Simple Ways to Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
Your home’s indoor air could be among the worst you breathe in, especially if the level of air infiltration into your home is low. Indoor pollutants come from many common products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as household dust and toxic gases like radon and carbon monoxide (CO).
Taking steps to improve indoor air quality isn’t difficult or expensive, and it may help avert a future health crisis and unexpected expenses associated with your HVAC system.
- Change your HVAC system’s air filter to prevent circulating dust-laden air throughout your home. A clean filter lengthens the life of your HVAC system and lowers energy consumption, along with lowering airborne irritants like pollen, dander and dust mite waste.
- Eliminate as many VOCs as you can by purchasing low VOC products. Air fresheners, paints, new furniture and flooring are common sources of VOCs for which alternatives exist. VOCs have varying degrees of toxicity, ranging from irritating to serious depending on the individual. If you can’t avoid VOCs altogether, use these products during mild weather and open the windows for fresh air ventilation.
- Indoor dust contains a mix of lint, dead skin cells, pollen, animal dander and dust mite waste. When you dust, do so with a damp cloth to keep it from spreading. Use a HEPA filter for vacuuming, even if you have hard surface flooring, to improve indoor air quality.
- Radon and CO are invisible, tasteless and odorless gases, but both have the potential to cause serious health problems. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. You can obtain radon testing kits from home improvement centers, as well as CO detectors. CO is the byproduct of incomplete combustion, and if you use any gas appliances or an attached garage, you could be at risk of exposure. At high levels, CO is deadly.
The experts at NisAir Air Conditioning and Heating can show you more ways to improve your indoor air quality. We’ve proudly provided HVAC services for Martin, Indian River and Palm Beach Counties since 1973.
