10 Simple Ways to Ensure the Air Quality of your Home

December 15th, 2019

Maintaining healthy air in your home doesn’t have to be a costly or time consuming affair.
If we aren’t mindful of increasing our air quality, our HVAC systems will simply circulate stale indoor air and increase the amount of allergy-inducing dust mites, pet dander, and mold spores. Even worse, when we don’t take measures to control air quality in our homes, uninvited toxins that have been introduced inside the house can linger longer.

Here are 10 simple ways to ensure the air quality of your home is at the right level to keep your family safe, and your HVAC system working at its best to keep you comfortable and healthy.

10. Air out the garage before closing the garage door

Air out the garage before closing the garage door to allow vehicle exhaust to vent outside so that it is not sucked into your home when the interior door to the house is opened.

9. Keep humidity down with cost-free fixes

Keep humidity down with cost-free fixes like running the exhaust fan longer after cooking and showering, and keeping a lid on your pots while boiling and simmering. If you hang dry your laundry, spread out your laundry loads over the week so that you don’t release a large amount of moisture into your home at the same time.

8. Choose lemon and vinegar as a natural cleaning alternative

Choose lemon and vinegar as a natural cleaning alternative to lower the amount of toxins released into the air inside your home. Even scent-free industrial cleaners can leave a residue that will affect air quality.

7. Cut back on particle board furniture in your home;

Cut back on particle board furniture in your home; it is a material that releases toxins over time. Clear out any unused pieces that you’ve been saving “just in case” and rest assured that you’ve disposed of items that were lowering the air quality in your home.

6. Choose detoxifying plants like bamboo, ivy, and dracaenas

Choose detoxifying plants like bamboo, ivy, and dracaenas that work overtime to purify the air in your home naturally. Ironically, all 3 of these plants are commonly available at IKEA right next to mountains particle board furniture (see number 7!)

5. Choose multitasking home decor which emit negative ions.

Choose multitasking home decor which emit negative ions. Beeswax candles and Hemilayan salt lamps use the same air purifying principles that mechanical air purifiers are based on. Pollen, dust, dirt, and other indoor air pollutants carry a positive charge and will fall from suspension when paired with a negative ion.

4. Increase your house cleaning frequency

Increase your house cleaning frequency, especially now that you’ve got those negative ions dropping things everywhere! (see number 5). Keeping clothes, bedding and towels clean will cut down on the number of dust mites; a common household allergen.

3. Making your home smoke-free

Making your home smoke-free by keeping tobacco products and chemical e-cigarette vapors outside will help ensure healthy indoor air quality for everyone in your home.

2. Clean your furnace filter every three months

Clean your furnace filter every three months to get rid of the dust, dander, mites and other air pollutants that have been trapped by your filter. Handle the used filter carefully to avoid re-introducing the collected debris back into the air.

1. Ventilate by introducing fresh air into your home

Ventilate by introducing fresh air into your home and pushing stale air out. If you don’t have an air exchanger, open your windows for fresh air for 10-15 minutes per day. If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times, keep the air moving in your home.

Make maintaining healthy indoor air quality a priority for your family by taking these simple steps to reduce allergens, asthma, and other effects of poor indoor air. If you have questions about how to improve air circulation, heating or cooling in your home, don’t be shy to reach out, we’re here to help!