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With flu season upon us, improving your indoor air quality will help keep your family healthy and safe.
Keeping in mind that many factors can cause poor air quality in your home, below are some common contributors. Although you may not have all of these occurring in your home, by addressing the ones you do have, you can increase your air quality and overall home comfort.
- Irregular maintenance. Lack of regular maintenance on your heating and cooling system can lead to poor air circulation, reduced efficiency and wasted energy. A regular HVAC tune-up of your system can help keep tabs on the air quality inside your home.
- Airborne particles. These can come from anywhere and often result in allergic reactions. A good filtering system can relieve this problem, such as a highly rated filter, air cleaners or air purifiers added to your current heating and cooling system.
- Excessive moisture. This is just as big a problem as it promotes the growth of microbes and mildew. The first symptom is usually moisture collecting on your windows and dampness on your walls. A properly sized air conditioning system not only cools indoor air, but also helps reduce humidity. The best solution for excessive moisture is a dehumidifier.
- Dry air. Dry, winter air can wreak havoc on your overall health and comfort; from dry skin, to allergies, to colds and flu. By adding a whole-house humidifier to your heating and cooling system you can regulate the amount of moisture in the air throughout your home, making a better, healthier and more comfortable environment for your entire family. Whole-house humidifiers can help ease congestion without the use of medicine. With more moisture in the air, the mucus in your nasal passage and sinuses thins so that it’s easier to breathe.
- Uneven circulation. This is often caused by poorly sized duct system. Check your ducts to make sure they’re tightly sealed and free of debris so they can achieve maximum efficiency and air quality. Have them inspected by a professional once every 3 years to ensure they are clean and operating efficiently.
- Sealing air leaks. This will virtually eliminate drafts and prevent pollutants from entering your home through the leaks. It will also help minimize energy consumption.
- Improper venting can result in condensation. It can also be the cause of ‘stuffy’ air and can even contribute to structural damage to your house. Mechanical ventilation systems remove poor indoor air and replace it with fresh, conditioned outdoor air.
Sources: www.ajperri.com
www.epa.gov