3 Easy Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality In Your Home
The quality of the indoor air you breathe makes a difference in your health. Common irritants that impact air quality include pet hair, lead particles, particulates, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), mold or mildew, and secondhand smoke. None of which are suitable for you to breathe in your lungs.
Clean, breathable air allows people with upper respiratory conditions to feel better and helps prevent the onset of illness for healthy lungs.
We have three easy tips to help you improve your home’s indoor air quality.
1. Control Relative Humidity
Relative humidity is the amount of moisture inside your home. The ideal relative humidity is somewhere between too dry and too moist. The sweet spot is between 50% – 60%.
All homeowners should own a simple device that detects relative humidity called a Hygrometer. A hygrometer measures the air’s humidity, or moisture content, in terms of relative humidity.
You can control the moisture with a dehumidifier with a built-in hygrometer that displays the humidity level in your home. A dehumidifier maintains the humidity in moist areas by removing water from the air. Preferred relative humidity levels can be preset, so the unit detects when it is time to turn on.
A dehumidifier with a built-in hygrometer is especially useful in basements to avoid high moisture levels. Depending on where you live, some factors could cause your basement to be too cold, too hot, or irregular. For example, a cracked foundation, leaky pipes, or poor insulation are common causes of rising humidity levels.
Start by using a hygrometer to determine the relative humidity in your home. Then decide if one of the above factors impacts your home’s levels.
2. Use an Air Purification System to Sanitize Indoor Air
Air purifiers cleanse the air from indoor allergens like mold, smoke, or other irritants like household cleaners.
Air purifiers are excellent in your home because they sanitize indoor air instead of trapping particles. Some purification units include filters, so the atmosphere is sanitized and free from irritants like dust.
A compact air purifier can sanitize a whole room, or you can purchase an entire house purifying unit with a HEPA filter. The size or strength of the unit depends on the size of the space.
3. Replace Filters in the Heating and Cooling System
Replacing air filters is an easy and inexpensive way to improve indoor air quality in your home.
Air filters trap dirt, dust, and pet hair and allow your air conditioner to cycle clean air throughout the home. The air conditioning unit may not work as intended if the filter is clogged. Allergens and irritants may circulate in the house because of how hard the A/C unit has to work to pull air from a clogged filter.
Change your air filter every two months if you have pets and every three to six months if you run your HVAC system regularly. You can change a filter every six to twelve months if you run your heating and cooling system a few times a year.
How Can I Monitor Indoor Air Quality?
It is possible to monitor indoor air quality with a device that specifically detects toxins and other contaminants. Air quality monitors can also detect carbon monoxide and radon levels, so purchasing one might be worth the investment.
Advanced air quality monitors include features like relative humidity and room temperature controls. One example of this is a WIFI thermostat with humidity control. Smart thermostats make it easy for you to control temperature and humidity levels automatically and remotely.
AMD Environmental Consultants has solutions for homeowners concerned about indoor air quality. An experienced technician will set up data loggers that measure relative humidity, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, particulates, and Volatile Organic Compounds. We use state-of-the-art technology that graphs the compounds and establishes patterns within your home.