Many homeowners don’t know the best ways to boost the air quality of their home. Here’s a list of five easy ways to do exactly that:
- Maintain the cleanliness of your floors. Floors are a magnet for dirt and debris for a variety of reasons, though
gravity’s at the top of the list. To maintain your floors and boost the air quality of your home, vacuum and mop on a regular basis. In addition, use a HEPA-equipped vacuum and set a sizable floor mat in front of each door. - Reduce the moisture in your home. Moisture can cause mildew and mold, in addition to dust mites. Your goal should be a humidity level of between 30 and 50 percent. You can do so by using a dehumidifier, though there are other steps you can take, such as repairing leaky pipes and using an exhaust fan while cooking.
- Do not allow smoking in your home. If you can’t kick the habit for the sake of your own health, at least make it a rule that no one can smoke inside. The damage done to a home by cigarette smoke is astonishing. Not only does the smoke obviously get into the air, but the residue will get into every crack and crevice.
- Perform a radon test. Radon is a dangerous substance that may be seeping into your home through cracks in the basement, and is both colorless and odorless. If left unchecked, your risk of lung cancer increases dramatically. It isn’t too difficult to get rid of, but first you must find out if you have a problem.
- Go natural. Many cosmetic products have scents added to them, but what they don’t tell you is that chemicals are emitted from them. While allowing fresh air inside your house by opening windows is a great idea, you should also try to lower the amount of “fragrance” used in your everyday life, no matter how safe it seems.
For more expert advice on how to boost the air quality inside your Twin Cities home, or for any questions relating to home comfort, please contact the friendly professionals at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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