With almost everyone indoor during these challenging times ( COVID-19), and research shows that most indoor air is polluted than the air outdoor, it has become imperative for every individual to find ways to improve their indoor air quality. And while this might sound like something complicated to do– it isn’t. That is why, in this post, we have put together three simple ways for you to get the best indoor air quality to ensure that you stay safe while at home.
So, without wasting much time, let’s get to it:
1. Clean Your Home
Cleaning your home is non-negotiable if you are looking to improve your indoor air quality. How? Well, pollutants found in your house tend to settle on your floor, your shelves, and even your bedsheets. And all these pollutants can find themselves back in the air with a little disturbance. For example, when these pollutants settle on your furniture, and you happen to sit on the furniture, they can get kicked back into the air, and you will end up inhaling them.
So, to avoid situations like this, what you want to do is to:
- Clean your shelves once a week with a wet cloth or a microfiber cloth.
- Wash your bedsheets every week
- Clean or vacuum your carpets
- Clean your furniture
- Doing these should eliminate most of the pollutants in your home, thereby improving your indoor air quality.
2. Change The Air Filter Of Your Furnace/ HVAC System
For those of you who might not be able to open your windows due to it being winter, my advice is to change your furnace’s filters.
Yes, we all agree that the furnace’s filter’s function is to improve indoor airflow and restrict tiny particles such as dust from getting to the blower fan. Over time, what happens is; when the filter accumulates so much dust or particles such as your hair. These particles tend to penetrate the filter—causing the filter to lose its ability to hold that much dust. When this happens, the dust can get to the blower fan, and when these particles get to the blower fan, the fan will automatically blow them through your home.
As fancy as it might seem, changing the filter of your furnace shouldn’t be expensive.
This also applies to the filter of your HVAC system. And as you know, the filter of your HVAC system prevents stuff like pollen or dust from getting into your home, so changing any of these systems should improve your indoor air quality.
If changing the filter sounds like too much of a job for you, you might want consult with experts like DUCTZ of Greater Columbia.
3. Try Plants
One of the most common ways to improve your home’s air quality is to have some indoor plants. In Canada, temperatures can get low, and opening the windows can be a problem. However, having a simple houseplant such as English Ivy, Peace Lilly, and many others can improve your home’s air quality.
So, how do plants clean the air inside?
Before I explain, let me introduce you to the phytoremediation concept, an idea where plants are being used to stabilize or remove toxins from the air, soil, or even water.
Plants can undergo phytoremediation because they have stomata ( which are opening found on plants’ leaves). What happens is that when the plant undergoes photosynthesis, these pores open, and then they are used for gas exchange, and during these gas exchanges, the plants also absorb the air pollutants found in our homes. And in doing so, these indoor plants can remove these harmful contaminants from the air.
NASA explained this concept of plants removing toxins or pollutants from our indoor air spaces in research they did back in 1989.
How Do You Know The Quality Of Your Home’s Air?
Well, detecting the quality of the air in your home can be a lengthy process. Also, most of the DIY techniques aren’t accurate. However, you can always hire a team of professionals who help you check the indoor air quality and provide you with services to improve your indoor air quality.
Why Do We Care About The Indoor Air Quality Of Your Home?
One of the most common problems associated with low air quality is the growth of molds in homes. And molds can cause a lot of health issue to individuals, including:
- Allergies
- Irritations in your eyes and nose
- Coughing
- Breathing issues and asthma
Molds also affect your home’s air quality, so you must keep your home free from molds by all means. However, getting rid of mold in your home with DIY techniques does not just cut-it. The best call again is to contact a certified local mold remediation company to perform the job.
Author Bio:
John Ward is an account executive at Mold Busters, specializing in indoor air quality issues of the most delicate nature. Over the years, he has completed hundreds of mold remediation jobs and thousands of air quality tests for homeowners and businesses across Ontario and Quebec.
