In a previous blog post, we discussed several surprising things that can pollute the air inside your home. This included everything from furniture and paint, to some types of air purifiers that use unsafe levels of ozone to wipe out other contaminants. Because heavily polluted air can create health issues and cause allergic reactions in some people, especially your very young or old family members, it’s important to take steps to improve the air quality in your home. As providers of comprehensive HVAC service in the Denver area, Premier Heating and Air offers professional air quality assessment services at competitive prices. However, there are also some surprisingly easy steps you can take on your own.
Open The Window
One of the primary reasons indoor air becomes polluted is because we’ve done such a good job of sealing them up tight. It’s true that a drafty house is a wasteful house, meaning that you’re going to spend a lot of money on the hot and cold air that just escapes outside. However, an air-tight house can’t “breath” which means when something like a new carpet or fireplace releases contaminants into the air, they become concentrated instead of diluted. Increasing your home’s ventilation, something easily accomplished by opening a window on each end of your house helps to reduce the toxic build-up.
Use A HEPA Filter
Modern furnaces, air conditioning systems, and even portable air purifiers can be fitted with air filters that help to reduce the amount of dangerous particulate that enters your home. Pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and tobacco smoke are just a few of the nasty substances that can be greatly reduced by using a HEPA filter in your home. Just remember, HEPA filters lose their effectiveness over time, so you need to change them once every six months.
Get Rid Of Hidden Polluters
Of course, one of the best ways to reduce indoor air pollution is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. Protect your health by ceasing the use of common household products that contact dangerous chemicals, like air freshening sprays and scented candles. You can also check to make sure that your furniture, paint, and carpeting have low or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chemicals are colorless and odorless, but can off-gas from physical products. In some cases, VOCs can give people headaches, nausea, or severe allergic reactions.
We hope this has helped you to see that while indoor air pollution is a serious health hazard, there are many steps you can take to mitigate its effect on your quality of life. It’s important to remember that air pollution isn’t only a danger outside our homes, it can accumulate inside them as well. Ignoring this danger, and continuing to bring pollutants into your home, can result in serious health problems that are far more expensive than a HEPA filter.
As always, Premier Heating and Air is here to provide you with comprehensive HVAC services in every area of your home, including air quality assessments and assistance in identifying affordable solutions.
