Rated the highest quality home services in Phoenix, Arizona, and with a team that has extensive experience repairing and optimizing air conditioning, ProSkill Services knows a thing or two about improving indoor air quality.

The air you breathe inside your home has a direct correlation to your and your family’s health. To improve your indoor air quality, implement the following strategies.

What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

Before learning how to improve your indoor air quality, let’s first examine the most common reasons indoor air pollutants occur.

Firstly, tobacco smoke and second-hand smoke will impair the quality of your home’s indoor air. Containing more than 7000 chemicals, some studies have shown that tobacco smoke is a more dangerous source of indoor air pollutants than diesel.

Particulate matter stemming from cooking stoves can, too, reduce the quality of your indoor air.

While keeping your home clean is an important strategy for improving your indoor air quality, it is essential to choose your cleaning products carefully. Many chemicals found in specific cleaning products can release toxic fumes that can be dangerous when inhaled.

Open Your Windows

This may seem obvious, but consistent circulation of fresh air is key. Make sure you open your windows regularly for at least ten minutes per day (the more, the better) to allow polluting particles in the air to exit your indoor space.

Though you might be tempted to keep your windows closed during the summer months or when the humidity is overtly high, it is important to allow daily circulation.

If you struggle with allergies or hay fever, try opening your windows after midday. The pollen count is at its highest during the morning but subsides throughout the afternoon.

Vacuum Thoroughly And Often

Routine vacuuming—specifically on carpet flooring and rugs—helps reduce dust and allergens circulating inside your home.

Vacuuming up pet dander, dust, and mold will contribute to a cleaner inside air source, making it far healthier to breathe in.

Ensure you are emptying your vacuum routinely, too.

To invest in better air quality, search for a vacuum with HPEA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. These machines are built to trap more dust mites than standard vacuum cleaners.

Make Use Of Your Extractor Fans and Cooking Hoods

Your cooking hoods and extractor have the power to reduce the oil in the air produced by preparing meals. Switching your extractor fans on while cooking will not only clean the air, but it will also protect your kitchen worktops and cabinets from cooking oils and other evaporated ingredients. This is especially important if you are cooking with a gas stove.

Install An Energy Recovery Ventilator

Energy Recovery Ventilators keep the air fresh in your home, while helping you save money.

When stale air is vented out of your home, it goes through a heat exchanger that helps condition the incoming air, so that all the money you spent on heating and cooling your home.

Replace Your HVAC Filters

Your HVAC filters work hard to eliminate dust and create a fresh indoor circulating air source.

While your HVAC filters are consistently battling against dust and nasty particles inside your home, they do have an end date and will, if not replaced, simply stop working.  

Generally speaking, you should aim to replace your HVAC filters every 90 days (or three months.) With that in mind, though, if you are noticing a heavier amount of dust, you may need to replace your HVAC filters sooner.

Give Your Air Vent Registers A Weekly Wipe Over

Do not underestimate the importance of your air vents. They are in charge of the air circulation throughout your home.

When used properly, your air vents are a crucial part of keeping your indoor air clean.

However, if they are thick with dust, which can often happen if neglected, the dust can blow right back into your property when in operation.

To avoid dust re-entering your home, use a damp cloth or microfiber cloth to wipe over your air vent registers every week.

Invest In A Whole Home Air Purifier

If you are suffering from allergies when you are inside your home, investing in a whole home air purifier will be life changing. A whole home air purifier is installed directly in the air stream of your homes central Air Conditioner. It will help your systems air filter work better by causing microscopic duct particles to cling together, making them easier to filter out of the air. Additionally, Air purifiers generate ions and natural peroxides that neutralize VOC’s (oders), Pollens, Air Borne pathogens and other organic material.  

Find and Eliminate Any Dampness

Damp can quickly lead to mold which has an impact on your respiratory health.

Dampness can be caused by high humidity, low ventilation areas with significant amounts of steam, and leaky pipes or roofs. To avoid dampness, use a dehumidifier. It draws moisture from the room’s air and furniture.

You should also aim to keep your windows open or use a fan where steam occurs, such as when you are cooking or showering.

Finally, keep an eye out for any pooling water. Should you find any evidence of pooling water, it is best to contact a professional who can assess whether any of your pipes or roof has a leak and work to repair the problem before it evolves. Acting sooner rather than later will significantly reduce the damage to your property as well as the cost of your repair bill.  

Buy Indoor Plants That Help Freshen Your Inside Air

Indoor plants serve a dual purpose:

1. They can add to your interior decor and
2. They can help freshen your indoor air

Working in tandem with your HVAC filters, your indoor plants are a more natural method of air purification.

Whether you would prefer a smaller plant, such as a fern, or something larger, like an indoor palm tree, there is a wide range of options available. Do note, though, that if you have pets, you need to make sure to do your research before choosing your indoor plants. Some plants, such as lilies, can be toxic to cats and/or dogs.

Choose Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

The best cleaning products you can use to avoid poor indoor air quality are those with natural ingredients. Check the product’s label for ingredients like baking soda, essential oils, white vinegar, and citrus fruits to ensure you are using green cleaning products that will not impair your indoor air quality.

Try to avoid indoor air cleaners that intentionally produce ozone and those with high VOC levels, such as bleach, glass cleaners, and stain removers. It is best for your air quality, too, that after cleaning, your home is well-ventilated for as long as possible.

Do Not Smoke Or Vape Inside Your Home

Tobacco smoke and vaping release chemicals inside your property that hinder the air quality. If you are a smoker, ensure you smoke or vape outdoors and put a considerable distance between yourself and your home (taking note of any open windows or doors.)

Dust Regularly

Using a microfiber or damp cloth, incorporate dusting into your weekly cleaning routine.

Dust is the combination of dead skin cells and dust mites (and their droppings.) The more time you spend inside your home, the more dust will be created. With that in mind, it is important to dust frequently and thoroughly.  

 

Book An A/C Maintenance Check

A professional A/C Maintenance Check like the ones performed by ProSkill Services ensures that your A/C machine is optimized, healthy, and primed for air purification.

After a thorough health check, your filters are cleaned or replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. The unit and its components are then deep cleaned, including the radiator and condenser coil.

After testing and cleaning your A/C machine, we survey air purification and performance, giving you peace of mind that your A/C unit is not contributing to air pollutants. This check can, instead, help to keep your indoor air quality as high as possible.

The Importance Of High Indoor Air Quality

Breathing in high-quality indoor air is just as important as diet and exercise for our overall health. Many people spend a lot of time inside their homes or workplaces, breathing in more indoor air than outdoor air.

While many people understand the dangers of outdoor air pollution, clean indoor air is often undervalued despite the fact that the air in our homes is up to five times more polluted than outside. Health problems and respiratory conditions, in particular, can occur due to poor indoor air quality.

So, implementing the above strategies to improve indoor air quality will enable your family to breathe easily (and well!)