You may not realize it, but your indoor air quality is probably not as great as it could be. In fact, indoor air often contains more pollutants than outdoor air.
Think about it this way: we’re constantly emitting chemicals and gases through basic household tasks (cooking, cleaning and bathing are only a few examples). These volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulates, contaminants and more are being recirculated through our homes. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to improve indoor air quality.
To speak with an HVAC Ashburn, VA specialist about indoor air quality, visit the Cardinal Plumbing, Heating and Cooling
Continue reading for ten tips to improve your indoor air quality.
1. Use Dehumidifiers and/or Humidifiers
Installing a dehumidifier or humidifier may be your ticket to fresher air. If you live in a subtropical climate or an arid climate, you may deal with humidity levels that dramatically affect the air you breathe. Too humid, and your home becomes a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Too dry, and you may start to wake up with a sore throat.
A dehumidifier can solve the problem of high humidity and a humidifier can solve the problem of low humidity. It’s recommended to keep your humidity between 30% and 50%. This will ensure you stay comfortable throughout the year.
2. Clean Your Vents and Ducts
Scheduling professional air duct cleaning is a great way to keep your indoor air fresh and clean. During an air duct cleaning, technicians will remove all dust and debris from the ductwork. They will also keep an eye out for any mold, animal droppings or insects so that they can call for pest control or mold specialists if necessary. By the end of the appointment, you’ll end up with easier-to-breathe air.
3. Use Safe Household and Home Improvement Products
You’ve probably heard all about the dangers of toxins in everyday products. Unfortunately, there’s only so much that air filters are able to remove. Here are some products that contain airborne toxins:
- Air fresheners and candles
- Paint (choose low volatile organic compound paint whenever possible)
- Cleaning solutions
- Shampoo, conditioner and other hair products
- Laundry detergent and softeners
- And much more
A quick Google search can show you hundreds of safer products that you can swap out to replace harmful ones with. This is a great way to increase your long-term health and keep your air toxin-free.
4. Place Doormats at Entryways
Everytime you walk into your home, you are bringing dirt and dust with you. A simple solution is to place doormats at entryways. You can even purchase boot scrapers which clean all the way around your shoe. These are perfect for people with outdoor jobs such as construction and landscaping. With a doormat or boot scraper, you can wipe off your shoes and keep dirt and dust where they belong – outside of your home.
5. Leave Shoes Outside
Similar to the doormat solution, you can also leave your shoes outside. It may be a good idea to place a shoe rack in the garage, laundry room or entryway of your home.
It’s especially important to leave the dirtiest shoes outside. These could be sneakers, boots and other outdoor shoes. By keeping your shoes contained in a specific part of the home, you limit the amount of dirt and debris that gets tracked around.
6. Regularly Replace Your Filter
This is one of the best things that you can do to increase indoor air quality. An air filter keeps airborne contaminants from circulating throughout your home. A regularly replaced air filter takes care of dust, dirt, debris, pathogens, bacteria and more. Aside from keeping your air contaminant-free, there are many benefits to replacing your air filter:
- Reduce unnecessary HVAC repairs
- Increase system efficiency
- Decrease monthly energy bill
- Lengthen the lifespan of your HVAC unit
When you regularly replace your air filter, you can save money, in addition to improving the air you breathe.
7. Use an Air Purifier
If you don’t already have an air purifier, then now is a great time to get one. A whole house air purifier works in a different way from the filters in your ducts. These systems filter out mold, airborne particles, viruses, pathogens, dust, debris and other pollutants. You can breathe better and feel confident knowing that your home is healthy when you install an air purifier.
8. Frequently Dust and Vacuum
It’s no surprise that basic cleaning can improve the air quality of your home. Tasks as simple as vacuuming and dusting can substantially improve your indoor air. This is especially true if you own pets. Hair and dander get moved around every time you walk around your home. Vacuuming and dusting keeps these issues under control.
9. Start Growing Houseplants
The houseplant trend is only growing. Houseplants are not just beautiful, they are wonderful for your air. You can purchase specific houseplants that are often used for air purification:
- Areca Palm
- Snake Plant
- Chinese Evergreen
- Aloe Vera
- Spider Plant
- Pothos
- Rubber Tree
If you’re just getting started with houseplants, Pothos is your best bet. You don’t have to be a green thumb to keep this one alive. It thrives on just about any level of lighting and will let you know, through wilting, when it needs water. All you have to do is re-pot it as it gets bigger. What could be better than beautiful, oxygen-rich plants throughout your home?
1o. Open Windows and Doors
It may seem counterproductive to go through all kinds of trouble to keep dirt and debris outside of your home only to open up your windows. However, opening up the windows and doors has many benefits.
Not only does this provide excellent ventilation to let out any indoor toxins, but studies show that there are immense benefits to breathing fresh air. If you open up your windows for a short time every day, you’ll begin to feel calmer. Let the fresh air in and the bad stuff out.
Reliable HVAC Ashburn, VA Services
For high quality Ashburn heating and air conditioning services, choose Cardinal Plumbing, Heating and Cooling. Our team provides air duct cleaning services, dehumidifier/humidifier installation and whole house purifier installation. We also provide repairs, maintenance and replacements for many kinds of heating and cooling equipment.
Get the best HVAC service in Ashburn, VA with Cardinal Plumbing, Heating and Cooling. Give us a call at (703) 651-2058 or contact us online.