Quality of air is one of the most overlooked aspects of health care. In America alone, over 135 million citizens live with polluted air. Industrial emissions, transportation fumes and recent wildfires are some of the highest contaminants found in our atmosphere. These are mainly outside, but they can come indoors and mix with microbes and bacteria to worsen indoor air quality.

However, there are ways to combat this. From maintaining your HVAC system with the help of experts such as Air 24/7 to steaming surfaces often and vacuuming your carpets daily, here are 8 simple yet effective ways to improve your indoor air quality this year.

Use Air Purifiers

Relatively cheap yet very effective, indoor air purifiers have proved an effective means of removing common contaminants found inside the home. Essentially, these machines draw in pollutants like dander, pollen and microbes. They then catch HEPA filters and then output cleaned air. Additionally, studies have shown that those with respiratory conditions needed to use their aids less often, such as asthma inhalers and nebulizers.

Try Essential Oil Diffusers

Essential oils have long been used for a variety of conditions. For example, lavender is used to help with sleep, and eucalyptus is a standard aid for sinus congestion. There are many ways to use essential oils. Still, an effective method that also helps with air pollution is electric diffusers. Essential oil diffusers can help with air pollution as they can kill some of the pathogenic bacteria found in the air around your home.

Maintain HVAC Systems

Air conditioners are known for their ability to regulate the temperature of your home. But they can also help with air quality. While air conditioning systems don’t provide clean air from any external means, they help with contaminant control. For that reason, it’s definitely worth looking into the benefits of air conditioning installation. Furthermore, investing in high-efficiency and eco-friendly heating systems can further enhance your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. Maintaining a constant temperature and controlling humidity helps to prevent harmful microbes from spreading around the house. They can also prevent potentially lethal organisms such as mould from forming. Therefore, regular maintenance and inspections of both your air conditioning and heating systems carried out by experienced professionals from Brothers Oil and Brothers Mechanical (or a similar firm) can be helpful in ensuring they operate effectively and safely, providing you with the best air quality and comfort throughout the year.

Open Your Windows

It is probably the simplest yet one of the most overlooked methods of introducing clean air into your home. Opening your windows is a highly effective means of establishing clean airflow. Even if you live in a high pollution area, allowing the outdoors to flow through your home is healthier than keeping the windows closed. Opening windows and doors will form wind channels that carry harmful bacteria and microbes outside while providing a fresh breeze throughout. Additionally, it’s a good idea to get professionals to test indoor air quality of your home to ensure that other factors, such as dust, allergens, or mold, are not affecting the cleanliness of your home’s air. From here, the experts can do what’s necessary to improve the quality of the air in your home.

Steam Surfaces Often

Cleaning your home is an excellent way to reduce harmful microbes throughout. However, some of these can be extremely difficult to kill, even with anti-bacterial products. Steam cleaners are perfect for killing bacteria and can be used on hard surfaces, upholstery and carpets – all of which are safe havens for air-polluting microbes. In addition, steam cleaners are very effective against dangerous viruses like salmonella, E. Coli and Covid-19.

Vacuum Carpets Daily

Similar to upholstery, carpets are also a cosy home for dangerous microbes, bacteria and germs. Potentially dangerous household bugs staphylococcus aureus, staph and their faeces also linger around on your carpets. When you walk around, they can be displaced into the air and can linger around, ready for you to breathe in. Therefore, vacuuming your carpets is essential and should be done at least once per day.

Introduce a Little Nature

Along with allowing some fresh outdoor air into your home, you could consider some house plants. Of course, not all are as effective as others, but some species of plants such as fern, lily and palm are excellent for helping provide cleaner air. Plants breathe in excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and then breathe out clean and fresh oxygen. One study conducted in the 1980s also found that plants clean the air of cancer-causing contaminants like benzene and formaldehyde.

Ventilate High Pollutant Areas

In most homes, some areas are more prone to pollution than others. For example, your kitchen will contaminate the air by releasing substances from food, such as fat particles, into the air. Additionally, because of the high humidity, your bathroom is a breeding ground for all manner of germs and bacteria such as mold. In these areas, if there are problems with damp and mold, it is important to get this addressed with professional help from those that provide Mold Removal in South Bay, CA. Ensuring the space is cleaned thoroughly and safely should be a priority. These areas should be ventilated as much as possible to avoid any future pollution or mold growth. Cooker hoods are excellent for the kitchen, and extraction fans work well in the bathroom.

In Summary

The risk of dangerous pollutants in the air is present no matter where you live. Outdoor air quality can exacerbate conditions like asthma, but even polluted air is better than stale indoor air. Therefore, you should ventilate your home by at least opening windows. This will draw in the fresh air and help remove a certain amount of contaminants.

Additionally, you can use electronic devices like air purifiers, essential oil diffusers and HVAC systems (like those CJS Heating and Air could install for you). These will provide additional benefits as they work to remove harmful airborne substances and provide clean air. You should also ventilate high-risk areas such as the bathroom and kitchen as much as possible and clean using steam and vacuum cleaners.