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8 Ways to Protect the Indoor Air Quality in Your Home
Breathing clean air consistently can reduce your risk of dying prematurely from a stroke, heart disease, or lung cancer. That’s why the air quality in your home is so important. By looking after things like your air filters and air ducts, you can improve your health.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at exactly how air quality impacts your life. We’ll also tell you 8 things you can do today to improve the quality of your home’s air.
Let’s get into it.
The consequences of indoor air pollution
Many of us think about air pollution outdoors, but fewer consider the sizeable impact that indoor air pollution can have on our lives. This can have both immediate and long-term effects on your family’s health.
In the short term, living with indoor air pollution can lead to:
- Asthma
- Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat
- Constant headaches
- Dizziness and fatigue
In the long term, it can cause respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and even cancer.
Common air pollutants to be aware of
If you want to improve the quality of your home’s air, a good place to start is understanding what could be diminishing it. Here are the most common pollutants of indoor air:
- Tobacco products
- Fuel-burning combustion appliances
- Building materials like asbestos-insulation, new flooring, and products made of certain types of wood
- Central heating and cooling systems
- Excess moisture
What you can do now to improve the air quality of your home
1. Change your AC filter regularly
AC filters capture dirt, dust, and debris from your home’s air. But they also hold onto that stuff. You need to change them about every 3 months to keep your home’s air quality clean.
2. Don’t forget about other air filters
Air filters in other products could also diminish your home’s air quality. So be sure to check and change filters in kitchen vents, vacuum cleaners, and other household appliances regularly.
3. Check your air ducts
Air ducts can collect dirt, dust, and even mold if they aren’t cleaned often enough. When this happens, they distribute these harmful molecules throughout your home. Cleaning your air ducts every 3 to 5 fives can prevent this from happening.
4. Use cooking vents
Cooking can pollute your home’s air by releasing contaminants like carbon monoxide. You can reduce the impact of this by using cooking vents and opening windows while using your gas stove.
5. Keep your rugs and carpets clean
Rugs and carpets function in a similar way to air filters. They can also capture dirt, dust, and debris. Cleaning them regularly will remove these pollutants and keep your air fresh.
6. Control humidity in your home
Humidity brings moisture into your home. This can cause mold and mildew, which would really bring down the quality of your home’s air. If you have a humidity problem, investing in a humidifier can solve it.
7. Buy indoor plants to freshen the air
Plants are nature’s air filter. They pull contaminants out of the air to make it better for your family to breathe.
8. Open the window
You can also do a lot for your home’s air quality by simply opening up your windows often. This helps to move stale air out of your house while bringing fresh air into it.
Northern Climate Control can improve your home’s air quality
A big part of keeping your home’s air quality pristine is taking care of your central HVAC system. Northern Climate Control can help you do that.
We provide a wide variety of HVAC maintenance and repair services for residents of Littleton and the entire Denver Metro Area.
