In the wintertime, most people are happy to keep their homes closed up to conserve the warm air they are paying to create. But one of the drawbacks of a well-sealed home is a decrease in your home’s air quality. You could begin to notice that you and your family members suffer from increased allergy symptoms like a stuffy nose, itchy or watering eyes, and even a dry cough. But you will be happy to know that there are a few simple and cost-effective steps to take to improve the air quality inside your house and lengthen your furnace’s life expectancy.
Keep It Clean
One of the most significant contributors to poor air quality is dust. So keeping your home clean and dust-free will significantly increase your home’s air quality. Vacuuming carpet, dusting furniture, and washing linens and curtains all reduce the dust in your home.
Mold and mildew are also contaminants that decrease air quality and can be allergy triggers for many people. Mold grows in warm moist areas of your home, such as the bathroom or basement. Scrub any areas covered with mold and use a dehumidifier to dry out the spaces like basements or laundry rooms to avoid future mold growth. In bathrooms, an exhaust fan is an ideal way to eliminate the humidity that promotes mold growth.
Also, replacing dirty furnace filters will help to eliminate dust blowing from your ductwork. And will decrease the stress placed on your furnace when it is operating. Dust clogged furnace filters require added work from the furnace to draw air into the unit and result in a shorter life of the motor and other essential components.
Finally, an annual duct cleaning will eliminate all of the dust that has settled into the system. It will also increase the air quality and cleanliness throughout your home. This professional process cleans the ductwork and traps the dust and dirt, removing it from your home in a sealed container.
Limit Or Eliminate The Green Indoors
Many homeowners keep houseplants because they believe them to be working to purify the air. And while plants do help to clean the air, a few small houseplants actually have the potential to do more damage to your home’s air quality than they do to improve it. The soil in potted plants needs to remain moist, and that moisture tends to promote mold growth. So for the small amount of oxygen that your plants are releasing in your home, they contribute far more mold spores and other allergens. Keep plants outside, and you will discover that your allergy symptoms decrease as your home’s air quality increases.
Let The Fresh Air In
Even in the winter months, it is an excellent idea to let some fresh air into your home. You can open windows or doors on a sunny day to take advantage of the warmest possible air for this air exchange. Also, in regions with dust or pollution issues, check your local weather or air quality index to ensure you are opening up your home when the outdoor air quality is at its best.
Invest In Air Purification
Many reliable air purification devices can be installed on your furnace to purify the air in your home. These added filtration systems remove dust, pet dander, and in some cases even pollen and mold spores to increase your home’s air quality.
To learn more about proper furnace filter replacement, professional duct cleaning, and installing an air purification system on your furnace, call the HVAC pros at Payne’s Heating and Air Conditioning at (850) 831-4599.
