Improving air quality in your home this winter is essential. Winter is the ideal time to turn up the heat and curl up under a blanket with a warm cup of coffee or cocoa. However, all is not safe within areas of your home that you would least expect. Air quality can be a matter of keeping you and your family healthy this winter.
Fear not, as we have the remedy for your woes. Consider the following steps in order to clean the air within your home.
Clean your Home ASAP
Dust is the natural enemy of any happy homemaker and owner. Unfortunately, dust is more of an enemy than people realize. It can serve as an allergen to some and create respiratory to others. However, this is not the only enemy in the home. These include that formaldehyde, lead, radon and even some chemicals used in cleaning products. This could cause issues for people with asthma and worse due to exposure to some chemical residue.
Contemplate purchasing a HEPA filter. HEPA or High Efficiency Particulate Air, mechanically forces air through a mesh sheet that traps harmful particles such as dust mites, smoke, and tobacco smoke thus improving the air quality of your home. Vacuums contain HEPA filters and using strong suction in order to remove any of these dangers.
Consider these random tidbits of advice to keep your home clean
- In areas of constant foot traffic, use the HEPA vacuum multiple times. This prevents accumulation of these dangerous substances in your home
- Vacuum these troublesome areas twice a week. MAKE SURE TO WASH YOUR FILTER REGULARLY!
- Using unaltered water without cleaning agents, mop the areas vacuumed. Despite using a vacuum, there could still be some residue of dust and allergens in these areas
- Use a doormat. When people constantly walk around your home, they are tracking dirt and other substances into your home. If you buy a big enough mat, much of these foreign substances will be left at the door
Butt out Those Butts
Cigarettes have acquired a certain reputation recently, usually not a pleasant one. Cigarettes create a myriad of health problems, especially in heavy dosage including:
- Increased risk of stroke and brain damage
- Stained teeth and tooth decay
- Cancers pertaining to the nose, lips, tongue, and mouth
- Respiratory arrest
- Seizures
- Decrease in blood pressure and reduced breathing rate
Second-hand smoke can be just as deadly and serious. Smoke from cigarettes includes over 4,000 chemicals such as our old friend formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and DDT. The smoke can produce a series of risks including:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Respiratory Problems
- Heart Attacks
- Stroke
Bluntly put, if you are a smoker, stop smoking. Quitting may not be the easiest step, but it is not impossible. As an alternative, consider stepping outside if you feel a desire to smoke.
In addition, burning wood in your fireplace may also affect the quality of air in your home. While this is a nice luxury, it does not improve the air quality in your home. If you do have a fireplace, use it only when necessary such as emergencies or on rare occasions.
Improving Air Quality by Getting Your Air Ducts Cleaned
Many of you reading this may have an HVAC system within your home. Now consider the last time the HVAC system was cleaned. Perhaps it was some time ago. Much can build up within your ventilation systems in order to clog and congest the passageways. Wintertime serves as a catalyst to the problem because not only is the heating system running most of the time, we want to keep doors and windows closed to keep the heat in.
Cleaning your ducts will ensure that the any accumulated dust, mold, and allergens are removed from the HVAC system. This could potentially increase the performance of your system and with a little bit of luck could serve to create a better airflow within your home.
Keeping Your Rooms Clean
This is necessary for any rooms we spend significant time in. In the case of bedrooms, consider washing your sheets in hot water at least once every week. This will discourage the growth of mold and other allergens. In order to prevent the spread of dust and allergens, vacuum these problem areas at least once a week.
The Silent Foe: Radon
A colorless and odorless gas could be present in your home, even without you knowing that it is there. Radon itself is a radioactive gas, derived from the decay of uranium found in most soils and rocks. The gas typically seeps in through cracks in your home’s foundation or any opening for drafts. Radon can lead to significant health problems, none more prevalent than lung cancer. Thankfully, testing is easy and fairly inexpensive to do.
Improving air quality in your home is essential to living a healthier life.
Call Home Service Doctors today to learn about improving air quality in your home this winter!
