- Let The Fresh Air In
Most people rarely open their windows to let fresh air in every day. Although you might already have a portable air conditioner, opening the windows first thing in the morning after getting out of bed is always good practice. This allows stale air to escape while letting fresh air in. This is one of the best ways to keep indoor air quality fresh.
- Invest In a Mechanical Ventilation System
Modern home insulation methods do not allow air to flow naturally in and out of the house. While efficient for keeping the house warm or cool, it only increases the chances of recirculating air repeatedly. Installing a mechanical ventilation system for air renewal is an excellent way to overcome this. This way, it will be possible to allow fresh air in without necessarily opening the windows.
- Use Low-Emission Cleaning Products
Some cleaning products contain high chemical concentrations, sometimes affecting indoor air quality. Avoid such by checking the product’s “Air Label Score” and only going for low-emission products.
- Maintain recommended indoor humidity levels
Relatively high humidity levels attract mold and mildew growth, a reason you want to keep it between 40 to 70% for optimal air quality.
- Don’t smoke while in the house
Smoking while inside the house isn’t a wise idea. Cigarettes release toxic fumes which cling to items in the house, degrading indoor air quality. Consider stepping outside when you need to smoke.
- Invest in low-emission furniture
Some types of furniture contain and release carcinogenic compounds, e.g., formaldehyde, into the air. Unfortunately, this compound is quite common in glues, a reason you want to be careful when choosing furniture. Experts recommend furniture rated as low-emission if concerned about air quality.
- Keep Your House Clean
Make a habit of cleaning your home at least 3 times per week. Be sure to carry out general cleaning at least during the weekend or when free for indoor air quality.
If there are crawl spaces in your home, consider cleaning these on a regular basis. A common problem seen in crawl spaces is that excess moisture is allowed to gather and mold begins to form and spread into your walls or flooring. If it’s been a while since you last cleaned your crawl space and you notice what looks like mold, it would be worthwhile to contact a company dealing with crawl space encapsulation in Leominster, MA (or elsewhere more relevant). Having your crawl space encapsulated can prevent moisture from getting into this space and also prevent any potential pollutants inside from spreading into your home.
- Consider low-emission construction materials
Some building materials are known to contain toxic compounds such as asbestos and lead. Avoiding these and using only natural/low-emission materials can help keep your home safer while maintaining good indoor air quality.
- Use Eco-Friendly Paints
Paints are commonly classified into short-term and long-term emission phases. Short-term emission phase paints only emit compounds within the first few days or weeks of application. Long-term emission phase paints will continue releasing compounds to the environment months or even years after application. It would thus be advisable to go for low-emission paints.
- Install a kitchen air extraction system
Although you might know this, both gas and electric burners emit volatile organic compounds that can harm your health. It is no secret burners produce nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, and carbon monoxide, compounds you don’t need lingering on in your home. Installing (and running) an air extraction system in the kitchen can help eliminate these compounds.
Published: 2023-03-08 22:18:22
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