Smokestacks from industrial sectors and commercial exhaust pipes billowing in the wind: these are just a few pictures that pop up when we think about air pollution. Right?
But almost all of us forget about one of the most common types of air pollution, indoor air pollution. Though it doesn’t sound that bad, in reality, poor indoor air quality is one of the most dangerous types of pollution that can affect your well-being.
Indoor air pollutants range from toxins carried in from outside by your pets to deadly gas leaks from your electronics. When contaminants such as carbon monoxide, asbestos, and lead particles are discharged into the air, they pollute it leading to gradual lung damage. Mold and mildew may also be a problem in bathrooms and kitchens, where moisture levels are generally more significant than in the rest of your home.
The air you breathe directly impacts your health. Poor air quality can cause long-term health diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, COPD, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.
Given how much time the average person spends at home, it is critical to ensure that the environment is healthy for you and your family. Purifying the air in your house is one method to help ease stress and generate a sense of serenity while also getting natural, healthy benefits. Here are few tips to ensure better air quality inside your home.
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Invest in an air filtering system
Air filters are essential in ensuring optimum indoor air quality. They eliminate potentially hazardous components such as pollen, spores, microbes, and dust from the air. Filters that use HEPA technology can eliminate 99.7% of air pollutants circulating in your house.
Removing these contaminants can lead to various immediate and long-term health benefits, including improved sleep quality and increased lifespan. So, invest in an air filter system to ensure fresh air circulates inside your household.
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Ensure your HAVC filter is working properly
Besides providing you with a cool breeze, they also screen out some typical air contaminants. Meaning they do both, providing the cooling effect along with filtering out the air in the room. However, their air filters eventually become clogged and cease to function. Not only does this harm your interior air quality, but it also wears out your HAVC system, leading to significant maintenance costs and electricity bills.
Therefore, clean your HAVC filters on a routine basis. Or obtain a repair plan that includes a filter replacement, especially if you are allergic to pollen or live in a polluted urban city.
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Make use of houseplants
Most of us, when stressed out, go out somewhere peaceful and green to catch some natural air. The enchanting and fresh air found near trees and plants does help alleviate our mood. It works like a charm. Using houseplants can have a similar impact on your mood. It’s an easy tip to bring that sort of stress-relieving factor inside your humble abode.
Houseplants offer various benefits in the house, the most notable of which is their capacity to purify the air effectively. Planting a plant in every hundred square feet of the home is an easy and efficient method to boost indoor oxygen levels and diminish carbon dioxide concentration in the air. It also helps to regulate indoor humidity levels.
Some of the most effective plants that help purify air are Lady Palm, Peace Lily, and Gerbera Daisy. Investing in a few indoor plants may do wonders for your home’s indoor air quality while also improving its appearance.
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Clean! Clean! Clean!
Vacuuming is incredibly crucial to maintain a clean living space, but vacuuming should not only be limited to the floor. You must vacuum walls, carpets, drapes, blinds, and decorative items thoroughly and regularly. Regular cleaning may seem tedious, but it makes a tremendous difference in making your home’s atmosphere dust-free and breathable.
Also, set up a plan for washing and changing your bedding and to keep bed bugs and other allergies at bay. Change the bed sheets regularly.
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Use a better cooking oil
Use a cooking oil that burns at higher temperatures to avoid a smoke-filled kitchen and the residual stench of scorched oil drifting through your house. Compared to typical cooking oils, extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point. Plus, it’s also healthier.
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Use charcoal to promote air purification
Activated charcoal, commonly known as activated carbon, aids in the purification of indoor air. Activated charcoal air filters are an excellent technique to filter and cleanse your home’s pollution levels organically. These carbon air filters are widely available in shops and online. Charcoal absorbs pollutants in the air without emitting any odor. You can also use bamboo charcoal to filter the air more effectively.
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Install Ceiling Fans or Enhance Ventilation
Improving ventilation within your home is another great way to prepare for the summer. Installing ceiling fans can help circulate air, creating a cooling effect and reducing the need for air conditioning. If you already have fans, make sure they are set to rotate counterclockwise, which pushes cool air down. Enhancing overall ventilation can also be achieved by ensuring that vents are not blocked by furniture or drapes and that air can flow freely throughout the home.
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Regular repairing of air ducts
Air ducts oversee transporting hot and cold air throughout your house, ensuring a comfortable environment in each room. However, if the air ducts are not appropriately installed or maintained, they can transfer pollutants from one location to another.
Dirt, allergens, and even mildew can collect in your ducts over time, decreasing overall air quality. Hire an expert to ensure that your ducts are flowing clean air.
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Invest in kitchen ducts
The kitchen is a significant source of indoor air pollution. Gas stoves emit hazardous pollutants, such as oxides of nitrogen gas. Even low-level electric stoves emit some toxins. So, whenever you’re cooking, open windows or turn up your kitchen ducts to help filter out the air.
Conclusion
Ignoring air quality may lead to health problems, allergies, bronchitis, sore eyes, and even gastrointestinal issues. Clean air to breathe in is one of the most fundamental rights that every human being deserves. It ensures that microbial-free ventilation is being done and prevents several health diseases. Therefore, follow all of our mentioned tips to purify your indoor air quality so that you and your loved ones live a happy and healthy life.