mildew. If your AC system isn’t keeping up with removing moisture from your indoor air, we recommend taking a more deliberate approach by adding a dehumidifier to your home.
4. UV Lights
If destroying harmful bacteria is what you have in mind, you may want to try UV lighting. This HVAC system add-on can be installed in your air handler to address mold and bacteria development in the area. It can also be used in ducts to prevent mold growth and damage.
5. Houseplants
Did you know that certain air purifying houseplants can produce clean air on their own? Ferns, spider plants and the like add beauty to your home while removing various toxins from the air indoors. Even better, many options are drought-resistant and don’t require a green thumb to thrive.
6. Clean Your Home
Dust mites, pollen, and other common pollutants are often more prevalent inside than out. It’s easy for these pollutants to be tracked indoors, hindering indoor air quality as a result.
Taking the time to keep your home clean is an easy way to keep the quality of the air indoors high. Regularly vacuuming carpets, mopping floors, and keeping dust levels at a minimum is a great place to start—don’t forget to change the air filter in your HVAC system regularly, too!
7. Contact An HVAC Company
If none of the above solutions are working to improve your indoor air quality, a local HVAC company can look at the big picture and provide you with tailored solutions that will raise the air quality in your home.
