During the cold winter months, your home can start to feel a bit stale and stuffy. With all the windows shut tight against the outdoor chill, there is little opportunity for fresh air to enter your home. During this time, it can be challenging to improve and maintain high indoor air quality in your home. But if you follow some of the air quality maintenance tips below, you can be breathing easy all winter long.
Plant Life:
One of the easiest and longest-lasting solutions to maintaining high indoor air quality is to simply invest in a few house plants. Not only will they add a bit of color and life to your home, they will actually help improve and maintain the quality of the air in your home. Plants consume the carbon dioxide we exhale and emit oxygen. This can help recycle some of the air in your home. Moreover, plants can add moisture into your home, which can be a bit dry whenever you turn the heat up.
Ventilation & Circulation:
With your windows sealed tight in the cold, winter months, it is unsurprising to find that indoor air circulation can be quite poor during this time of year. A great way to improve and maintain your air quality is to help increase air flow throughout your home. This can be achieved by running fans to circulate air. And to remove stuffy air, be sure to use your home’s ventilation systems. Whenever you’re cooking or cleaning, be sure to run your kitchen’s hood vent to help move any harmful chemicals and particulates to the exterior of your home. You can check to see if your HVAC system has a ventilator system installed to help move air in and out of your home without losing heat.
Cleaning:
One of the greatest ways to maintain high indoor air quality at home is to clean regularly. Especially during the winter months, you should be vacuuming, mopping and dusting regularly. By cleaning regularly, you can help reduce the buildup of harmful particulates like dust that can negatively impact the quality of the air you breathe. And as you clean, try your best to limit the use of chemical-based cleaning products. The chemicals in many commercial cleaning products can actually reduce the quality of your home’s air. So consider switching to more natural cleaning products that do not rely on artificial scents.
Another great way to clean your home and maintain high air quality is to clean out your duct system. During the winter months, you will probably be regularly using your home’s heating system. If your ducts and vents are clogged with dust and debris, your air quality will drop while also making your HVAC system work harder to heat your home. Consider cleaning out your ducts and vents to help improve your home’s air quality and save you a few dollars on your next utility bill.
Improving and maintaining high indoor air quality in your home during the winter does not have to be a major production. Rather, with a few plants and some regular cleaning, you can set your home on the path to high air quality. Moreover, duct cleaning and air quality can go hand in hand, so be sure to periodically check your ducts and vents to make sure they are providing clean air for your entire home.
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