There are so many things to take care of when you’re a homeowner, such as testing smoke and carbon monoxide filters, testing appliances, checking faucets and pipes for leaks, keeping the bathrooms clean, and the list goes on. As long as your air isn’t making it noticeably difficult to breathe, it can be easy to take it for granted. Even if you don’t typically think about your indoor air, however, you’ll need to change that. Something as basic as some excess humidity can make your home feel warmer, make it more difficult to sleep, and build moisture, making it easier for mold and mildew to grow.
Speaking of mold, your indoor air may be full of other contaminants as well, such as pet dander, pollen and other allergens, and simple dust. Airborne microorganisms and viruses can also plague your indoor air quality, which should be a major concern after COVID-19. It may be difficult to believe, but according to the EPA, indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air, even in cities with major industrialization. If this has alerted you to how bad your home’s air may actually be, don’t worry. Here are a few simple things you can do to significantly boost your air quality.
Keep up with HVAC system maintenance.
Most homeowners will at least do an annual check of their HVAC systems, considering their importance for maintaining comfortable temperatures throughout the year. Your maintenance should be more than just checking the air conditioner for refrigerant leaks or making sure the condenser unit is still running, though. Even forgetting something simple, such as changing your air filters once a month can have big consequences for your indoor air quality.
If you neglect your filters, then they become clogged with dust, allergens, and other debris. This makes your air conditioning unit work harder to cool your home, and it also increases the odds that it spreads pollutants throughout your home via the air ducts. A lack of proper maintenance means that what would be minor problems turn into costly repairs, so it’s a good idea to have technicians come out for an inspection once per year. If your home is difficult to cool in certain areas, then you might even want to look into a ductless system installation. Indoor units can be focused on your trouble areas, and you’ll no longer have ducts to worry about spreading mold spores or other pollutants.
Get an air purifier.
One of the simplest ways to get rid of existing pollutants in your home is with an air purifier. Most models with multiple filters will do a good job of removing dust, dander, and pollen, but you may want to go with UV light to take care of microorganisms and viruses. Check out five benefits that UV light air purifiers offer your Urbana, MD, home, for example, to get more information on UV light purifiers. UV lights can be used to disinfect water, air, and surfaces. This light can be used to directly deactivate airborne pathogens, and UV-C purifiers can be installed with no health risks.
UV filters can also be placed around your HVAC system intakes, which scrambles the DNA of any single-cell organisms that pass through the filter. With a combination of these technologies, you can rest easy knowing that the air in your living space is free of harmful germs and pollutants.
Bring some of the outdoors in.
This might seem counterintuitive, but bringing some greenery into the house, such as with indoor potted plants, can be great for your indoor air. You’ll need to be careful not to knock the plants over, spilling water and soil, naturally.
Other than that, indoor plants are easy to take care of, and they remove carbon dioxide from the air while replacing it with fresh oxygen. You’ll no longer have to step outside to get a breath of fresh air, and houseplants are known to boost owners’ moods as well.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Home Tech category
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