How to Improve the Indoor Air Quality in Your Home
As more Americans spend time inside their homes because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many homeowners have placed a greater emphasis on the health of their indoor air quality and how to make improvements to it.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air pollutants are two to five times higher than outdoor levels. This is important to note because the majority of Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors.
Fortunately, a few minor adjustments can improve the indoor air quality of your Indianapolis home. Healthier indoor air is particularly important for family members who suffer from asthma, allergies, or other respiratory illnesses. For information about indoor air quality solutions for your home, contact the heating and cooling experts at B&W today.
Tips for Improving Your Home’s IAQ
The HVAC technicians at B&W came up with the following tips for improving your home’s air quality indoors and reducing your home’s indoor air pollution.
Installation of a Whole Home Air Cleaner or Purifier
While portable air cleaners work to clean the air in just one room or area of the home, the installation of a whole house air cleaner provides service for your entire home. Whole house systems are much more effective at blocking out pollutants and allergens from the outside than portable units.
AccuClean whole house air cleaner
The AccuClean whole house air cleaner attaches to the return air duct on your furnace and takes the place of the existing filter. These units remove up to 99.98% of airborne particulate and allergens down to .3 microns from the filtered air on your home. The AccuClean removes smog, pollen, cooking smoke, tobacco smoke, skin flakes, mold, bacteria, and household dust and pet dander. The AccuClean has earned the Asthma and Allergy Foundation Of America certification and the Allergy Standards Limited certification and comes with a one-year labor and 10-year parts warranty.
iWave Air Purifier
The iWave Air Purifier mounts in your furnace blower compartment and works with your existing furnace filter to actively purify the entire house. It reduces odors, smoke, allergens, and particles. It also kills potentially harmful mold, bacteria, and viruses. It’s maintenance free, self-cleaning and has no replacement parts. It also comes with a three-year unit warranty.
Install a Whole House Humidifier for Winter Months
Low humidity during the winter months can lead to dry skin, dry nose and throat, as well as static electricity and wood shrinking or cracking. Installing a whole house humidifier will keep your home at the proper humidity level, making sure the air is more comfortable for the home’s occupants.
We recommend keeping a humidity level at 30 to 40% during the winter; the humidity level in a home without a whole house humidifier can get down to 15 to 20%.
Change HVAC filters regularly
Regularly changing your HVAC system’s air filter – depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations – catches pollutants from entering your home’s air supply. Changing air filters regularly also improves the performance of your air conditioning system. When filters are dirty, AC units must work harder to provide adequate cooling, causing decreased performance and higher energy bills.
Improved ventilation
Improving your home’s ventilation can go a long way toward healthier indoor air. When the weather allows for it, opening windows or doors – and operating attic or window fans – can dramatically improve the quality of your home’s air. According to the EPA, the introduction of outdoor air is one of the most important factors in promoting good air quality.
You can also improve indoor air ventilation and reduce indoor air pollution by using kitchen or bathroom fans that exhaust outdoors. Make sure the fans are in good working order and exhaust outside. If they just vent into the attic, you are not improving the air quality in your home.
Clean regularly
Keeping all of your home’s flooring fresh and clean with frequent vacuuming and mopping has a big impact on the air quality. Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter makes sure that dirt, pet dander, and dust won’t be blown back out into your living areas. Make sure to also clean furniture where dust is prone to settle on.
Use matting
Much of the dust and dirt that’s introduced into homes get tracked in from people’s shoes. Put doormats at every entrance to capture dust, debris, and other air pollutants. You can also keep a basket of slippers near the door and ask family members and guests to exchange their shoes for slippers.
Buy indoor plants
Indoor plants not only spruce up your home, but they also improve its IAQ by pulling pollutants from the air.
Contact B&W for Indoor Air Quality Solutions
As you can see, you can start to improve indoor air quality within your home with just a few simple tips. For more information about indoor air quality solutions, contact B&W today.