Optimal Indoor Air Quality: 3 Key Factors
Optimal indoor air quality (IAQ) is a big concern for homeowners here in Florida. Without proper attention to source control, ventilation and air cleaning, your household air quality can quickly deteriorate. Poor indoor air quality affects your family’s home comfort and possibly its health. Take action on these three key factors and improve your IAQ:
- Source control: Remove any sources of pollution in your home or try minimizing their emissions. Purchase solid wood or eco-friendly furnishings and home improvement materials, instead of products that may emit fumes and toxins. Store paint thinner, cleaning fluids and adhesives safely, properly – and away from your living area. Schedule annual preventive maintenance for combustion appliances such as cooling and heating equipment, stoves, water heaters, clothes dryers and more. Proper care decreases emissions, helps ensure safety and increases performance.
- Ventilation: Fresh air is essential to flush out and dissipate any accumulated indoor air contaminants. Natural ventilation is often not enough, however, since homes today are generally well-insulated and sealed to save energy – and opening windows is not always an option. Focus on both general and local ventilation to keep your home and family healthy.
- General home ventilation: Consider a whole-house mechanical air circulation system to bring the proper amount of fresh, filtered air inside – via your heating and air conditioning system. Choose a home comfort system with an energy-efficient heat recovery ventilator to lower energy costs throughout the year.
- Spot ventilation: Use exhaust fans in moist/humid areas of the house like your bathroom and kitchen, to remove excess moisture and local airborne contaminants and prevent spreading to other areas.
- Air cleaning: Alongside source control and ventilation strategies, air purification may help control the amount of irritating airborne particles your family breathes at home, including allergens such as pet dander or dust. High efficiency air filters and HVAC-integrated air cleaners (incorporated into your home comfort system) also can reduce airborne bacteria, mold and gaseous pollutants in your indoor air supply.
Questions about indoor air quality? Contact the experts at NisAir Air Conditioning and Heating by visiting our informative website or calling us. We have been proudly serving Martin County, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Indian River counties since 1973.
