Most people spend a good amount of time inside their homes. With more and more people shifting to working from home, it’s important to maintain healthy indoor air. Clean air improves your health and your quality of life. Here are five things you can do to improve indoor air quality.
1. Improve Indoor Air Quality by Opening the Windows
Many homeowners don’t open the windows regularly. However, when fresh air circulates throughout the house, it helps indoor air quality.
Even during winter, open your windows from time to time, especially if the weather is mild. When doing so, open the windows on opposite sides of the house. This creates a cross-breeze that cycles stagnant air out of the room and replaces it with fresh air. This is the cheapest and easiest method to improve indoor air quality.
2. Change the HVAC Filters
Your home’s heating and cooling system has a filter that needs to be replaced every 30 to 90 days. Over time, dirt accumulates in the fibers of the filter. This hinders good air circulation in the house, making the system work harder and possibly causing it to malfunction.
Replace your air filters as recommended by the manufacturer and improve both the air quality of your home and the efficiency of your heating and cooling system.
3. Don’t Smoke Indoors to Improve Air Quality
Cigarette smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals. Even second-hand smoke can lead to health problems for non-smokers. These particles are smaller than dust and can drift easily throughout the house.
Tobacco smoke residue lingers in fabrics, ventilation systems, and walls for years after no one has smoked in the home. For this reason, don’t allow smoking inside your house. Create a space outside for smokers that is well away from the doors and windows to the home.
4. Keep the House Clean
A clean house is a healthy house. Investing in a good vacuum cleaner will help you maintain a dust-free home. Regularly clean rugs, carpets, curtains, bedding, and floors to remove pet dander, dirt, and dust, which can build up and affect your respiratory system. Especially if you have pets, dusting and vacuuming are two of the most important chores to help improve air quality.
5. Buy an Air Purifier
Some dust and pollen particles are microscopic. This makes them hard to clean since you cannot even see them. An air-purifying machine will trap and eliminate almost all pollutants by drawing in air, filtering it, and circulating clean air back into the room.
An air purifier is essential for households with family members who suffer from respiratory issues like asthma or allergies. Air purifiers are designed to work within certain square footage, so choose one that covers the space you want to treat.
Making small changes in your home can greatly impact indoor air quality. Start by following the tips above to create healthier living spaces for your family.
DMV Home Inspections offers inspection services to customers in the Washington DC metro area. Contact us to request an appointment.