You have so many maintenance tasks to keep up with as a homeowner that your indoor air quality might not be a concern that generally crosses your mind. You might want to reconsider that, however, considering there are so many potential air pollutants in your home. Mold, pet dander, pollen, and other allergens, airborne germs and viruses, and even humidity are all possibilities that can affect the quality of the air indoors. Many people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, and this was increased even further during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that indoor air is even more polluted than outdoor air, even in the largest cities.
This should be extremely alarming to any homeowner, especially for those who have young children or elderly parents living at home. These people, along with the chronically ill, are the most susceptible to the negative effects of indoor air pollution. For the sake of your own health, and the health of your family and guests, you need to immediately check for air quality services to improve the quality of air in your home or you can take note of these recommendations.
Keep your HVAC system in good shape.
Your home’s HVAC solution is one of the most important systems in your home. It controls your air conditioning and your heat pump to keep your home at livable, and comfortable, temperatures throughout the most extreme seasons. Despite this, it’s still easy for homeowners to take these systems for granted. They require proper maintenance to keep minor problems from turning into major problems that could result in costly repairs or an entire system replacement.
You may need to learn a bit about your air conditioning system or how to maintain your geothermal system. With a geothermal system, ground loops and a heat pump can move temperature-conducting fluid through loops of pipes buried in the ground to transfer the heat beneath the ground into your home. Despite being called a “heat pump,” this device can also reverse the process. In this case, it removes the hot air from your home, runs it through the cooled pipes underground, and redistributes the cool air in your home. Basically, a geothermal system is a straightforward way to handle all your HVAC needs.
If you’re using a traditional system with air filters and air ducts, you’ll need to make sure you change the air filters regularly to keep dust and other debris from clogging the system. Your ducts can also distribute airborne particles throughout your home, lowering your air quality.
In order to avoid this, you may want to switch to a ductless system during home improvement. With a ductless mini-split system, you’ll no longer have ducts and vents to worry about spreading dander or other pollutants. Instead, you’ll have multiple indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit. This makes maintenance easier and lets you concentrate on heating and cooling in the areas of your home that need it most.
Try an air purifier.
If you’re looking for a reliable way to remove the vast majority (99.97%) of airborne particles from even large rooms, then the Amazon HEPA air filter is the solution for you. Not only can this air purifier remove particles from your home, but it can also eliminate odors using its powerful, three-stage filtration system. This purifier includes an ultra-fine prefilter, a True HEPA filter, and a carbon filter to catch even the most troublesome particles and remove odors from the room. This is great news for pet owners who need to look out for guests with allergies.
The air purifier also includes multiple fan speeds, as well as an air quality monitor and filter change alert. The fan speed will be altered based on the measured air quality, which is displayed in modes of blue, green, orange, and red. It also operates quietly compared to other air filters, with a maximum setting of 52 dB, so you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you can get a good night’s sleep with it running.
Replace your windows.
New windows might not be a top priority on your mind, but they’re good for more than just updating your style. Old windows can be bad for your energy efficiency since gaps in the seals or cracks around the windows can let cool or warm air escape. If the problems become bad enough, your windows will also become yet another way for troublesome particles to get into your house.
If you live in the Midwest, then Mad City Windows is a great choice for your window replacement and remodeling needs. Not only will they install new windows for you in record time, but they can also help with a bathroom remodel. This is another potential way to improve your air quality, since the cleaning process involved in a remodel can remove mold and mildew from your home, and you can install new fixtures that are easier to clean.