Maintaining your home’s indoor air quality is critical for good health and contributes to your family’s overall comfort. Most people don’t consider their indoor air quality until something happens to remind them they need to be actively maintaining a healthy environment. Maintaining clean, healthy air in your home isn’t difficult or expensive. It simply requires knowing what to look for and what to do. By implementing a few of the steps listed here, you and your family can breathe easier.
Here are ten of the most commonly recommended ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality:
- If you have a water heater or furnace that is fueled by fossil fuels, make sure they are power vented or combustion is sealed outside your living space.
- Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms should always be vented directly outdoors using an energy-efficient fan.
- HVAC systems and ductwork should never be placed in the garage. Since your garage is susceptible to accumulating air contaminants, try to reduce the amount of contaminated air by installing weather stripping around the door.
- Enjoy fireplaces and wood stoves responsibly by properly venting them and keeping the doors affixed tightly.
- Installing air filters directly on to your home’s HVAC system will reduce the amount of dirt in the air. Change your home’s filters every one to three months for maximum effectiveness.
- Clothes dryers and central vacuum units should always be vented outdoors.
- Solvents and cleaners should always be stored outside of your living space.
- Reduce the amount of indoor combustion sources that cannot be vented, like decorative candles or indoor barbecues. If you smoke, smoke outside or by an open window.
- Encourage outdoor airflow in your home with a home ventilation system or fans in the windows.
- If you plan on using a solvent or cleanser, make sure to use it only in a well-ventilated space.
Contact us at Acosta Heating, Cooling & Electrical for more information on how you can improve your home’s indoor air quality.