7 Tips to Reduce Air Pollution in Your Home

Did you know that indoor air pollution can exceed what you find outside? Here are some suggestions for enhancing household air quality.

How polluted is the air quality where you live? The EPA estimates that individuals spend 90% of their time indoors, making indoor air quality two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

If you're worried about your family's health, you should avoid bringing pollutants into the house and instead focus on keeping it adequately ventilated. Here are 7 tips to improve indoor quality and reduce Air pollution in your Oregon home.

1. Don’t Allow Smoking Indoors

When breathed in close quarters, some airborne contaminants can be fatal. Secondhand smoke is a significant health risk. Each year, respiratory tract infections cause the hospitalization or illness of thousands of youngsters, and smoking increases the risk of complications for older people with cardiovascular or lung disease.

To protect your family's health, never permit smoking indoors. According to some new reports, no exposure to secondhand smoke is without a health risk. Ask all smokers to smoke outside.

2. Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector

Carbon monoxide poisoning kills more than 400 people a year, and many more get sick or go to the hospital after being exposed to the odorless gas.

Early symptoms may mirror the flu, but watch for the following signs: If you have symptoms in more than one family member, including your pets, and you feel better away from home, you may have a carbon monoxide problem. Install a carbon monoxide detector near your sleeping areas to protect yourself. To keep the deadly gas away from your house, have all fuel-burning appliances inspected by a competent specialist once a year.

3. Don’t Idle the Car after Parking

Carbon monoxide from gas or other fuels burned inside can make the air unhealthy and kill people.

A person's health can be seriously jeopardized by exposure to exhaust fumes from running automobiles or lawnmowers in a secure place like a garage. To that end, you should only utilize direct-vent gas stoves and heaters. You should never use charcoal grills indoors.

4. Choose Low VOC paints

Even after months have passed after you applied the paint and it no longer smells, it still emits small amounts of gas.

Toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are VOCs or volatile organic compounds that can be found in these gases. If you must paint indoors, use "low-VOC" paints, varnishes, waxes, and other chemicals, and make sure to open windows and use exhaust fans to get rid of fumes. Indoor storage is not recommended for open paint cans.

5. Fix Leaks

Mold and mildew can flourish in damp indoor environments caused by rain and excessive humidity. Even if there isn't any mold present, dampness alone has been linked to increased asthma symptoms like wheezing and coughing. Check your roof, foundation, and basement once a year for signs of water damage or leaks to keep your home's structure in good shape.

6. Clean Your Air Conditioner

People with Asthma can benefit from prompt attention to leaks and drips, which can help keep mold and mildew out of the home. Dust mites, mold, and mildew thrive in moist, humid environments, which can aggravate asthma symptoms. Run a dehumidifier or air conditioner and keep both units clean when necessary.

7. Know the limits of Air Purifiers

Studies report that using air purifiers as part of a larger effort to combat indoor air pollution can help remove even the finest particles from the air. They can only do so much. Air purifiers, for instance, are useless against gases and humidity. Larger, heavier particles, such as many allergens, fall too quickly out of the air to be successfully eliminated in this method.

Need Help?

Maintaining clean, healthy air quality in your house takes effort and forethought. Now that you know some easy DIY methods for cleaning up your home's air, it might be time to schedule an appointment with a Best Owner Direct HVAC expert. Service plans that include AC filter replacement and other measures to maintain clean indoor air are available from us. Contact Best Owner Direct HVAC immediately so you can relax in clean, healthy air at home.