How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home and make it Safer

How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Oshawa Home and make it SaferMany people assume that the quality of air in their home is good just because their home is enclosed on all sides and overhead but this would be a big misconception.

In a study done for the American Lung Association it was found that some of the homes that were looked at were up to 5 times more polluted than outside air. Almost every home studied also had at least one serious health concern too. So as you can see most homes can stand for some improvement when it comes to inside air. Here are some great ways to improve the quality of air in your home and make it safer too.

Start on the Outside

In order to make the inside of your home better you need to start on the outside of it.

  1. Keep water away from your foundation

It’s no secret that some of the biggest pollutants found in your home are mold and mildew. That is why it is so important to keep moisture away from your home’s foundation. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and doing their job and the water drains away from your home when it hits the ground.

  1. Make sure the Roof is sealed tight

Many pollutants such as dust and pollen can find their way into your home through air gaps in your roofing. Make sure your roof is sealed tight and there are no leaks in it that will let additional moisture in too.

Protect yourself against Harmful Gases

There is a reason they make smoke, carbon monoxide and radon detectors and that is because fire and these other two gases can kill or poison you. Make sure you have smoke detectors installed on the ceilings of several rooms in your home and install radon and carbon monoxide detectors at knee height in your kitchen, living room and any room that uses a gas appliance.

Make sure you have an exhaust Fan in your Kitchen

There are few things that will pollute your home as much as a kitchen. If you do not have an exhaust fan in your kitchen then get one installed.

Change from Blinds to Washable Drapes

The blinds in your home will act as a magnet for such things as dust, pollen and pet dander. These contaminants do not stick to curtains nearly as well and curtains can be cleaned easier every so often too.

Make your HVAC System into an efficient Air Cleaner

Your HVAC System can be a real secret weapon in the fight to improve your home air quality.

  1. Install a high quality Air filter on the system

Most standard fiberglass air filters that come with HVAC systems do little more than clean large dust particles out of the air. All HVAC filters come with a MERV rating. The higher the MERV rating the smaller particle it will filter. Get a filter that has a MERV rating of 12 or better to filter out many allergens and small contaminants.

  1. Run Your HVAC System more often

Your HVAC system will bring in fresh air and clean that air better if it runs more often. There is either a bypass switch or programmable control that will allow you to do this.

These steps will all really help improve your home air quality.