Five Ways to Improve Your Home’s Air Quality

The quality of your home’s indoor air may seem great to you, but pollutants are often invisible and difficult to detect. Indoor air quality can impact your breathing and overall health, so it’s important to maintain good air quality to the best of your ability. There are many things you can do to improve your indoor air quality – from changing your HVAC air filter to cleaning your home more frequently, these tips can help you maintain healthy air.

Change Your HVAC Filter

Every central climate control system comes with a filter. The filter cleans the air that circulates through your home’s ducts. Filters are typically found by the blower, fitted into a slot where they can be easily removed and replaced.

The EPA recommends that you change your HVAC filter at least once every three months, as long as your furnace is in use. You can change the air filter more often for better results – just check your air filter periodically to see if it’s dirty.

You can buy new filters at your local hardware store or home improvement center. If you’re very sensitive to allergens or have a pet, you might consider installing a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air. These filters remove smaller particles from the air and can help keep your home’s air even cleaner than standard filters.

Vent the Air When Cooking

Cooking can pollute the air in your home, especially if you’re cooking with a gas stove. To get rid of air pollution in your home, open a window or turn on the air vent above your stove while cooking. If you ever replace your stove, consider switching to an electric cooktop.

Vacuum Rugs and Carpets Weekly

Rugs and carpets dramatically impact the cleanliness of your home’s air. Dust on your carpets and rugs can get stirred up every time you walk through. That impacts the amount of dust in the air and can impact the dust on your furniture too! On a side note, it’s also important to vacuum your upholstery, which can also accumulate dust for the same reasons.

Keep Humidity at the Ideal Level

Air that is too humid can promote mold spores in the air. Keep your home’s humidity at the ideal level – between 30% and 50% humidity. Buy a humidifier and dehumidifier to help you control the humidity.

Freshen Your Space with Indoor Plants

Indoor plants can help clean your home’s air! Buy houseplants and keep them in every room of your house. Don’t keep them too wet, or they could emit mold spores from the soil.