Don’t Track Dirt Inside
You never know what you’re tracking into your home after coming in from outside. Use a boot brush or mat to collect dirt, pollutants, and other contaminants like pesticides before they have the chance to enter your house. Once you track dirt inside, it becomes trapped inside your home and can circulate within your air.
Keep Your Floors Clean to Improve Indoor Air Quality
You’ll be successful at improving indoor air quality when you focus on keeping floor surfaces clean. This is especially important when you have carpets or rugs because these surfaces trap pollutants and contaminants. Vacuum carpeting and mop all tile, hardwood, and vinyl floors regularly.
Use VOC-Free Products When Painting
Some paints include chemicals that cause dizziness or faintness. Make sure to use paints without VOCs for a safer alternative.
Don’t Smoke Indoors
Don’t allow anyone to smoke inside your home. Secondhand smoke is dangerous because it puts family members at risk for cancer, asthma, and other health problems. Cigarettes contain chemicals that will linger in your indoor air.
Keep Humidity Levels in Check
Maintaining humidity levels between 30% and 50% goes a long way in improving indoor air quality. This range of humidity keeps allergens and mold from getting out of control. It’s possible that you’ll need to use a dehumidifier during the hot summer months in order to keep humidity levels in check.
Improving Indoor Air Quality with Plants
Some indoor plants purify the air in your home. NASA found these species effective at reducing harmful compounds in indoor air. Do a little research and find a few indoor plants that you can easily maintain.
Avoid Artificial Fragrances
Buy bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, and laundry soaps that don’t include artificial fragrances. Natural household ingredients, like baking soda and vinegar, work well without polluting your home’s air quality. You can also buy all-natural cleaning products
Aerosols and Indoor Air Quality
Use non-aerosol alternatives when buying deodorants, hair sprays, air fresheners, and furniture polishes. Aerosol sprays add dangerous chemicals into your home’s air.
Test for Radon
Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that exists in many homes. It seeps into homes through foundation and wall cracks and can cause lung cancer. If you get your home tested for radon and the levels are high, hire a radon mitigation expert to help make your home safe again.
Mold Brings Down Indoor Air Quality
Mold and mildew contribute to poor air quality conditions. This is especially problematic for people with asthma and other respiratory issues. Fix leaks immediately to help inhibit mold and mildew growth.
Use Beeswax or Soy Candles
Most candles are made with paraffin, which is a petroleum product that has a negative impact on air quality. Use beeswax or soy candles instead. They are safer are better for people with asthma and allergies.
Improving indoor air quality isn’t difficult, you only need to make some changes to your behavior and the products in your home.
North Point Home Inspections provides inspection services to Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule an appointment.