When the worst of the summer heat hits, most people opt to stay indoors in the comfort of their air-conditioned home. While your home’s air conditioning system may help you forget that it is 100 degrees outside, you may be exposing your family to high levels of indoor air pollutants. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air in many homes contains more pollutants than outdoor air. The following tips will help you and your family breathe easier as you cool down.
Most air conditioning systems recirculate air to save energy. As the air gets recirculated, so do the contaminants. While not maintaining your air conditioning unit can properly inevitably leads to needing costly AC repair service, it can also have a huge impact on the quality of the air inside your home. For example, dirty or clogged filters or ducts can restrict airflow and allow the accumulated allergens and other irritants to enter and circulate inside your home. Byproducts from gas appliances, pets, and volatile organic compounds produced by common household cleaning products can also affect indoor air quality and cause reactions in individuals with respiratory conditions.
The easiest and most affordable way to test the air quality in your home is to purchase an air quality testing kit online or at your nearest hardware or home improvement store. Today’s kits are much more accurate than earlier versions and can alert you to the issues most affecting your indoor air quality.
Air out your home by opening the windows from time to time. This will allow the built-up carbon dioxide and other fumes to disperse. If you or a loved one has pollen allergies, make sure that you don’t do this when pollen counts are likely to be high.
When possible, avoid products that contain synthetic fragrances. Many of the chemicals contained in these products cannot be filtered out by your air conditioner.
Adding houseplants will not only beautify your home, but they can also help cleanse the air. Aloe Vera, spider plants, rubber plants, and English ivy are all good choices.
Natural beeswax candles release negative ions as they burn, which attracts the pollen and other pollutants that carry a positive charge. If you have a loved one with asthma or other breathing difficulties, it is best to go with unscented candles.
Make sure that you dust, sweep, mop, and vacuum frequently to remove as many particles as possible from your furniture and floors. It is best to dust before vacuuming since dusting will push particles onto the carpet.
Don’t forget to check your AC filter. Depending on the type of filter that you have and the environmental conditions in your home, you should change or clean your filter every one to three months.
Swan Plumbing, Heating & Air of Denver, provides homeowners with professional solutions to indoor air quality problems.
They install central filtration systems designed to trap contaminants as they travel through your duct work.
Humidity is a major factor affecting indoor air quality. Too much humidity can promote the growth of mold and other fungi. Air that is too dry allows microscopic irritants to remain airborne longer. They can outfit your home with a central humidification system so that the air in your home has the proper amount of moisture for optimal air quality and comfort.
They offer advanced ventilation systems to ensure the proper exchange between stale air and fresh air.
They provide professional duct cleaning services to remove the dust and debris inside your AC system.
To find out more about how Swan Plumbing, Heating & Air of Denver can help you improve the air quality in your home, please visit their website or give them a call.