With more and more adults working from home, and an increasing number of students completing their education online, it is more important than ever to keep the risk of indoor air pollution as low as possible. Children and people living with respiratory conditions are at an especially high risk of being affected by poor indoor air quality (IAQ).
Napoleon wants to share a few easy habits that residents can adopt to ensure that the air quality in the home is optimal for everyone.
- Keep the home clean
A clean house is a healthy house. Dust, pet dander, and even mold can accumulate in various areas throughout the home.
The worst culprits are linens and carpets, so make sure to vacuum regularly (this is extra important if users have a lot of carpet in their home), clean bedding, drapes, and other items that tend to attract allergens. Consider using dust mite-proof covers on mattresses and pillows for an extra layer of protection.
- Ensure users have good ventilation in their homes and keep the air circulating
Improving the ventilation in the home is an easy way to improve air quality
The more space there is for air to circulate, the lower the concentration of air pollutants. Improving the ventilation in the home is an easy way to improve air quality. Users can do this by occasionally opening doors in their homes and ensuring that furniture is kept away from baseboards and heating vents.
Many indoor air pollutants come from the kitchen, especially from the stove, so make sure to turn on kitchen vents to keep the air circulating and open a window to help clear the air even more.
- Test the air quality in your home regularly
Napoleon has all heard the horror stories of residents discovering too late that toxic gas is in their homes. It can be easy for gases to accumulate in an enclosed space and be harmful to a family, especially in more extreme temperatures when closing the windows.
Every home should have multiple clouds of smoke and at least one carbon monoxide detector, which will trigger if the levels get to be too high. However, testing for other contaminants such as mold or chemicals is not recommended because they are difficult to measure correctly. In these cases, proper ventilation is usually sufficient for improving the air quality.
- Change air filters
Changing the filters is an easy maintenance task that will keep air quality top-notch
If users have an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system in their home, it will have a filter that will need to be changed regularly. These filters trap dust and other airborne irritants to keep them from circulating in the air in the home, but over time they get full and stop working as effectively.
Not only does this lead to lower indoor air quality, but it can cause trouble for the HVAC systems and lead to costly repairs. Changing the filters is an easy maintenance task that will keep air quality top-notch.
- If needed, invest in an air purifier, humidifier, or dehumidifier
Sometimes, users can’t control a problem, such as an allergen, dry air, or humid air. It can be wise to invest in a machine for home in these cases. An air purifier can help capture pollutants that cause discomfort.
A humidifier and dehumidifier help control the humidity level in the home and help prevent mold growth and the spread of dust mites. Users may not be able to eradicate the problem entirely, but a machine can undoubtedly lessen it and make users more comfortable.
- And the easiest tip of all: open windows
It is easy for the air in the house to get stale or contaminated from cooking or cleaning
Especially during the colder months, it is easy for the air in the house to get stale or contaminated from cooking or cleaning.
Even just a couple of inches, opening a window allows the air from inside to escape and the fresh air from outside to come in. It may seem counterproductive to keep the home temperature comfortable, but it is crucial for air circulation and to allow an influx of fresh air to enter the home.
Indoor Air Quality
The air pollution in a home can sometimes be just as harmful or even worse than outdoors in the city. Luckily, users can take several easy preventive measures to improve indoor air quality, such as vacuuming their carpets regularly and changing the air filters.
Once users take steps to ensure that the air quality in home is safe, they can breathe easy knowing that they did the right thing for themselves and their families.
