You know that air pollution is bad for your health. But did you know that air quality is often worse indoors than outdoors? You can improve the air quality inside your home to make it safer, healthier, more comfortable and more efficient.
The most common indoor air pollutants include cleaning chemicals, bacteria and viruses, volatile organic compounds, humidity, exhaust gases from combustion appliances, radon gas and pollution from outdoors.
There are several ways to reduce indoor pollution.
Eliminate sources
Eliminate the sources by using non-toxic cleaners, low-VOC paints and carpets and choosing furniture and other products that are certified by programs such as GREENGUARD. Instead of combustion appliances, switch to electric models such as heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and electric or induction cooktops.
Improve ventilation
Next, improve ventilation by removing stale, dirty air from your home. Kitchen and bath exhaust fans are good for reducing humidity. Keep them clean and test them with a sheet of paper to make sure they're exhausting stale air. Radon mitigation systems should be considered if radon levels are above U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended levels. These should be installed by a professional.
Use air purifiers
Finally, use an air purifier. Choose a model that's large enough for the square footage of your home. Make sure it has a HEPA filter for capturing particulate and an activated carbon filter for odors and gases. You can also get some of the same benefits from an air-purifying HEPA HVAC filter.
By reducing indoor air pollution sources and opting for good ventilation and air purification, you can make your home safer, healthier and more comfortable. For more safety tips, click here.
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