How Can I Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Have you noticed your allergies intensify when you’re at home? Are you getting sick more often than you used to? Does your air just feel stale and heavy?

Even though you may not think about your indoor air often, it is often more polluted than the air outside. It can affect your health and quality of sleep, so it’s important to keep your indoor air as clean as possible.

There are many ways to improve your indoor air quality. You can do this naturally by making slight adjustments to your routine, or you can work with a company that provides indoor air quality services. They can change your air filters or set you up with air purification and filtration systems to remove toxins and pollutants from your air.

Why Is Indoor Air Quality Important?

Maintaining prime indoor air quality is essential for your health and comfort. Different particles and gasses can seep into your air as contaminants, lowering your indoor air quality drastically.

Where Do Indoor Air Pollutants Come From?

These pollutants can come from many sources. Each time you cook, you release gasses and particles into the air. When you open a window, you let in outdoor air containing smoke, pollen, or other irritants. You also track pollutants inside every time you enter your home.

These particles and pollutants then cycle through your HVAC system. The filters in your HVAC system work to remove these toxins, but air filters often aren’t enough to keep your air as clean as you need it to be.

When your air is loaded with toxins, you risk all kinds of issues. You’ll notice your allergies become worse, and you may get sick more often. You may also find that you have trouble sleeping at night or that breathing is simply uncomfortable.

Luckily, there are ways to improve your indoor air quality. Some of them require the help of a professional HVAC company, while others you can easily do at home. Your health and comfort should always be a priority. Improving your indoor air quality can make a significant difference for everyone in your home or office space.

Easy Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

You’re probably wondering, “How can I improve indoor air quality?” There are many different ways to optimize your indoor air. Some involve simple adjustments to your daily routine, while others require the help of a company specializing in indoor air quality services.

Here are some ways to get clear air at home or in your office space:

Change Your Air Filters

A new air filter is one of the easiest ways to get clean air at home. Most air conditioning units and furnaces have air filters, and it’s essential to change them at least every six months to keep your air clean.

The air is constantly recycled through your heating and cooling systems as you use them. This means pollutants and debris collect in your air filters regularly, and they can get very dirty.

Dirty filters mean dirty air, and this can cause a lot of irritation. From allergies to illness and medical issues, polluted air is bad for your health and your home. You can change the air filters in your HVAC system on your own, but a professional can also change them as part of your annual tune-up.

Servicing your heating and cooling systems each year is part of being a responsible homeowner and will keep your system running efficiently. During your maintenance appointment, your contractor will change your filters and clean inside your units to optimize your home’s air quality and the functioning of your HVAC system.

Have Your Air Ducts Cleaned

While you can clean your air ducts on your own, it’s best to have a professional take care of this job. Many HVAC companies offer duct cleaning services along with your annual HVAC inspection and tune-up.

Cleaning your ducts is essential to maintaining your ideal home climate and keeping your air clean. Ducts can easily collect dust and debris that they will send into your home. For clean air in your home or office space, sparkling clean air ducts are vital.

Keep Your Carpet and Rugs Clean

If you want to know how to improve your residential indoor air quality naturally this winter, this section is for you. Rugs and carpets are natural traps for dirt and debris that can then spread throughout your home. While carpets and rugs can collect debris at any time, they can get filthy in winter weather conditions.

Make sure to vacuum your carpets and rugs weekly and give special care to cleaning during the winter months, especially if people don’t remove their shoes before walking through your home.

Use Your Fans

Another way to improve your air quality at home is to use all of the fans you have available, like the ones in your bathroom or above your stove. These devices help vent the area and clean your air, so long as you have a way to bring in fresh air and the outdoor air isn’t overly polluted.

Pay particular attention to the fan above your stove. Gas burners can release harmful toxins like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, which may be poisonous at high levels. Even electrical burners can produce these same contaminants, although at lower levels. It’s always good practice to vent the area with your fan while cooking.

Invest in Plants

You may be asking, “How do plants improve indoor air quality?” Plants clean the air indoors the same way they do outdoors, so if you’re thinking about improving your home’s indoor air quality naturally, plants may be the perfect solution.

Plants work as natural air filters. Ferns and lilies are beautiful options for inside your home. They quickly bloom indoors and naturally pull contaminants out of the air to help optimize your indoor air quality.

Take Control of Your Humidity

Moist air (or high humidity) is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and increases the rate of bacterial and viral organisms in the air. If you live in a warm or humid climate, this is a particular concern for you and your indoor air quality.

Air dehumidifiers can be extremely helpful, especially in the warmer months. Removing some of the excess moisture from your air can help it stay cleaner naturally.

Not only can removing excess moisture keep your air cleaner, but it will also make your home more comfortable, especially during the summer.

Use an Air Filtration or Air Purification System

If you’re wondering how to improve indoor air quality in offices or other large spaces, consider an air filtration or purification system. These systems can actively remove pollutants and contaminants from the air, such as the following:

• Pollen
• Dust mites
• Mold
• Viruses
• Bacteria

Sophisticated air filtration and purification systems are the gold standards for indoor air quality, and they work well whether you’re in a large or small space. If you want the cleanest possible air, purification systems are an excellent option. Working with a trusted HVAC company will allow you to compare options to get the best system for your space.

Raise Your Indoor Air Quality Standards

If you’re looking for indoor air quality services near Boise, look no further than the trusted team at TSS Home Comfort. We specialize in all manner of HVAC services, including premier whole-home air cleaning systems. Call us today to learn about all of the ways to improve your home air quality or to schedule your service appointment.