If you’re having problems with sneezing, watery eyes, or coughing, it could be anything. If you’ve ruled out a cold, and you know you either don’t have allergies or it’s the wrong time of year for your allergies to be kicking up, you could have a problem with indoor air pollution.
Indoor air pollutants can cause nasal congestion, nosebleeds, wheezing, or severe lung problems. If you have problems with indoor air pollution, it might be your air filter, according to Palm Desert AC. We have discussed here five ways you can employ to keep the air in your home free of any contaminants.
Table of Contents
Add Houseplants
Adding houseplants can significantly improve the quality of air in your homes as some of them have been found to be great air purifiers. In the later part of 20th century, NASA conducted a study on an array of plants to check which plants can be used to purify air.
As a result, they found out that plants like Areca palm, lady palm, dracaena, ficus and philodendron have a considerable purifying effect on the surrounding air.
Some of them are reported to eliminate the nastiest contaminants like formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which otherwise are eliminated by expensive HVAC systems. NASA has recommended to place a purifying plant of six to eight-inch diameter for every hundred square feet of floor space.
Change air filter regularly
Most of the homes have HVAC systems installed that help considerably in conditioning the air. The most crucial component of any HVAC system is the air filter because they help stop the contaminants like dust particles, lint, mold spores, pollen, pet dander and particles that carry microorganisms like bacteria and viruses.
Therefore, it is important to change the air filters regularly because they get choked after a while. Most of the companies recommend changing air filters after every three months but it must not be considered a hard and fast rule.
Hence, if you observe your filter getting choked in the second month, do not wait for the recommended period and install a new one right away. Otherwise, the air filters will start to pollute the air in your home as opposed to their original job.
While changing the air filters, make sure that the chosen filter fits the previously installed bracket so that air does not sneak through without having to go through the filter. Moreover, chose an air filter that has a higher MERV rating because it will significantly affect the quality of air in your home.
Install an air cleaner
We need to understand that air cleaners are not only the whims of the rich and are definitely not something redundant in your life. When an effective air cleaner is coupled with an HVAC system, it provides a two-way air purification system. Effective modern air cleaners target contaminants by using various technologies.
Firstly, they employ HEPA filters which have the capability of trapping 99.7 percent particles of size as small as 0.3 microns. Secondly, they have a filter layer with activated carbon that captures toxins like gases, VOCs, and unpleasant odors.
Thirdly, they house UV light emitters which exterminate microorganisms like bacteria and viruses and as a result minimizes the possibility of resultant infections.
Improve Ventilation
You do not have to operate your HVAC systems always on heating and cooling mode and leaving it off when neither of them is needed. Instead, run your HVAC system on fan mode regularly in a day to get the air moving in your home. Some smart thermostats even have the option of setting the time when the fans automatically turn on.
Also, open the orifices of your homes like windows and doors, and turn on the exhaust fans of your washrooms to let the fresh air into your house. This cross ventilation will work wonders to the quality of air in your home because the stale air will be replaced by fresh air which have only entered your home after passing through the air filter in the HVAC system.
Rearrange furniture
Rearranging your furniture may sound strange but messily placed furniture can significantly impact the performance of your HVAC system. For example, if the furniture in your home is stacked near air vents such that it is blocking the air flow, or there are curtains blocking the crucial orifices for air flow, the HVAC system will not be able to ensure proper air circulation.
Therefore, arrange the furniture in your home such that there is a clear pathway for air to travel from one place to another. Moreover, you can also use the furniture to your advantage by placing it strategically to improve circulation.
We have also attached this infographic to provide you with the bird eye view of all the various ways with which you can improve the quality of air in your home.
