The air inside your house can become stale, especially if you don’t have a functional HVAC unit or adequate ventilation. When that happens, you’ll experience more exposure to allergens that can lead to respiratory complications. Ensuring good air quality inside your home is imperative because we spend most of our time indoors. Here are seven proven ways to enhance air quality inside your home.
1. Checking Your Air Filters
Air contaminants such as dust particles, pet dander, and pollen can lurk in your ductwork. To prevent these allergens from circulating inside your house, ensure the filters in your HVAC system, air conditioning unit, and other home appliances are in great shape and clean. Experts recommend cleaning or changing filters every one to three months to ensure the air flowing in your living space is as clean as possible. Investing in high-efficiency and high-quality air filters can also help trap air pollutants and prevent them from circulating inside your home.
2. Keeping Your Basement Dry
Preventing excessive moisture or dampness in your basement can also help eradicate contaminants in your residential property. Repair any leaking piping in your basement and seal every crack around the foundation and your windows to prevent pools of water from collecting in that space. Additionally, store your items away from spots with potential water leakages and avoid using carpets on a concrete basement floor. Using a dehumidifier in the basement can also help eliminate mold, mildew, and other air pollutants in a damp basement. However, you’ll need to empty and clean it more often.
3. Testing Your Air Quality Regularly
If you’re concerned about your home’s air quality, the best thing you can do is to perform an indoor air quality (IAQ) test. Although you can do it yourself, professional mold and air quality testing is more likely to provide personalized information and more extensive results. Besides, these experts offer some additional services that help you manage the air pollution sources discovered during the IAQ test. For instance, professionals who offer IAQ testing services might also specialize in mold removal and prevention.
4. Investing In An Air Purifier
Modern air purifiers clean indoor air by trapping allergens and the filtered, clean air into your home. The most important thing you should consider when purchasing an air cleaner is its filter. According to EPA, air purifying systems with high-efficiency HEPA filters can remove approximately 99.97 of common airborne particles. The other feature you must consider during your purchase is the unit’s Clean Air Delivery Rate or CADR. The higher the system’s CADR, the quicker it filters indoor air. Also, ensure the unit you select can handle the entire space you want to use.
5. Monitoring Humidity Levels Regularly
Climate control plays a major role in minimizing air pollutants inside your house. According to CDC, indoor humidity levels should be below 50%. Remember that the air should be cool and dry when looking for your ideal indoor temperature. That’s because heat and humidity create favorable environments that support mold and mildew growth. Some allergens, such as dust mites, also thrive in extremely warm and humid temperatures. Investing in a good humidity monitor can help you monitor indoor humidity levels. You can also use a vent fan or a dehumidifier to eliminate excessive moisture in your cooking area and bathrooms.
6. Changing Or Washing Your Bedding and Pillows
Dust mites are usually common allergens that you can find in different parts of your house, such as upholstered furniture, carpeting, pillows, and bedding. Encase your mattress, pillows, and box springs in allergen-proof covers to prevent these contaminants. Washing your pillowcases, bedding, and mattress covers weekly in hot water can also reduce dust mites in the bedrooms. While the bedding, pillowcases, and fabric covers are in the wash, clean your bedrooms thoroughly.
7. Cleaning Your House
Vacuuming your living space at least once or twice a week can help you minimize allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. When dusting around your books and objects, utilize a microfiber or an electrostatic cloth to hold all the dust particles instead of moving them around. If possible, avoid using wall-to-wall carpeting, especially on the floors of your bedrooms. Consider investing in hardwood flooring because you can see the dust particles when cleaning, making it easy to clean. Besides, you can also use washable rugs to reduce allergens.
Final Words
Good air quality has numerous benefits such as better concentration, improved sleep, reduced odors, elimination of allergens, improved comfort, and balanced humidity, among others. To enjoy these benefits, keep your house clean, change your beddings regularly, monitor your humidity levels, keep your basement dry, check your filters, invest in an air purifier, and schedule air testing regularly.
