With everyone about to be indoors for the majority of the time, you’ll want to give some thought to the quality of the air inside your home. During the winter months, your whole family will be spending quite a bit of time inside; the last thing you want is to have a house filled with less-than-healthy air. Here are some simple tips for improving the quality of air in your home starting today:
1. Change Air Filters Frequently
Most of us are in the habit of checking the air filters in our HVAC system monthly and changing them when they get dirty and clogged, or at least once every three months. It is a good idea to change the filters monthly to ensure that the air flowing into your home is as clean as possible. If you have family members who suffer from asthma, allergies, or other breathing problems, this can really make a difference to their health.
2. Use Air Purifiers
Placing air purifiers throughout your home is one of the best ways to keep the air you and your family are breathing clean and sanitary. Air purifiers come in a variety of sizes. You can buy portable ones that can be moved from room to room as needed. Placing one in each bedroom will help your family members to breathe easy, get a good night’s sleep, and awaken without feeling stuffed up or congested.
3. Circulate The Air In Your Home With Fans
Stale air in a home is the worst. Ceiling fans and portable fans are perfect for keeping the air circulating in your home. During the colder months, you can keep your rooms warm and cozy by setting your ceiling fans on Reverse, which allows them to circulate warm air without cooling it down. Portable fans can be placed throughout your home and set on a low setting to keep the air fresh and moving around in every room. Fans can be very helpful for getting a good night’s sleep, particularly if the bedroom has a closed, stuffy feel to it. Remember to clean the blades on your ceiling fan regularly. Remove the covers on portable fans, immerse them in warm, soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly, and clean the fan blades before replacing the covers. Do this on a regular basis to keep fans circulating nothing but clean, healthy air.
4. Use Kitchen And Bathroom Exhaust Fans All The Time
Exhaust fans used to be just a way of carrying away air that was less than clean and pleasant. These days, exhaust fans have been given a makeover. They can now not only remove dirty air, but they can also purify it an recirculate it. Use your kitchen exhaust fan to keep grease particles from traveling through the air, mucking up surfaces and infusing the air with unpleasant additives. Remember to clean your exhaust fan regularly to remove grease and the dust and debris that can collect on it.
5. Be Aware Of The Chemicals In Household Cleaners, Perfumes, Etc.
Many people don’t think about the contents of sprays and other chemical-based items that they use in their homes every day or the effects those contents can have on their health when they are breathed in. Nearly every cleaner, aerosol spray such as hairspray, and even perfumes contain chemicals that are toxic on some level to both humans and animals. Their toxicity may not seem that serious, but over time inhaling them can cause serious health issues. Get in the habit of reading the labels of the products you buy to be used in your home. Make note of some of the contents and do a Google search. You might be unpleasantly surprised at what you find out. Choose natural cleaners and products to use in your home. In today’s environmentally -conscious society there are a number of’ cleaning products, beauty products, etc., that are chemical-free and safe for use around your family and your pets.
6. Pay Special Attention To Pets And The Areas They Frequent In Your Home
When your pet sheds, it’s hair and dander become airborne. Once these substances settle onto furniture, floors, drapes, your son’s air, and clothing, they are going to be circulated and recirculated in the air throughout your home. Even for those who are not allergic to animals, hair and dander can aggravate existing breathing problems and cause new ones. Treat your pet to professional grooming regularly including a bath, and be sure to keep the areas they frequent in your home vacuumed, wiped down, and laundered on a regular basis.
7. Keep Your Walls Clean
Even though your walls may look spotless, it’s a guarantee that some amount of dust and debris has settled on them and it’s just waiting to be picked up by the first breeze and carried throughout your home. Once a week, wipe down your walls with a paint-safe, chemical-free cleaning product and warm water. Don’t forget to wipe down doors, doorknobs, and light switches.
8. Remember Air Vents And Heating Ducts
At the same time you’re cleaning your walls, remember to give your air vents and ducts some attention as well. Dust and other debris that collects here will find its way through your home more quickly than anything else since it will hitch a ride directly on the air that is being distributed throughout every room in your house.
9. Be Vigilant About Your Floors
If you take a minute to think about the fact that your floors come into contact with feet that have walked in some pretty gruesome places, you will be horrified to realize just what kind of germs are lurking down there. Sweep and mop your floors regularly using a chemical-free, natural disinfectant. Remember to clean your broom and mop thoroughly after each use as well.
10. Have A Professional HVAC Inspection And Cleaning
Once a year, make an appointment to have your entire HVAC system inspected and cleaned by a licensed HVAC professional. Not only will this ensure that your system is up to par and that there are no issues waiting to rear their ugly heads in the middle of the season, a professional cleaning will include all of your ductwork and pipes so that the air being circulated through your home will be clean, healthy, and safe to breathe for everyone.
Xenia Heating and Air is happy to help you improve the quality of the air in your home. Call us today at 937-708-8451 or visit us on the web at www.xeniaheatingandair.com to schedule a professional inspection and cleaning of your HVAC system and with any questions you may have, and you can breathe easy this winter.
