6 Easy Ways You Can Improve Indoor Air Quality
Blue Valley Heating and Cooling is a licensed HVAC contractor with over 30 years of experience in helping homeowners select the best home ventilation system and keep it in good working condition.
Many of us only start looking for an HVAC contractor after we’ve already purchased a home ventilation system and need a professional to install it. However, given the importance of this piece of equipment for your health and well-being, it is a good idea to call a specialist to recommend the type, size, and model of air quality solutions. These are critical factors that will result in breathing clean, filtered air, or having to deal with various health issues caused by poor indoor air quality.
The fact is that at present we spend more time indoors than outdoors. The current pandemic has limited our ability to move and go to visit places with clean air (such as the seaside or the mountains) even more. Thus, a good home ventilation system is no longer a luxury but a basic necessity.
Simple Air Quality Solutions Make a Big Difference
How can you improve indoor air quality? The quality of air depends on the type of home air circulation system you have as much as on your diligence to maintain it in good condition and use other simple and effective ways to bring fresh air into your home and reduce pollution.
Here are some of the easiest ways in which you can apply indoor air quality solutions to create a pleasant and healthy environment in your home.
Daily Ventilation Is a Must!
Air circulation through the home is essential for a healthy family. Stale air is usually laden with dust and various allergens (including dead skin cells from your body). The simple act of opening doors to create a draft of air is enough to replace stale air with a fresh one. Even with a home ventilation system equipped with various air filters, you should not keep the windows permanently closed.
A pinch of cold winter air will be soon neutralized by the heating unit. But airing rooms every day for at least 5 minutes is one of the best practices you should not give up. This is one of the simple, free air quality solutions that anyone can use, especially if you are using paint, thinner, and other volatile substances that will leak various chemicals into the air you breathe.
Remove Allergy Triggers
People who have asthma or various allergies can suffer attacks ranging from mild (labored breathing) to severe (difficulty to breathe at all). Once you consult with the physician to learn what your family member is allergic to, you should identify and remove all allergy triggers from your home.
However, one of the biggest allergens that everyone has at home is dust. Dust can contain mold spores or fungi, as well as other particles that can trigger an asthma attack. A home ventilation system in good working condition will remove dust from the air blown into the room. As a supplementary precaution, make sure that you dust all surfaces on a regular basis and maintain proper air circulation from the lowest level of your house (the basement) to the highest (the attic).
Other simple ways how to purify air without air purifier are:
Control Humidity and Moisture Levels
Maintaining an adequate level of humidity and moisture is probably the most overlooked fresh air solution. Dry air will affect the eyes and nose, triggering various unpleasant symptoms. However, too much moisture (combined with a warm temperature) is the perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew, and fungi.
Install a UV Light Air Purifier in the Ductwork
The ductwork is the network of tubes used to push conditioned air (warm or cool) from the central units to the vents in each room. Over the years, even the best home ventilation system can be infiltrated by various impurities, especially germs, which will eventually get inside each room, and then in your lungs.
To prevent this issue, one of the most modern and efficient HVAC indoor air quality solutions you can choose is a UV light air purifier installed in the ducts. UV light kills most germs (including the dreaded SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the FDA).
Pay Attention to Combustion Pollutants
Indoor air quality solutions also refer to controlling pollutants created indoors. Carbon monoxide is the most common one. In high concentrations, it can be lethal. To avoid this silent and odorless killer, it is important to ensure that the central unit (the furnace) of the home ventilation system is located in a properly ventilated area and away from pets or children who may interfere with it.
Perform HVAC System Maintenance on a Regular Basis
How to bring fresh air into home? By making sure that your HVAC system is working properly, of course! Annual inspections, as well as preventive maintenance performed by a licensed contractor, will extend the useful life of your home ventilation system and ensure that it generates clean air that you and your family can breathe safely. An expert will know how to measure indoor air quality properly and what course of action you’ll need to take next.
We Are Ready to Help You with the Best Air Quality Solutions
Even the most expensive indoor air quality products can break down or stop working as well as before. Blue Valley Heating and Cooling is your trusted licensed contractor always ready to recommend, install, repair, or test the efficiency of your home ventilation system. We know how to check air quality in your house the right way and ensure you get the best possible indoor air quality solutions for your home.
We are located in Longmont, CO, but we also serve customers in:
Call us now: 303-993-2645! 3rd March 2022
