Tips to Improve Air Quality of Your Home
The term Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) usually denotes the air quality within and around your property. The heath and comfort of the occupants of a particular property depends much on its IAQ. Though, we are not concerned about the indoor pollution but exposure to it affects health sooner or later. Understanding and improving indoor air quality may also help to reduce the risk of health concerns.
Sources of contaminants
Indoor air is usually polluted by gases and small particles. Toxic products, high temperature, inadequate ventilation and humidity are some of the causes of indoor air pollution. Asbestos, formaldehyde, radon, tobacco smoke, mold, bacteria, dust, mites, varnishes and paints all these emit pollution to the air.
Improving air quality
You can make an effort to reduce these pollutants and improve air quality indoor. By improving the quality of air you can avoid health conditions like asthma and allergy. While it is not possible to make your home free from allergens, by making some simple changes you can reduce the numbers and your exposure to them. Here are some strategies
Minimize the chemical pollutants
Stop smoking tobacco inside the house. Tobacco smoke has thousands of air pollutants in high concentrations.
Use cleaners and disinfectants and anything with strong fragrances as per instructions. Ensure there is proper ventilation
Perform certain activities outside your home like cutting of plywood, painting, sanding, rock polishing and soldering outside the house. These activities create high levels of pollution so doing them outside the house is the best way out.
Improve ventilation
If you let outdoor air come inside the house you will be able to control pollution to some extent. Most of the homes’ air conditioning systems are not designed to bring fresh air inside. So, you have to open the doors and windows when the weather is conducive. Sometimes, there is a tendency to focus only on preventing dust from entering our homes but ventilation is sacrificed. Do watch out for this major mistake and enable good ventilation in your home.
Keep the air clean
There are many types of air purifiers available in the market. The job of these purifiers is to remove the harmful pollutants from the air. While these devices may remove the impurities they do not provide fresh air with oxygen. Better to clean the areas outside our house from where air is coming inside. If the windows are dusty and not clean the quality of air that is coming in is affected. Also regularly examine the balcony areas including the parapet walls and ensure they are clean and hygienic.
Keep humidity between 30% and 50%
Keeping the humidity level within the range of 30-50% can arrest the growth of mold and presence of dust mites that lead to air pollution. Some of the molds produce allergens and mycotoxins that have adverse health effects.
To keep humidity in control:
Track humidity
Use humidifier or dehumidifier as needed to control allergens and moisture
Open the window while cooking or after taking a bath
Check for any water leakage inside the house
Empty the air conditioner’s drip pans
Along with the following guidelines you need to keep your place clean to make the air quality better. You need to wash pillows, sheets and comforters once in a week to reduce the exposure to allergens. Remove your shoes at the door while coming inside the house to keep the dirt and germs away from home. Use a heavy duty vacuum cleaner with proper disposable bags and microfiber cloths to clean the surface dirt.
These simple steps can help to avoid poor air quality at home and keep you and your family safe and healthy.