So much of our time is spent indoors – both at home, at work, and for some of us, at school. Exposure to indoor air pollutants can have a major impact on one’s health by causing allergy, asthma and other health problems. In our most recent blog, the HVAC technicians at Grove Heating & Cooling discuss ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality.
Address Humidity Issues
High indoor humidity opens the door to mold growth and higher allergen concentrations. A whole home dehumidifier is a great tool for treating humidity issues across the entire home with the help of your HVAC system. Also, avoid the buildup of moisture in the home by using exhaust fans when showering or cooking, opening windows when cooking or washing, and correctly venting your dryer outside.
Stop Smoking Indoors
Smoking indoors fills your air with carcinogens and exposes others to secondhand smoke, which can lead to lung cancer. Tobacco smoke lingers and settles on surfaces, prolonging exposure. Stop smoking indoors to reduce indoor pollutants at the source. Instead, smoke outside, far away from open windows and doors where tobacco smoke can come in.
Clean Your Carpets
Much of the dirt and dust in the air falls out of suspension and becomes trapped in carpets. Remove these particulates by vacuuming regularly. Use a powerful vacuum, and be sure to empty canisters outdoors to prevent reintroducing contaminants to the home’s air supply.
Change Air Filters
Your HVAC system’s filter removes a portion of airborne particles from the air supply. The filters eventually clog up and can no longer perform, allowing particles to circulate continuously if filters are not replaced. Make sure to replace air filters regularly and check them monthly during periods of high heating or cooling system use, as an early replacement may be needed. Use filters with a higher MERV rating, which are more efficient at trapping smaller particles to reduce indoor air pollution.
Consider Cleaning Product Choices
The household products and cleaning products we use often introduce harmful chemicals into the home environment. These chemicals are bad for the Earth and harmful to breathe. Reduce this pollution at the source when you swap your toxic cleaners with alternatives that are natural, solvent-free, and phosphate-free.
Improve Ventilation
Without adequate ventilation, air in the home becomes stale and laden with contaminants because there’s not enough fresh air to replace it. Mechanical ventilation systems draw in fresh, outdoor air and push out the stale, polluted air from your living spaces. Home ventilation solutions can be installed to reduce air pollution without wasting heating and cooling energy.
Enhance Air Filtration
HVAC filters and cleaning still leave behind many particles in the air. Air cleaners and air purifiers provide further filtration and contaminant removal to reduce air pollution and keep homes cleaner. Portable models can treat small spaces, while whole house air cleaners are installed with the HVAC system to treat the entire volume of air as it cycles through for heating or cooling.
Grove HVAC Helps Homeowners Improve Indoor Air Quality
When you want to reduce air pollution, your HVAC system can be a great helper! Many indoor air quality products and ventilation solutions work to remove contaminants such as harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and keep your home comfortable while reducing the likelihood of family members having respiratory problems because of poor air quality. Poor air quality can also lead to respiratory infections, shortness of breath and irritate your eyes and throat.
Learn more about air quality solutions from Grove Heating & Cooling – contact us to schedule a consultation today to help you eliminate the sources of indoor air pollution in your home.
