We often worry about the outdoor air pollution we have to deal with every day but don’t spare a thought about our indoor air.
How clean is your air at home? If you suffer from constant allergies or respiratory problems, there is a high chance that it is quite polluted.
From toxic fumes to indoor dust, our homes are often a tank of unclean air. Not improving air quality and keeping your house poorly ventilated, can lead to long-term health complications.
What can we do to keep our indoor air clean? Try these easy ways to improve indoor air quality at home.
Table of contents
1. Keep the Filters Clean
We often forget the impact of heating and cooling systems on our indoor air. The filters in these systems are crucial to the quality of the air we breathe inside our homes.
Filteration systems keep the impurities out. Keep the AC filters clean. A clean filter will be more efficient at removing dust particles and other impurities from your indoor air. Make sure you also keep your furnace filters clean.
If your filter doesn’t work well even after cleaning, change it and get a more effective filter. You should also consider cleaning the filters of your vacuum, dryer, and vents.
Kitchen vent filters can gather dust and grime pretty quickly. So, get them cleaned every 2 to 3 months.
2. Ventilate Your House
There are a few reasons why ventilation is crucial for your house. For starters, stale air is of poor quality. It is bound to be if the house is not getting enough oxygen while you and your family members are constantly breathing out carbon dioxide.
Almost every indoor activity, from cleaning to breathing also releases water vapors, which increases indoor humidity. Your indoor humidity should remain within 30% to 50%, especially if the house is poorly ventilated.
If your house is overly humid, it will lead to damps and growths, releasing spores in the air and making your indoor air even more polluted.
This is why it is crucial to open windows every day, especially when you are cleaning. You won’t just let more oxygen in, you will also release some of that air pollution including dust, allergens, humid air, and carbon dioxide. Use a 8 inch duct fan for perfect HVAC control in your home.
Two parts of your house that require the most ventilation are the kitchen and the bathrooms. Gas stoves, electric cookers, and even the cooking process release a lot of fumes that we shouldn’t inhale.
3. Get Indoor Plants
Why should you get indoor plants? Only one word will be enough to answer that question. Oxygen.
Plants are the earth’s natural air filter. They consume carbon dioxide and give us oxygen. If you keep indoor plants, they will absorb all the carbon dioxide we release through breathing.
People often think indoor plants take a lot of time to maintain. They don’t. You can easily find low-maintenance plants that only require water once every 10 to 14 days. They don’t even need a lot of light either. These plants will not only improve air quality but also be stress-relieving decoratives.
One concern about indoor plants is that they do make the air more humid. This is why ventilation becomes even more important if you have plants inside your house. Also, keep an eye on the moisture of the soil. If it remains too wet, it can attract more dampness and mold.
4. Install an Air Purifier
While there is a limit to how much your purifier can improve indoor air quality, it still makes an impact. Installing an air filter is a great option for people who suffer from allergies. It removes quite a bit of the pollutants and allergens in the air, making the air more breathable.
If you have a pet, you should consider getting an air filter. It will reduce the risk of getting airborne diseases and tone down allergy problems. Indoor allergens can make it difficult for people with allergies to sleep due to symptoms like itchy eyes and nose. An air purifier will help you sleep better.
Your purifier can neutralize unpleasant smells and volatile organic compounds. It also helps eliminate chemical fumes and hazardous particles from indoor air.
5. Deal with the Dust
One of the biggest threats to indoor air quality is an unclean house. If your indoor environment is coated with a layer of dust and is filled with cobwebs, don’t be surprised if you have a chronic allergy problem. By constantly inhaling that dusty and polluted air, you are making yourself suffer.
Do you see how even after keeping your windows close, dust seems to find its way in? This is because we shed cells regularly. Our house also produces dust due to wear and tear. This is why you need to pull out that vacuum and clean up your house frequently.
If you have an allergy problem, remove those carpets. They retain a lot of dust and even dust mites. If your curtains are made of material that dust clings to, get them changed. Remove cobwebs as they also cause allergies.
6. Avoid Toxic Products
Did you know that the pressured body sprays, hair sprays, and other cosmetic products also pollute the air? You will be surprised that the fumes released from the beauty products you use daily are one of the key pollutants in your indoor air.
Items with synthetic fragrances destroy your indoor air quality. These items include anything from detergent soaps to your favorite body lotion. So, try to opt for products with natural fragrances.
Paints also release fumes that are VOCs and can cause severe respiratory problems. Any kind of pesticide also releases harmful fumes into the air, so make sure to avoid them as well. Cleaning products are yet another culprit that gives off toxic fumes. So, keep your windows open when cleaning.
7. Get a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Carbon monoxide is a deadly killer. This gas is released when fuels like gas, oil, wood, and coal do not burn properly. It comes out of running cars or other machinery. Burning a cigarette also releases carbon monoxide.
Poisoning caused by this gas can be deadly and it has claimed many lives. If you are exposed to carbon monoxide in a closed room, your health might be severely compromised without you even realizing it. This is because it has no color, smell, or taste, and we can’t detect it naturally with our senses.
You must consider installing a carbon monoxide detector. This detector can alert you when your indoor CO level becomes high. It can help protect you from being unknowingly exposed to that toxic gas.
Final Thoughts
If you want to improve the indoor air quality of your house, you must consider making a few changes. Get an air purifier or filter if possible, as they reduce the dust and allergens in the air. Keep the filters of your air conditioners clean.
Wondering how to improve the indoor air quality in your home naturally? Keep the windows open and get some indoor plants. Reduce the use of products that release toxic fumes and get a carbon monoxide detector.