Rarely do we know that insufficient ventilation makes the indoor air quality poor. When homes are centrally air-conditioned, it would seem foolish to let in the fresh air and lose that comfortable environment you created inside. But opening doors and windows is not the only way to improve the air quality inside your home. There are many other ways in which you can achieve the same effect without losing the coolness or warmth inside. So, today, we shall see the top 5 ways to improve indoor air quality. However, before we proceed, let us briefly understand what indoor air quality is and why it is essential.
Indoor Air Quality
The quality of air within a closed structure like a house or a building is called indoor air quality. In actuality, it conveys the physical health and comfort of the people residing in the building. Poor air quality is synonyms with illness and allergies, while good air quality means healthy occupants.
Importance Of Indoor Air Quality
The make-up of the air indoors predominantly decides the health and well being of the inhabitants. The biggest mistake that most homeowners do is assume that the air inside their home is clean and healthy. Pollution can occur anywhere. It is not restricted to outdoors only. Indoor air can have a variety of contaminants like VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), mold spores, dust, dander, pathogens, etc. These pollutants hurt the general health of family members. It usually manifests itself in the form of allergies and recurring illnesses. Therefore, one cannot assume everything is as it should be. Instead, we all need to take proactive steps to ensure that it always remains on the positive side.
5 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality
Here are a couple of steps you can take to improve the indoor air quality:
1. Change The Air Filters Frequently – Your air conditioner not only keeps your home cool, but it also recycles the air. It has an important part known as the air filters. These filters trap the impurities suspended in the air. However, over time the filters become dirty and are no longer able to snare the particles. When that happens, the indoor air quality starts deteriorating. To prevent such an occurrence, change the air filters at least once a quarter. Even better would be to change them every month. In this manner, your air filters will always work efficiently and keep the indoor air relatively clean.
2. Indoors To Be A No Smoke Zone – The air inside the home circulates continuously. If any member of the family smokes indoors, the smoke too gets circulated throughout the house. So, it does not matter whether one is smoking in private or not. Cigarette smoke contains numerous chemicals that are hazardous to health. Additionally, there is always the harm of second-hand smoking to the other non-smoking members of the family. All in all, smoking negatively impacts indoor air quality and harms our health. The only way to address the issue once and for all is by making your home a no-smoking zone. When one does not smoke indoors, there is no chance of it becoming a part of your breathing space inside the house.
3. Use Air Purifying Indoor Plants – Most of us use indoor plants to add a dash of green color to the decor and also for their aesthetic value. Seldom do we realize that we can achieve that and much more by wisely choosing the indoor plants. There are many plants that act as natural air filters. They not only pull out contaminants from the air but also do wonders for the home decor. Some examples of such air purifying plants are Aloe Vera, English Ivy, Snake plant, Spider plant, Weeping Fig, and Chinese Evergreen. Next time when you go to the nursery to buy potted plants, keep this little tidbit in mind and choose those plants that serve dual benefits.
4. Maintain Healthy Humidity Levels – Pathogens and mold, all love high humidity because it provides them the best breeding ground. One way to clean the air inside the home is by limiting the growth of these micro-organisms. This is possible only if we maintain healthy humidity indoors. You can achieve healthy humidity levels by programming judicious temperature settings in the thermostat, addressing all water leaks in the house promptly, and installing exhaust fan in the bathroom. Also, if necessary, one can invest in a good whole-home humidifier or a dehumidifier, as the case may be.
5. Use Cooking Vents – A large number of air pollutants find their origin in the kitchen. For example, gas stoves usually produce nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Similarly, while cooking, the smoke that rises contains oil particles and a mix of the spices. In all, these things spoil the air quality. However, you can minimize their impact by opening the kitchen vents, using an electric chimney, or switching on the exhaust fan. The idea is to prevent these particles from becoming a part of the circulating air. Catching them at the source and filtering them out immediately is the best practice.
Tips To Improve Indoor Air Quality
Here are a few handy tips that will further your efforts for healthy indoor air quality:
1. Vacuum the rugs and carpets frequently and try to put them in direct sunlight every few months.
2. Regularly brush your pets so that dander is under control.
3. Try and limit the use of synthetic fragrances indoors. Synthetic fragrances include deodorants, perfumes, room fresheners, strong cleaning agents, paints, etc.
4. When possible, air out your home by opening the windows. If that is not possible, at least allow sunlight to enter your home through the glass windows.
In The End
Indoor air quality solutions are not always expensive. Some of the things are a matter of changing our habits and others about common sense. Together, they make an unyielding team that ensures good and healthy indoor air quality.
At Aztil Air Conditioning, we believe in empowering our clients with the best indoor air quality solutions. If you wish to discuss the matter further or desire any service for your HVAC, call us at +1-888-729-8452.
