The air quality in the house can affect your family’s health. Contaminants and allergens – like pet dander and mold spores – cause adverse reactions in some people with respiratory conditions and allergies. Here are some ways you can improve indoor air quality in your home.
Maintain Healthy Levels of Humidity
Damp conditions are ideal for mold and dust mites. Therefore, keeping indoor humidity levels between 30%-50% helps keep mold, mildew, and termites in check. Use a dehumidifier in the damp areas of your home to increase comfort and prevent mold growth.
Reduce humidity and prevent mold by fixing leaky pipes, cleaning the drip pans in the window air conditioner, and emptying the dehumidifier regularly. Open the windows or turn on a ventilation fan when cooking, bathing, and running the dishwasher to pull humid air out of the home. Check to verify that the clothes dryer vent runs to the outside of the house.
Invest in an Air Purifier to Improve Indoor Air Quality
An easy way to improve indoor air quality is to purchase an air purifier. A purification device is beneficial if household members are allergic to pet dander, dust, or mold. Place the device in the commonly used areas of your home to capture irritants that trigger allergic reactions.
Make Your Home a No-Smoking Zone
Cigarettes release chemicals that are harmful to smokers and non-smokers. Cigarette smoke pollutes the air in your home, and the smell of smoke lingers on walls, clothing, and furniture. To improve indoor air quality, designate a smoking zone for smokers outside the house.
Keep Your Home Ventilated to Improve Air Quality
One of the easiest ways to improve indoor air quality is to keep your home well-ventilated. Even in cold months, it helps to open the windows to let in the fresh air. Airflow is essential for air quality because it moves contaminants such as pollen, cooking fumes, and dust and replaces them with cleaner, fresher air.
If you live in a neighborhood, choose a low-traffic time of day to open the windows to avoid letting in polluted air. Open windows on opposite sides of the house to boost circulation throughout the living spaces.
Good air quality is essential in making your home a comfortable place to live. Failing to address poor circulation and high humidity leads to mold development and creates health problems for members of your household. The above tips help you improve indoor air quality and make your home healthier.
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