How to Make Sure Your Air is Clean

 

How do you know if your indoor air is clean? Well, there are a number of ways to tell. You can ask yourself some questions like: Do I feel sick when I'm at home? Do my children seem to have more allergies than other kids their age? Does it smell like something died in here (which is probably not the case)? If these sound like things that might be happening to you, then it's time for a change! In this blog post, we will discuss how to keep your indoor air clean and safe so that everyone in the family can breathe easy.

 

The importance of quality indoor air

 

You might be wondering why it's so important to have clean indoor air. The answer is simple: because we spend so much time indoors! According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors. And while that number might seem high, it's not surprising when you think about all the places we go that have indoor air—the office, the supermarket, the library, our homes. So the air we're breathing must be clean and safe.

 

Ways to improve your air indoors

 

1) Increase ventilation. Ventilation is a great way to give your indoor air a breath of fresh air. By bringing in outdoor air, you're decreasing the concentration of any contaminants that might be present.

 

2) Turn on the AC/heating. But ventilation and air conditioning can cause more problems than just adjusting the thermostat. The heat from furnaces and fireplaces, as well as dryer vents, can add to that "dead animal" smell you might be noticing in your home. Simple fixes like using a fan when drying clothes or leaving the heater vent unblocked can help.

 

3) Get plants. Believe it or not, plants can help improve your indoor air quality! Not only do they look pretty, but they also act as natural air filters, removing toxins and pollutants from the air.

 

4) Avoid smoke. If you or your family members smoke, you must do whatever you can to get the tobacco smell out of your home. Smoke can seriously impact indoor air quality and harm everyone in the family, even if they aren't smoking themselves.

 

What to check to make sure your air is clean.

 

You can do a few things daily to make sure your air is clean. Checking these things once a week is a good habit to get into:

 

1) Temperature. Make sure the temperature in your home is comfortable—not too hot and not too cold. Extremes of temperature can cause problems with your air quality.

 

2) Furnace filters. This is easy to forget about, but making sure your furnace filters are clean is important for keeping your air clean. A dirty filter will not only impact the air quality in your home, but it can also be bad for your furnace.

 

3) If you have pets, check their bedding. Your furry friends might make your home feel like a cozy place to be, but don't forget that they can also bring in a lot of allergens and other pollutants. Make sure their bedding is cleaned regularly to keep your indoor air clean.

 

4) Curtains and blinds. Dust can accumulate on window coverings, so it's important to clean them regularly.

 

5) Check your windows and doors for leaks.

 

Tips to maintaining clean air indoors.

 

Now that you know a few ways to improve your indoor air quality, it's important to practice some of these tips. Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

 

1) Ventilation is key. Make sure you have proper ventilation in your home by using fans, opening windows, and making use of exhaust fans in the kitchen.

 

2) Check your HVAC filter regularly. A dirty or clogged filter will impact your indoor air quality, so make sure you change it according to manufacturer's instructions.

 

3) Keep litter boxes clean. It might be tempting to let this one slide, but having a clean litter box is important for keeping allergens and other pollutants out of the air.

 

4) Clean your floors. Dust and dirt can accumulate on your floors, which can then be tracked around the house. Make sure you sweep and mop regularly to keep your floors clean.

 

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Duct Doctor

Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)