Outdoor pollution is a problem everywhere, and you can only do so much to avoid it. You think that being at home is the best way to avoid this, but are you aware that indoor air pollution is also possible? In fact, you can lower the pollution to improve the air quality in your home. Of course, it’s important to know how to get those pollution levels down.
If the air quality in your home concerns you, continue reading to learn what you can do to lower pollution in your home.
Your Essential Guide to Improving the Air Quality in Your Home
People spend most of their time at home. You eat, sleep, rest, and do other things in the comfort of your humble abode. So it’s only natural to do your best in keeping it in pristine condition. This also includes the air that fills every inch of it.
Low air quality significantly affects the health and well-being of every member of the family. To make sure that you breathe safer and clean air, you can try these ways to improve the air quality in your home.
1. Check your heating and cooling systems.
The design and size of your heating and cooling systems impact the quality of air circulating inside the household. The design should work in an efficient way that the system is able to control humidity to a point. Additionally, your air conditioner’s purpose is to keep the space cool by filtering out the moisture in the air. However, when the system is old, you might end up getting too little or too much humidity.
Humidity also attracts the growth of biological components such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. This acts to drastically lower the air quality in your home. Too much moisture makes the air feel hotter, while too little leads to allergies, respiratory problems, sore throats, and itchy skin.
That’s why it’s important to regularly check and clean your heating and cooling systems to ensure that they’re functioning properly. Clean and replace air filters in your air conditioner to keep the equipment spotless.
2. Make sure the air ducts are functioning well.
Air ducts improve the air quality in your home by distributing cold and hot air throughout the space. But when these ducts don’t receive regular maintenance, they diffuse pollutants from one room to another. Additionally, mold, dander, and dust accumulate in your air ducts, thus lowering the air quality that circulates in the house.
You must order duct cleaning regularly to ensure that ducts efficiently distribute clean and fresh air. Also, check if the duct system is worn down or suffers damages because that causes performance issues.
3. Turn on kitchen vents when cooking.
A lot of indoor pollutants come from the kitchen. For example, when you cook, your gas stove releases contaminants such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. These are both harmful to the body. Electric burners may not be as harmful as gas stoves, but they still produce contaminants, although at a lower level.
Turning on the kitchen vents when cooking is the best way to help filter out the indoor air. Vents can also reduce odors, fumes, steam, and smoke emissions as you cook.
4. Bring in the greenery.
As always, you can count on nature to save you from poor indoor air quality. Being a natural air filter, plants can do so much in improving the air quality in your home. Consider adding small plants like lilies and ferns to your interior décor as they’re some of the best types of plants to filter out contaminants in the air.
In addition, spider plants and Boston ivy are known to breathe in toxins in the air such as carbon dioxide while releasing breathable, cleaner air for you to enjoy. Other indoor plants to consider are palm trees, aloe vera, gerbera daisy, dragon tree, and bamboo palm.
5. Avoid harsh cleaning products.
Most household cleaners you see on the store shelves aren’t good for the skin or respiratory health. Some of these cleaners include chlorine, ammonia, and aerosol sprays that absorb into your drapes, upholstery, and carpets. To eliminate this, switch to cleaning products that are more natural, like lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda. Doing so keeps your house clean and fresh without compromising air quality.
In conclusion.
Your home is a haven of safety and comfort. As such, it’s important that you pay attention to every aspect that helps you achieve this goal.
Finding ways to improve indoor air quality is the first important step. Additionally, you must maintain your heating, cooling, and ductwork systems. Make use of kitchen vents when cooking, and consider adding indoor plants to naturally filter the air.
Lastly, avoid using harsh and dangerous cleaning products that compromise not only the air quality in your home but your health, too. If you have any questions or suggestions, we always love to hear from you in the comments below. Also below are links to more interesting and useful articles about ALL things DESIGN for your home or business.
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