Table of Contents
Since the pandemic, we’ve been spending more time indoors than we ever did. The pace of life is a little slower than pre-pandemic, with many of us working from home, doing more activities at home, from exercising to gardening. You may not have paid too much attention to the air quality inside your home until now. Spending plenty of time indoors means improving indoor air quality is more crucial than ever.
Good air quality is crucial to our overall well-being. It helps us breathe better, think better and sleep better. Without proper ventilation and good air quality, we end up getting frequent headaches, irritation in our nose, throat and ears, as well as bouts of dizziness. If the air quality is not improved, this can have severe implications and long-term effects such as respiratory diseases and may lead to cancer.
Air purifiers are not the only way to improve air quality at home. To keep your home healthy and smelling fresh and clean, there are simple solutions that you can do on your own or by experts to ensure that you deal with this problem, both root and stem.
Here are six simple things that you can do on your own:
1. Open the windows
Bringing in fresh air is as simple as opening up your windows and sliding doors for cross-air ventilation. Depending on the weather or the season, open up the doors and windows to let fresh air into the home and removing unhealthy factors inside the house. When you notice some beautiful days with the sun during winter, it’ll be a good time to allow some cool air to circulate inside the home, freshening it up before closing your windows and doors again. Allowing fresh air to come in and out frequently is good for the mind and body.
2. Trash your pollutants
Schedule time during the weekend to do a little cleaning up. Remove anything in your home that may cause your indoor air quality to drop. It could be anything from a dusty rug that has seen better days, your curtains that have collected dust, paint chipping off that needs to go, stacks of books that haven’t been dusted or stuff in your storage that needs to be cleaned, wiped and dusted. Anything that is collecting dust needs to be cleaned or trashed or moved to the garage.
3. Check your thermostat
You regularly open your doors, you’ve done the dusting and the cleaning. Another simple and quick fix to improve indoor air quality is to check your thermostat. The ideal temperature in the living room is between 19 and 22°. You can crank it up, but that would mean more energy spent on warming your home. You may also want to change your thermostat. If you are thinking of doing this, look for one that has a circulation mode. Circulation mode controls the indoor fan by running it for 20 minutes every hour or at a reduced speed. This ensures constant airflow in the home.
4. Some fans need to be turned on all the time.
This is true for bathroom exhaust fans. While the sound can be annoying, running bathroom fans all the time can improve indoor air quality. These fans will draw air out constantly and draw in fresh air into the home.
5. Reduce use of scented items
It’s lovely to have a nicely scented home, and there are plenty of options that homeowners can use to get the house smelling from fresh pine to a tray of freshly baked cookies. However, scented candles, incense sticks, diffusers, oil burners and air fresheners contribute to poor quality air inside the home. Some chemical fresheners also come with VOCs- volatile organic compounds that are hazardous to health. Plenty of cleaning products such as floor and bathroom cleaners also contain VOC, which can be dangerous to the body, causing irritation and headaches. If you want your house to smell nice, there are natural ways you can try using natural ingredients.
6. Get houseplants
Indoor plants add life and visual interest to any space. If you’re looking for a decor update, get a plant! Adding plants to your home will not purify the air inside but can increase microbial diversity, altering the indoor microbiome, thus preventing harmful bacteria from settling in.
Here are four things that you should get professionals to do:
1. Maintaining your dehumidifier
Depending on how big your dehumidifiers are or how many of them you have, getting a professional to clean them for you saves you time and resources. It costs a bit more, but you’ll have a dehumidifier that is as good as new once it’s serviced.
2. Increasing the humidity
A professionally installed system helps maintain the optimal level of humidity in your home. This results in a healthy air environment, especially when the air is dry during the winter season.
3. Adding a quality air conditioner and air filter
Having an air conditioner helps when it’s hot and stuffy, and there’s minimal air circulation during hot summer months. An air filter helps purify the air inside by catching smaller particles. If you have both these items at home, they will require maintenance. While air filters can be maintained on your own, you need AC specialists in your area to regularly clean, flush out and service your AC. If you live in Spokane, look up ac repair in Spokane, WA, to find a reliable servicing company near you.
4. Check your air ducts and vents.
Calling in a professional to clean your air ducts and vents is also crucial to maintain clean air indoors. Dust build-up can cause severe allergies, and you’ll also end up with dirtier and dustier furniture since dust particles are not being flushed outside. Professionals in ventilation and filtration systems clean ducts and vents and repair and replace parts and filters.
