During winter, we tend to spend more time indoors, with the heater turned on and the windows closed. Over time, indoor air quality declines, as allergens and pollutants are trapped inside and recirculated. This increases the risk of asthma, respiratory problems and other health conditions.
If the temperature outdoors is too cold to crack open a window, here are a few tips to improving indoor air quality.
- Keep your home clean.
The simplest way to ensure good indoor air quality is to keep the home clean. Be sure to regularly wash drapes and beddings, and wipe down countertops and blinds to remove allergens and other pollutants. Next, vacuum the rugs and carpets with a HEPA based vacuum cleaner.
- Vacuum highly-trafficked areas.
It’s important to vacuum commonly-used spaces, such as the living room, kitchen and entryway. Ask guests to take off their shoes when entering your home and keep an old towel by the door for pets to wipe their paws as they come in.
- Invest in an air purifier.
An air purifier draws in unfiltered air and traps dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, odors, chemicals and other allergens. Most purifiers are built with a pre-filter, a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter. The higher the level of HEPA filter, the more pollutants are trapped in the purifier.
- Replace air filters.
It’s important to change air filters once every three months to ensure the HVAC system is properly filtering the air. You may need to replace filters more often during the winter months if your heater is on 24/7.
- Grow indoor plants.
Indoor plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen — you’ve known this since elementary school. A few indoor plants to consider growing include:
- Spider plant
- Chinese evergreen
- Red Edged Dracaena
- Devil’s Ivy
- Lily Turf
- Barberton Daisy
- English Ivy
- Peace Lily
- Clean HVAC ducts.
Indoor air travels throughout your entire home, including basements and crawl spaces. This means it has collected pollen, dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from every corner of your home. Be sure to call Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric to have your ducts cleaned at least once a year.
- Purchase a humidifier.
A humidifier helps maintain proper indoor air humidity levels and prevent the growth of mold, viruses and other bacteria. You can choose from warm mist humidifiers, cool mist humidifiers and whole house humidifiers. Reach out to Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric to learn more about how humidifiers can improve your home’s indoor air quality.