Winter weather means you’ll be spending more time indoors. That means you’ll want the air in your home to be of high quality to ensure your health as well as your family’s health. Poor indoor air quality can contribute to allergies, asthma and other respiratory issues. It can also lead to headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
Unfortunately, some of the things we do contribute to poor indoor air quality. We keep windows closed, which prevents fresh air from entering the home. Plus we seal cracks around doors, windows, etc. While this is good for keeping the heating bills down, it also prevents contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, mold spores and dust mites from escaping.
So here are 10 good suggestions for improving the air quality in your home.
- Invest in an energy recovery ventilator or heat recovery ventilator that will introduce fresh air into your home.
- Don’t allow smoking in your home.
- Bathe your pets regularly.
- If you have ½ inch air filters in your furnace, change them monthly. Better yet, upgrade your filter to a 4” thick pleated filter. Not only will this type of filter remove more airborne particles, it only needs to be changed twice a year.
- Use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to ventilate air.
- Regularly clean bedding, drapes and other items that attract allergens in water that is at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Vacuum carpeting and rugs at least once a week using a vacuum with a HEPA filter to avoid blowing dust back into the air.
- More long-term, hard surface flooring will also cut down on allergens.
- Use non-toxic cleaning products.
- When the weather is mild, open the windows for a little bit.
