This spring, a lot of us will be indoors more often than usual due to the recent health crisis. This means we will be spending a lot of time breathing the air in our homes. Indoor air quality contributes to our respiratory health. Here are some easy tips for making the air in your Frederick, MD, home cleaner.
1. Dust and Vacuum
Dust will inevitably accumulate on furniture and knick-knacks in your home throughout time. Similarly, people and animals will get dirt, hair, and fur on your carpet. These dust and hair particles can end up getting into the air you and your family breathe. Breathing in these allergens can irritate your respiratory system and any allergies you or someone else in your house may have.
Get rid of the dust and dirt in your carpet by keeping up with the cleaning. You should dust and vacuum regularly. Some people do it at least once a day.
2. Change HVAC Filter
Every HVAC system has a filter that collects pollutants in the air. As the air filter gets full, it may start to blow the pollutants back out into your home and won’t be able to pick up any additional dust. This can make your air quality worse than ever. You can prevent this from happening by cleaning your filter regularly.
Most HVAC units will have an indicator light letting you know when it’s time to clean the filter. In the spring, it’s best to clean it more often than usual. Our HVAC technicians at Wenbrooke Services can help you through the process if you’re unsure of how the filter works.
3. Keep Pets Outside
You’ve grown to love your pets just as much as the other members of our family. However, pets can have a lot of dander that can contaminate the air in your home. This pet dander can be extremely irritating to people who suffer from allergies. You can opt to get a pet who sheds less, but that won’t get rid of the dander in the air completely.
While it may be somewhat painful, keeping the pets outside when the weather is nice is an easy way to eliminate pet dander from your home. You could also limit the number of rooms that your pet is allowed to be in, inside the house.
4. No Smoking
We all know that smoking is bad for the lungs, the heart, the throat, and the mouth. It can even lead to cancer. When people make the decision to smoke, they are ingesting all of the toxins in the cigarette and blowing the remains out into the air. Those remains are toxic as well.
Other people in the house may be forced to breathe in those remains, whether they like it or not. Don’t let that smoke get into the air of your home. Insist that people smoke outside if they absolutely must smoke.
5. Use Organic Cleaners
Most cleaners have dangerous chemicals in them. When you use these cleaners, the harmful toxins get into the air. Obviously, you don’t want your family to be breathing in these chemicals. One way to reduce the number of chemicals in the air during your spring cleaning is to use organic brands. Organic cleaners use organic compounds that are easier to break down in the air, causing less harm to you and your family.
6. Buy an Air Purifier
Air purifiers are machines specifically designed to help clean the air in your home. There are a number of different air purifiers on the market today. Some use filters, similar to the filter in the HVAC system, while others use ionizing purifiers. There are also ozone generators and absorbents that can help clean the air in your home.
Placing the air purifier in your bedroom and keeping it on throughout the night is one great and easy way to ensure you are breathing in the cleanest air possible while you sleep. Air purifiers are also a necessity for the rooms of those who suffer from bad allergies.
Air purifiers come in many different sizes, although most are only able to clean the air within a three-foot diameter. You will experience the best results by placing the air purifier as close to your bed or space as possible. Read the instructions on the air purifier to learn how to clean it and help it work most efficiently.
7. Get Regular HVAC Maintenance
If you want the air in your home to stay clean, the HVAC system that circulates the air in your home needs to be clean. Cleaning the filter can only do so much. Every spring, you should call in the professionals at Wenbrooke Services to come in and give your unit a tune-up.
Regularly scheduled spring maintenance on your HVAC system helps to keep your unit running smoothly all summer long. HVAC maintenance also keeps your system working as efficiently as possible. Not only will you have the cleanest air, but your utility costs will be cut as well.
8. Open the Windows
Outdoor air is generally cleaner than the air in your home. The air outside doesn’t have nearly as many contaminants. For this reason, you should open up the windows and let the fresh air in. Install good screens to help keep bugs and other creatures out of your home.
If you have the windows open, you should be sure to turn your HVAC system off. You don’t want to waste energy and money on running your AC unit with the windows wide open.
9. Eliminate Mold in Your Home
Mold can be very dangerous. When you notice mold starting to develop in your home, you need to get rid of it right away. Mold mostly grows in warm, moist areas. The most common places for mold and spore growth are the basement, bathroom, and attic. You may be able to handle small cases with some simple cleaning; however, if the problem persists, you may need to call in mold removal experts.
10. Bring Plants Indoors
Plants emit clean oxygen. Having fresh plants in your home is a great way to help clean the air in your home. Not only do plants provide oxygen to the air, but they also feed off of the carbon dioxide that may be in your home. Plants provide better indoor air quality as well as bringing some life and color into your home.
When you have clean air in your home, you and your family will be healthier, happier, and more comfortable. Use these 10 simple tips to help improve the air quality in your home this spring.
At Wenbrooke Services, we care about your satisfaction. With an A+ rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, we take pride in all of our services. We are happy to help with your indoor air quality and HVAC maintenance as well as solar panel installation and all of your electrical needs. Give us a call today!