How To Improve Air Quality in Your Home

Written on: June 28, 2021

You probably filter most of the two or three quarts of water you drink every day. But what about the 15,000 quarts of air you breathe, especially inside your home?

The fact is, indoor air can be four or five times more polluted than outside air. Why does this happen? Well, it starts with the fact that today’s homes are increasingly airtight – a consequence of building and modifying them to be more energy efficient. That means that whatever pollutants gather in your home tend to stay there.

The second part of the equation is that toxic products have become much more common in the home: from VOC-containing construction materials to chemicals contained in cleaning and personal care products and furniture items, your space is filled with potentially harmful fumes. Add that to the toxic load of outdoor air pollutants like radon and pesticides, plus other indoor pollutants such as pet dander, dust mites, and mold, and viola – you’ve got bad air.  

Over time, this mix of pollutants can cause asthma and other chronic respiratory problems, along with headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue.

Five Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

The good news is that by taking some simple precautions and making smarter buying choices, you can greatly improve air quality in your home. Here are five suggestions:

1. Replace toxic cleaning products with natural alternatives – Shop wisely for your cleaning products, or make your own: vinegar and baking soda are great natural cleaning agents that cut grease, clean drains, kill germs, and more.
2. Choose low –VOC paint and healthier construction materials – Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in paint can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment. You’ll pay a little more for low-VOC paint, but it’s a much healthier alternative. Look for mold resistant building materials, too.
3. Add greenery – Plants absorb toxic chemicals through their leaves. Plant roots and soil bacteria also remove trace levels of toxic vapors. They look great, too!
4. Maintain your HVAC system – Sign up for a Service Plan to keep your HVAC system working properly and moving air freely – and consider investing in a duct cleaning to remove allergens and mold.
5. Consider installing a whole-house UV filter – The air filter in your home’s HVAC does a good job with dust, dirt, pollen and pet dander. But filters can’t do anything about chemical or biological contaminants like air-borne viruses, mold, germs, bacteria or volatile organic compounds (VOC). That’s where indoor air quality equipment like an UV Filter or whole-house air purifier come in.

With powerful filtering capabilities, these add-ons to your home HVAC system will keep pollutants at bay, helping your family breathe easier for years to come.

Contact us today to discuss service plan options and schedule service!