Believe it or not, the air inside your home can be more polluted than the air outside. Poor indoor air quality can be caused by many sources including outdoor pollution, poor quality of building materials, emissions from heating and appliances, and fragrances used in household cleaners. These items can contribute to a range of health issues including eye irritation, asthma, allergies, colds, fatigue, headaches, respiratory problems, and cardiovascular disease.
Discover four simple, affordable ways to improve your indoor air quality for less money.
Decorate with Indoor Plants
Adding houseplants to your living spaces is one of the simplest, most natural ways to improve indoor air quality. Plants not only look nice and brighten up spaces, but they also act as natural air purifiers that help to remove toxins from the air you breathe. Some plants can add additional oxygen to the air. However, not all plants are created equal. Some of the best plants to use include bamboo palm, English ivy, gerbera daisy, succulents, and several varieties of dracaena.
Remove Shoes Before Entering Your Home
The bottoms of your shoes are one of the most common ways that pollutants, dirt, and other allergens enter your home. A simple way to keep debris out of your living spaces is by making sure people remove their shoes before entering your home. Simply place a boot tray or shoe rack by your front door to collect shoes and prevent pollutants from making their way into your home.
Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance
Having an HVAC technician perform regular HVAC system maintenance is another simple, effective way to improve indoor air quality. A poorly maintained HVAC system not only impacts your home’s air quality, but it can also negatively affect your health. When basic HVAC maintenance such as changing the air filter, is not performed, airflow through the system can be restricted. This restriction allows allergens and other toxins to remain in the air you breathe.
In addition, foregoing basic HVAC system maintenance can lead to all types of problems including leaks, malfunctioning components, dirty coils, and more. These issues can affect your system’s ability to cool your home and maintain proper humidity levels, possibly resulting in harmful biological growth.
Clean Your Home Regularly
When you clean your home on a regular basis, you can easily and inexpensively improve your home’s indoor air quality. Allergens such as dust mites, animal dander, and pollen accumulate on your floors, especially if you have carpeting or rugs. By sweeping, vacuuming the carpet and any upholstered furniture, cleaning the drapery, and dusting regularly, these allergens can easily be removed. Be sure to use a vacuum cleaner that has a removable and cleanable filter, as well as one that will not blow any dust or dirt back into the air.
Improving your home’s indoor air quality is actually easy to do. With a few simple changes to your homekeeping habits, you can improve the quality of the air you breathe indoors and avoid health issues.
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