How Can I Improve My Indoor Air Quality?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside of your home can be up to 10 times more polluted than the air outside. Can you believe that?

We always think of our homes as our haven, our comfort zone. So to think that this place of relief could be causing us a great deal of discomfort is shocking and frustrating. This level of air quality can be caused by some things including outdoor pollution, insulation, and even your HVAC and ventilation equipment. Taking the necessary steps to improve your air quality will not only make your home a more comfortable environment but a healthier one as well.

The first step towards improving your air quality is to get it inspected. There are some air quality testing kits you can purchase and use yourself, or you can call an air quality expert to have them inspect your home for you. A test isn’t necessary to improve the air quality inside your home, but it helps you determine a starting point.

There are numerous ways to improve your home air quality. We’ll discuss a few here.

Limit Synthetic Fragrances

While your can of air freshener does a lot to cover up any weird smells that are present in your home, it does nothing to solve the root of your problem. In fact, it actually can worsen the quality of your air because of the chemical gasses they release.

Plants

Did you know that some plants naturally purify the air around them? Plants like Peace Lily act as a vacuum for pollutants like benzene, trichloroethylene and a few others.

Additionally, chrysanthemums have proven to be effective at removing pollutants as well. Many of these pollutants are found in everyday items such as ink, paint, plastic, detergent, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides.

Regular Cleaning

This may seem redundant since you probably already have your cleaning routine, but paying attention to the right areas of your home can make a big difference in your air quality.

For instance, your carpets act like traps for dirt, dust, and allergens and should probably be vacuumed weekly to prevent all of it from accumulating and becoming a bigger issue. Another area of your home where allergens thrive is in your air ducts.

This is a big issue since air ducts act as channels for your supposedly fresh air to flow through, but if they aren't clean, you could just be transporting contaminated air throughout your home.

Hopefully, these tips help to improve the air quality in your home, but if the problem seems to be too big for you to handle on your own, call in the air quality experts at 5 Star Plumbing, Heating and Air. Many threats to your air quality are invisible and can go undetected for long periods, don’t hesitate if you think something is off about your home’s air.