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How to Improve Indoor Air Quality at Home

Does your home seem unusually dusty? Are you constantly fighting off a case of the sniffles? Is static electricity a problem? These are just a few of the signs related to indoor air pollution.  Poor air quality can affect your family’s health, comfort, and can even damage your home.

How Poor Air Quality Can Impact Your Health

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, approximately 50% of illnesses are either caused or aggravated by polluted indoor air. These pollutants can take several forms, including the following:

• Tiny particles and biological contaminants like pollen, dirt, mold, bacteria, pet dander, dust mites and viruses can trigger allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems.
• Odors and chemical vapors from sources like perfumes, cleaning supplies, paints, pets and cooking fumes can cause headaches, fatigue and allergic reactions.

What’s more, too little humidity can cause dry skin, sore throats and increase the risk of infections and respiratory ailments

7 Ways to Improve Air Quality

Here are several ways to make your air more breathable, especially during the cold weather months when you typically spend more time indoors with doors and windows closed:

1. Clean and vacuum regularly to remove dust, dirt, and particulates that build up indoors; be sure to change vacuum filter bags or clean dirt cups often, to ensure that the flow dust and dirt doesn’t reverse itself.
2. Certain varieties of indoor plants remove bacteria and other airborne pollutants plants from the air and then devour them for their nutritional value. You gotta love indoor plants!
3. Purchase and use only non-toxic materials and furnishings, including wall finishes, caulks, adhesives, upholstered furniture, and carpeting.
4. Use natural cleaning products which contain no volatile organic compounds or toxic chemicals. Or, you can make your own using normal, ever-present household ingredients like distilled white vinegar and baking soda.
5. Give your dog the occasional bath and wash their bedding to remove allergy-causing pet dander.
6. Ask family members to wipe their shoes on a doormat as they enter your home to remove known air pollutants from the soles of their shoes. For even better results, have them leave their shoes by the door.
7. Toss the dust rag and replace it with a microfiber cloth…these do a better job of trapping dust.

At Messmer Mechanical, we offer several indoor air quality solutions that provide whole-house relief all year long. Contact us today for more information or to request a free in-home air quality needs analysis.