When most people think of pollution or poor air quality, they imagine a layer of haze over a city or difficulty breathing outside due to smog or a nearby fire. Though poor air quality certainly affects the outside world, it can also describe the type of air you’re breathing within your own home.
The air quality in your home can be influenced by a number of factors, including:
Your home’s foundational materials
Air coming in from outdoors
The chemicals in your cleaning supplies
Pet dander
Dust mites
The vents
Your AC unit
In order to improve the air quality within your home and protect yourself and your family from airborne pathogens, there are a few steps you can take.
1. Clean the floors. Keeping your floors spotless doesn’t only make your house look better, it prevents the buildup of air pollutants. Common household dust can contain dangerous chemicals and allergens, and more dust lives on the floor than you might think. Up your vacuuming schedule to two or three times a week (and make sure your vacuum uses a HEPA filter, so the pollutants aren’t released back into the air). Also, mop tiled surfaces often and avoid wearing shoes in the house to keep away pollutants brought in from outside.
2. Ventilate your space. Dust builds up easiest when the air is stagnant. Therefore, increasing the airflow throughout your home will help to improve the air quality. Regularly opening windows and doors is one easy way to increase airflow; however, if you live in a metropolitan area with a high level of pollution, you may want to invest in a trickle ventilator. This device intakes air from outside and filters it before expelling it throughout your home.
3. Clean your AC unit and vents. Air conditioners are known to boost air quality in homes by removing excess humidity and filtering dust, pollen, and other allergens out of the airflow. However, AC units can’t properly filtrate the air within a home if their filters are dirty or malfunctioning. Make sure to clean your air conditioner’s filters regularly, and while you’re at it, check your vents often for buildup of dust and debris.
4. Reduce your use of toxic chemicals. Most homeowners aren’t in the habit of checking the ingredient lists on their cleaning or air freshening supplies, which is a big contributor to poor air quality and chemical exposure within the home. Do your best to switch over to eco-friendly cleaning and air freshening materials, and your health (and the planet) will thank you.
Not sure what role your AC system is playing in your home’s air quality? Call Rowland Air today for a consultation with a friendly, experienced HVAC technician in Southern California.