Plumbline's Top Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Top Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality

As scary as it sounds, our indoor air quality is actually much worse than most people assume it is.  As the weather starts to get crisp, and people start to close their windows, indoor air quality takes a turn for the worse.  In fact, studies show that indoor air quality during the winter months is 1000% worse than other times of the year. 

To help naturally improve your indoor air quality as your windows start to close, here are 10 helpful tips:

• Houseplants – Bring some nature into your home.  Plants are great for cleaning the air.  In fact, many of the chemicals that make us sick in the home are the very chemicals that plants thrive upon, quickly removing them from the air.
• Smoke Outside – Bottom line, do not smoke in the house.  While this tip may seem obvious, it can also be very challenging for homes that do have one or more smokers.  A great option, if you or someone in your house does smoke, is to create a small outdoor area to a smoking area, complete with an outdoor heater for those cold winter months.
• Air Circulation – The problem with closing your windows is that the fresh air outside is no longer circulating through your house.  To help with this problem, try opening your windows for short periods of time whenever you leave the house.  Opening the windows here and there when you are not home will really help clear out the poor quality, non circulated air and freshen your house (just don’t leave the windows open too long – brrrr!)
• No Shoes in the House – Shoes can drag an immense amount of dirt, dust and other particles throughout the house.  When you take your shoes off before entering, you are leaving this filth out of your house.  This equates to much cleaner indoor air.
• Clean/Replace Furnace and Air Filters – These should be checked and cleaned on a regular basis (every 30 days).  When done diligently, it can really make a great difference on how clean your air is.  It doesn’t take long at all for filters to fill with dirt, and when they become dirty, your air too will become dirty.  When replacing filters, it is helpful to spend the extra couple bucks to get high efficiency particulate filters (HEPA), as they do a much better job.
• Use/Clean Ventilating Fans – While the use of ventilating fans can cause an increase in your heating bill, they will greatly improve the air quality in your home.  Use these regularly, and be sure they vent to the outside of your house.  Also make sure to keep them clean, and replace filters as necessary, as it will improve on their ability to keep the air clean.
• Use Non-Toxic Cleaning Products – Cleaning products that come with warnings are that way for a reason – they have harmful chemicals; chemicals that will get into your air when used.  Instead, use non toxic cleaning products.  You can even make your own cleaning products that are safe and help keep your air clean – baking soda, washing soda and white vinegar and lemon juice work, and are also much cheaper!
• Dust and Vacuum Regularly – Spend the extra money on a nicer vacuum cleaner, as it will make a big difference in keeping your air clean.  Get a non bag model, as these tend to kick less dirt back into the air.  Also be sure to vacuum other areas besides carpets – fabric furniture, rugs, drapes and curtains should also be vacuumed on a regular basis to keep your air fresh and clean. 
• Keep Toxic Household Goods Outside – Regular household items like cleaners, paint, and solvents and pesticides should all be stored outside, or at least in the garage.  Removing these harsh chemicals from the house will help keep the air much cleaner.
• Beware of Your Pets – Keeping your air quality clean when you have pets can be a bit more difficult.  There is the shedding hair that can be a problem, as well as litter for cats.  Be sure to vacuum often when you have pets that shed, and if you have cats, buy a higher quality litter, and keep the litter box in a lower traffic room.

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