Many people never think about the indoor air quality in their homes. On average, the air in your home is 100% more polluted than the air outdoors. Surprising as it may seem, it’s true.
While the wind and rain play an important role in cleansing or at least diminishing outdoor pollutants, the air in your home can often become stale and stagnant. Add to this the fact that many items in the home, like plastics and carpets are constantly releasing chemical vapors over their lifetimes and you begin to see why indoor air is less than ideal.
Below you will find some tips that can help keep the air in your home fresher and cleaner. This is especially important for families members who suffer from allergies and
1. Make a habit of opening a few windows in your home everyday. This will allow fresh outdoor air to circulate through the home. This will also save you some money on energy expenses because you can shut off the air conditioner while the windows are open.
If members of your family suffer with allergies, you may have to wait for rainy days or low pollen count days to open windows.
2. Purchase a portable square fan that can be placed in a window to act as an “exhaust fan.” Even though the fan will be positioned to blow outwards, it will still draw air indoors through other open windows.
3. Check your dryer vent tubing and ensure that it is free of tears and holes. You should also be sure that the exhaust tubing fits snugly on the vent opening. While your dryer is operating, check the outside exhaust vent to make sure air is flowing and that there are no blockages in dryer vent pipes.
4. Make it a requirement that guests and family members remove their shoes prior to entering your home. This practice will help lessen the dirt, pollen and other pollutants that may be carried into the home on the soles of shoes.
5. Add live plants to your home. Some of the easier plants to care for are ferns and African Violets. Plants take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen back into the atmosphere. They act like natural air scrubbers and don’t require the direct use of electric energy.
6. Purchase one or more air purifiers. Before making any purchases, read through several air purifier reviews to get a better understanding of how these appliances function. Reading and research should also give you a good idea of how many purifiers you need to service your home.
7. If you suspect there is a serious problem with the air quality in your home, purchase an indoor air quality test kit. These kits can range from $40 to over $500 in cost, so they should be used only when absolutely necessary. If you don’t want to do it yourself, check the yellow pages (online or offline) for companies that offer this type service.
If you have not given much thought to indoor air quality, now is a good time to start. Fresh, clean indoor air can often help lessen the effects of many respiratory ailments as well as rid your home of foul odors.