Like typical homeowners, Picfair Village Heating and Air understand that you may find it more pleasant to keep your windows closed, particularly in the colder months. You might think it is safer because harmful elements from outdoors can’t get to you, but indoor air quality is as equally compromised as outdoor. Particularly in the winter, when there is often a buildup of stale air indoors due to a lack of circulation, your indoor air can be much worse.
Stale air builds up indoors, increasing the concentration of allergens such as dust mites, pet hair, mold spores, and chemical fumes. The resulting musty air is harmful to your health. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the negative health effects of poor air quality on the body.
Do you want to avoid availing of heating and air maintenance services as much as possible? Here are ten tips designed to boost your indoor air quality and maintain it:
- Keep Your Shoes Outside
Ground-in debris, chemicals, and other contaminants get stuck on a person’s shoes. Protect the health of everyone living at home and institute a shoe-free policy in the house. You can also keep a mat at every entrance to trap dirt.
- Ensure Your House Has Adequate Airflow
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends increasing ventilation to lower indoor air pollution levels. You can achieve this in many ways, such as opening windows, utilizing window fans, turning air conditioners, and installing exhaust fans that vent outdoors to reduce humidity.
- Leave The Plants Outside
Indoor plants are often recommended as a proven way to improve indoor air quality, but some people do not realize they are allergic to plants until the symptoms arise. Plus, plants are also prone to collecting moisture and encouraging mold growth. Those who have trouble with indoor allergies should limit their exposure to them.
- Install An Air Filtration System
A central system that filters the air throughout the home is the most effective step toward better air quality within your home. A room-specific purifier may be the next best thing if you can’t install a centralized air filter. However, the latter only purifies one room. You can hire our technicians for an installation service!
- Vacuum Once A Week
Carpets and rugs collect allergens and should be vacuumed regularly to reduce air pollution. We suggest you use a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter because it traps and destroys allergens to the smallest particles.
- Eliminate Dust Mites
You can’t see them with the naked eye, but dust mites are a key contributor to the poor air quality inside most homes. They are microscopic insects that leave behind feces and have fragile shells that crumble into dust when they die. People who inhale them can cause significant damage to the lungs.
- Implement a No-Smoking Policy Indoors
Secondhand smoke contaminates indoor air, and cigarettes release thousands of pollutants. Cigarette smoke has a way of permeating everything it touches, even walls and furniture. It can increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease and cancer.
- Change the Filters Regularly
Forced-air heating systems require regular filter replacement. We recommend investing in an electrostatic filter to prevent dust and other airborne allergens from recirculating inside your house. You can also opt to hire our technicians for regular home heating maintenance.
- Refrain from Using Artificial Fragrances
There are over a hundred volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the fragrances used in household cleaning and air freshening products. The government designated some of them as harmful. We suggest going for products alike without added fragrances.
- Get A Certified HVAC Technician to Clean Your Vents and Ducts
An HVAC system recycles air contaminated with dust, dirt, and mold several times daily. If dust and other particles accumulate in your ductwork over time, the quality of the air you breathe may deteriorate significantly. Call our technicians for an AC service and maintenance once you discover a dust layer inside the ducts!
If you need HVAC-related assistance, do not think twice about getting in touch with Picfair Village Heating and Air. Just dial up one of our hotline numbers at any time of the day or night!