Clean Home Air

Every year more people become aware of the importance of the need to improve or maintain clean healthy air in the home. If you can learn tips on how to remove common indoor air contaminates, then you will be on the road to maintaining clean home air.

Some of the most commonly elevated indoor pollutants that need to be controlled are VOC’s, mold, and dust.

 

What Are VOC’s

VOC’s or volatile organic compounds are chemicals from man-made items such as building materials, furniture, varnish, and paints. VOC’s are also released by personal care products like perfumes, air fresheners, deodorants, nail polish remover, and hairsprays. Other household chemicals that build up indoors includes solvents from glues, chemicals from cleaning products, and even pesticides. Chemicals in the garage or basement such as gasoline, and paint thinner also end up in the home at higher levels than most of us realize.

 

Dust and Other Particulates

Dust, mold spores, and allergens from mold roaches, rodents, and other pests can build up in homes. Even allergens from pets has a tendency to build up in homes. Did you know that according to Bioaerosols Assessment and Control dust is made up of 80% dead skin cells. The dead skin cells, hair, textile fibers, plant fibers, dirt, and tiny fragments of insect body parts accumulate and become food for dust mites. Dust mites in turn release allergens.

What Can Be Done?

There are a couple of common sense, but frequently overlooked things you can do on a regular basis to make sure you promote a healthy breathing environment and cleaner indoor air. Improving the air quality in your home may be easier than you think if you can just implement a few new basic habits in your routine.  

 

 

 

 Consider The Quality And Condition Of Your Vacuum 

To control dust and allergens use a good quality vacuum . Clean your vacuum cleaner interior as often as is recommended by the vacuum manufacturer and replace or clean all filters on the machine as prescribed by the manufacturer, most have two filters. If you don’t do these things, you’ll be pumping a cocktail of dust, dust mites, and filth directly into the air your family has to breath when you think you are actually cleaning. Insist on buying a vacuum with a Hepa Filter to make sure you are trapping the maximum amount of airborne particles including but not limited to dust, dirt, microscopic fibers, and mold spores.

 

 

Use A Dust Mask When Cleaning

If you are extra sensitive to chemicals or dust keep a good supply of N95 dust masks on hand and use one whenever you are cleaning your home. Not only will you filter out most invisible mold spores you may have stirred up, but also, you’ll be minimizing breathing in any dust or cleaning chemicals you might be exposed to when cleaning. It will not improve your air quality but will protect your lungs while cleaning. I dont always use a dust mask during my inspections, but when I do, I use the one seen below. 

 

Change Your AC Filter 
Wash reusable AC filters or change disposable AC filters about once a month or as needed. Many homes we preform inspections on, especially rental properties, have AC filters that have been neglected for months or even years. If your AC uses a cheap boars hair filter that lets light shine through very easily consider an upgrade to a pleated filter or some other better quality filter.

If you keep several AC filters in stock in your home then it will be easier to stay on top of routine filter changes.

 

Consider an Air Purifier  

Air purifiers such as Austin Air Filters Conway and IQ Air Filters are be some of the best tools you can use to maintain clean home air and general good indoor air quality. Such devices are plug in stand-alone filters separate from the AC unit filter. The machines filter dust particles, pollen, dirt, and mold spores, from the air with a powerful HEPA Filter cartridge, and the carbon mat will lower levels of VOC’s in your air.

 

An Old Fashion Procedure  

Open doors and windows, do so in a manner that creates cross ventilation. In other words, open doors and windows that are opposite each other, or that are on opposite sides of the house so a breeze can flow through and flush out and replace your air. In addition to lowering levels of VOC’s this can also flush out dust, stale musty air, and household odors produced when cooking foods especially spicy foods. If it is humid outside do not open doors and windows more often than you have to, but if HR levels are below 60% outside opening doors and windows is a great idea. Just make sure it is safe to do so in your neighborhood and make sure to close and lock them when done. Also pests can enter so utilize a screen when doing this. Simply opening a few doors and windows for an hour or so will allow fresh dry air to circulate throughout your home reaching places where chemicals and odors might be accumulating that you’d never expect.

 

 

Following the above simple, common since, but unfortunately often overlooked procedures a part of your cleaning routine will allow you to improve your homes indoor air quality.  If you do the above, you’ll soon see that your breathing is freer and easier. Sneezing coughing and itchy eyes may clear up, and you’ll be able to enjoy your at home time more fully, free from allergy-like symptoms. Click here for tips on improving the hygiene of baby toys, and humidifiers in your child’s room. If the above does not seem to help clean your air then consider having a qualified consultant in your area inspect and test your property for chemicals, mold, and allergens.

 

These tips have been brought to you by A Accredited Mold inspection Service, Inc. Providing mold inspections and air quality testing since 2004.