Indoor Air Quality Can Be Maximized at Home

The thought of breathing polluted air is alarming, but what’s really scary is that the air in your home may be worse than that found outside your door. The reason: most houses are built airtight these days, with little ventilation, so pollutants are trapped inside and some can even multiply. So what can you do to minimize indoor air pollution?

Know Your Air

First, get a handle on what’s contaminating your indoor air quality. Among the most common pollutants:

• Dust
• Dust mites
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals found in paint, varnish, pressed wood, insecticides, and cleaners
• Pollen
• Pet dander
• Radon
• Carbon monoxide
• Mold

The means for dealing with these substances will differ, but following are some tips to help you control them.

Controlling Air Contaminants

1. Buy fewer chemicals with VOCs; use products with natural ingredients and try cleaning with vinegar and baking soda. Stow chemicals outside the living space, with lids tightly in place.
2. Clean often, using a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter in the vacuum, and a damp mop or electrostatic cloth to wipe dust rather than to disperse it with a duster or broom.
3. Have your home tested for radon gas.
4. Install CO monitors to detect this deadly gas, a product of internal combustion.
5. Install ventilation, including exhaust fans (to the outdoors) for kitchens and bathrooms. Fix leaks or any conditions that may be conducive to mold.
6. Try an air cleaner, either whole house or portable. Air cleaner types are many and varied, from ultraviolet lights that treat mold and mildew, to activated charcoal filters that clean up cigarette smoke, to electrostatically charged filters that catch pollen and other tiny particles. Your HVAC pro can help you choose.
7. Use house plants extensively. A number of species of house plants are recommended for purifying household air of formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide.
8. Upgrade your HVAC system filter. Use a better quality pleated filter made of cotton fibers or polyester.

For more information on how to minimize indoor air pollution, contact Tempco Heating and Air Conditioning. We’ve provided our Chicagoland customers with excellent service since 1992.