Heavy traffic across major cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, smoke emanating from industrial areas like Edmonton and Ontario, faces covered with masks – these are some of the images that automatically spring to mind when we think of air pollution.
But do you know that the air inside your home can be just as polluted as the air outdoors?
Honestly, the air inside your home can be just as bad as the air outside. And with average Canadians spending most of their lives indoors, the quality of air indoors needs to be given much more attention. The air inside the home can be polluted by lead, fire retardants, radon, etc. But you need not worry – we’ve got you covered.
Here are 5 simple and effective tips to help you improve indoor air quality.
1. Change the AC Filter
Air-conditioning systems are key to maintaining the perfect temperature inside your home all year round, especially in hot and humid areas. While cycling through all the air, air-conditioning systems also filter out some of those common air pollutants. But they stop functioning properly once their air filters fill up.
That not only deteriorates your indoor air quality, but also wears down your AC system – and getting that fixed could be a costly business.
Replacing the filter timely can be a great way of ensuring clean air inside your home. If you are allergy-prone or reside in an area that has got high pollution levels, getting your filter replaced is even more important.
If you find filter replacement expensive, you can also try finding an air conditioning service plan that covers filter change. Also, if required, you can have your ducts cleaned to get rid of any trapped dust.
2. Let the Fresh Air In
While many people living in large metropolitan cities prefer keeping their windows closed to keep out the air pollution, this also stops the fresh air from entering their homes. Make it a point to keep your windows open every day for at least some time- even in the cold months.
Adequate ventilation is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your home is filled with “breathable air” through the right facilitation of indoor and outdoor air. Also, make sure to remove fumes from cooking and steam by running the exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathroom, respectively.
Keeping your windows open from time to time will allow some fresh air into the house. But make sure that your windows are clean otherwise they will bring in more dirt.
It seems like an easy task to do yourself, but since most of us lead busy, task-heavy lives, it might be a better idea to call in professionals for residential window cleaning to do that for you.
3. Invest In Your Air Purifier
If you are allergic, investing in an air purifier might be a good idea. These devices capture the irritants to keep the air inside your home clean and healthy. These devices are placed in the most commonly used areas of your house and capture the pollutants or irritants that can set off any allergic symptoms.
Although air purifiers can’t remove these irritants completely, you can cut down on them significantly, which can substantially improve the quality of air inside your home.
4. Use Cooking Vents
Your kitchen is the source of many air pollutants. Gas stoves release harmful contaminants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
Believe it or not, electric burners also produce the same pollutants, albeit at lower levels. So, make sure to turn on your kitchen vents while cooking or open a window to filter out the air.
5. Keep A Check On the Humidity
Humid conditions breed mold and mildew, which can trigger many respiratory issues like asthma and allergies. You can cut down on the amount of moisture in the air and lessen the growth of irritating molds in your home with well-placed dehumidifiers.
You can place them in damp areas of the home – like the basement – to prevent the growth of mold. Also, make sure that other sources of mold, like bathrooms, are adequately ventilated too. Scrub off any visible mold that gets collected on the walls, fixtures, or in the shower.
Wrapping Up
A little diligence and a few preventive measures are all it’s going to take to keep the air in your home pure and breathable. Hopefully, the tips mentioned above will help you do that.
Keeping the windows clean can alone solve many of your problems. Also, the low window cleaning cost nowadays means that you don’t have to burden yourself with this task anymore.
Moreover, make it a point to clean your floor coverings every once in a while. While carpet and rugs add an element of coziness to your home, they are also a major source for collecting dirt, dander, pollen, and other particles. Having them cleaned regularly will help you prevent the build-up of dirt and dust.
In case you find that somewhat challenging, you can consider making your place a no-shoe household to ensure that the dirt from outside doesn’t find its way into your house.
Nikolay Nikolov is a professional gutter and window cleaner. Nikolay is proud when he is able to help his fellow locals unclog and clean their gutters, clean their windows, driveways, eavestroughs and install their holiday lights. He loves what he does and his motto is to make the world a happier & cleaner place one home/business at a time
