Typically, when we think about air pollution, we think of outdoor air with smog and densely populated cities. The truth is that the air inside our home can be just as polluted and hazardous to our health as the air outside. Various chemicals and pollutants can negatively affect our indoor air quality. You can improve the air quality in your home by following these 10 easy steps:
- Dryers, bathroom fans and kitchen fans should be vented directly to the outside of your house.
- Store chemicals outside away from the house. Paint, pesticides, solvents and cleaners should be stored away from any source of ventilation to the house.
- Open windows and doors when weather permits. This will allow you to replace your indoor polluted air with fresh air from outside.
- If you use a fireplace or wood stove in your home, make sure it’s properly vented and have tight doors and outdoor air intakes.
- Do not allow smoking in your home. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, and second-hand smoke is hazardous to you or anyone else in your home.
- If your ducts go through your garage or other spaces with dirty air, make sure the ducts are sealed properly to avoid the infiltration of polluted air.
- Use the air conditioner during the summer months to help reduce moisture, which will help decrease dust mites and mold. If your A/C’s not up to the job, consider purchasing a whole-house dehumidifier.
- Use an air cleaner or particle filter in your home’s air system to help keep your indoor air clean.
- Gas-fueled water heaters and furnaces need to be power vented or have sealed combustion.
- Use natural scented laundry products or cleaners. Some laundry detergents, dryer sheets and air fresheners emit toxic chemicals into the air that can be very hazardous.
Following these 10 steps will help improve your indoor air quality. For more information or to schedule an air quality test, contact the experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We have been improving air quality for over 37 years in the Twin Cities area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!