Winter in Canada means keeping home as warm as possible, sealing up any drafts to keep the heat in and the cold out. This helps the home’s heating system to work more efficiently and avoid wasting energy. While it may feel warm & cozy, and keep heating bills down, all that stale air inside may not be very healthy.
The homes are filled with unseen pollutants that affect the indoor air quality (IAQ). From the chemicals released by the materials in furnishings and construction materials to pets and outdoor pollution, users breathe in airborne particles without even noticing, which can lead to serious health issues for some.
Breathe Clean
The quality of the air inside a home is just as important as its temperature. For those who suffer from allergies or who may have respiratory issues, being sealed inside a cozy cocoon may exasperate these issues.
From asthma flare-ups to fatigue, the lack of fresh air circulating throughout the home means allergens remain inside, impacting the ability to breathe easily.
Indoor air quality
Improving a home’s indoor air quality can spell relief as the allergens are reduced, lessening symptoms
Improving a home’s indoor air quality can spell relief as the allergens are reduced, lessening symptoms.
While they cannot be eliminated entirely, the following are a few ideas to help reduce the amount of pollen, allergens, dust mites, and other irritants in the home, to help users breathe easier and get a better night’s sleep, even when winter keeps windows closed.
Ways to improve IAQ
There are three essential methods of controlling and improving a home’s indoor air quality:
- Control the Source
The least expensive way to improve indoor air quality requires a little elbow grease. Staying on top of the dust will help a lot. Many of the irritants and allergens in the home cannot be seen by the naked eye, so it is important to be thorough. Start from the top down, dusting and vacuuming the top of ceiling fans, floors, walls, and furniture. Don’t forget the mattress, the bed is a very cozy home for millions of dust mites and their feces.
Users may also want to wash bed linens, pillows, and curtains more frequently, and in hot water. All that dust and animal dander that users wipe off furniture also accumulate on top of sofa, carpets, and bedspreads at the same rate. Users will have better results if they use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter, which will catch even more allergens in the home.
- Improve Ventilation
Users may consider integrating an ERV into a home’s heating & cooling system, which will increase ventilation
Introducing fresh outdoor air will help to remove or dilute the particles in the home. If users are able to open windows for a few minutes, run the kitchen and bathroom fan at the same time.
This will pull stale air outside while increasing the amount of fresh outdoor air entering the indoor space, and lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. Of course, opening the windows on occasion during the winter may increase energy costs, but users may find it worthwhile for health.
Users may want to consider integrating an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) into a home’s heating & cooling system, which will dramatically increase ventilation while removing odors, bacteria, and other unwanted airborne particles from the home.
- Clean the Air
If a home has a furnace or ductless heating system, replace the filters more frequently, or invest in higher-quality media filters that trap tinier particles, preventing them from circulating throughout the home. If a home is heated by a furnace, consider having a duct cleaned annually to remove dust that is trapped inside.
Users may find that investing in an air purifier pays off handsomely in health benefits. Capturing some of the allergens and irritants that aggravate symptoms will offer some relief. Don’t forget other easy options, such as running a dehumidifier in areas of the home that are damp, and eradicating mold in the bathroom.
Another Approach
Modern HVAC systems are outfitted with cutting-edge innovations designed to improve indoor air quality
When the time comes to replace the furnace, consider a model with features that improve ventilation and clean the air. Modern HVAC systems are outfitted with cutting-edge innovations designed to improve indoor air quality.
Not only do they pull fresh air into the home, but the best ones also clean the air with UV-C technology, killing bacteria, mold, and viruses as they filter and sanitize the air circulating throughout the home.
home comfort systems
By intercepting and eradicating airborne pathogens, even as users sleep, these home comfort systems can lead to a better quality of life for many.
By controlling the source of the irritants and allergens in the home, improving ventilation, and cleaning the air itself, users will be well on the way to keeping indoor air quality at its absolute best.