Improving the Air Quality in my Home
Winter has set in. The temperature outside my house was 3 degrees F this morning. Brrr…. When it is this cold I stay inside with my family, run my furnace full blast and try to stay warm.
Trouble is that indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. This pollution can threaten the quality of living and even the lives of your entire family. So today I wanted to talk a little about how to improve that air quality so that everyone stays safe and healthy this winter.
The Big Three
First I'm going to touch on the three indoor pollutants that are the most dangerous; carbon monoxide, secondhand smoke, and radon gas.
These three pollutants can be deadly. The best thing that you can do to prevent these three pollutants is to install a carbon monoxide tester, don't smoke in your living areas, and get your home tested for radon gas. While you are at it you should also make sure that your smoke detectors are installed and working. Doing these quick steps is the best thing you can do to keep your home safe.
Improving your Comfort Level
Now that we've got the big three dangers out of the way let's take a look at how we can improve the quality of air and the comfort level of your home.
Keep a healthy level of humidity
Your ideal humidity in your home should be around 30-50%. In the winter your humidity level can drop into the single digits, especially with the lack of moisture we are currently experiencing. Adding a whole house humidifier to your furnace in the winter can decrease asthmatic symptoms, dry skin, and improve the level of comfort for you and your family.
In the summer you want to make sure that you get your air conditioner maintained and change the filters if appropriate. If you have a high level of humidity you may also need to look into dehumidifiers.
Use high quality HEPA filters
You will also want to make sure that you are using a high quality filter for your furnace. You should ideally change this filter every 6 months. In addition, you should always make sure that your furnace is inspected by a professional to ensure that it is running at peak performance and not leaking dangerous carbon monoxide through hidden cracks.
While we are on the subject of HEPA filters you should also make sure that if you have carpet that you are using a high quality vacuum cleaner with HEPA filters and that you vacuum regularly and dust to reduce the contaminants found on your floor.
I admit the steps that have been outlined may not seem like much. They shouldn't take very long to accomplish and they don't cost very much but believe me they can make all the difference for you and your family this winter. Stay warm and stay safe!
Trouble is that indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. This pollution can threaten the quality of living and even the lives of your entire family. So today I wanted to talk a little about how to improve that air quality so that everyone stays safe and healthy this winter.
The Big Three
First I'm going to touch on the three indoor pollutants that are the most dangerous; carbon monoxide, secondhand smoke, and radon gas.
These three pollutants can be deadly. The best thing that you can do to prevent these three pollutants is to install a carbon monoxide tester, don't smoke in your living areas, and get your home tested for radon gas. While you are at it you should also make sure that your smoke detectors are installed and working. Doing these quick steps is the best thing you can do to keep your home safe.
Improving your Comfort Level
Now that we've got the big three dangers out of the way let's take a look at how we can improve the quality of air and the comfort level of your home.
Keep a healthy level of humidity
Your ideal humidity in your home should be around 30-50%. In the winter your humidity level can drop into the single digits, especially with the lack of moisture we are currently experiencing. Adding a whole house humidifier to your furnace in the winter can decrease asthmatic symptoms, dry skin, and improve the level of comfort for you and your family.
In the summer you want to make sure that you get your air conditioner maintained and change the filters if appropriate. If you have a high level of humidity you may also need to look into dehumidifiers.
Use high quality HEPA filters
You will also want to make sure that you are using a high quality filter for your furnace. You should ideally change this filter every 6 months. In addition, you should always make sure that your furnace is inspected by a professional to ensure that it is running at peak performance and not leaking dangerous carbon monoxide through hidden cracks.
While we are on the subject of HEPA filters you should also make sure that if you have carpet that you are using a high quality vacuum cleaner with HEPA filters and that you vacuum regularly and dust to reduce the contaminants found on your floor.
I admit the steps that have been outlined may not seem like much. They shouldn't take very long to accomplish and they don't cost very much but believe me they can make all the difference for you and your family this winter. Stay warm and stay safe!
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