Posted By Susan Nichol for Jillian Watkinson

About the Author: Jillian Watkinson is extremely passionate about remodeling and interior design. She’s constantly looking for ways to clean up her place and make it as beautiful—and healthy!—as possible.

Do you experience multiple colds, sinus infections or headaches at home? With more people experiencing allergies and illnesses as a result of what they breath in daily, it’s now more than ever before important to maintain healthy indoor air quality. This is especially true for those who live or work in congested areas in the city or suburbs where industrial chemicals, smoke and carbon emissions are common. Any home can harbor interior airborne contaminants, even a brand new build.

To keep the air clean in your home, oftentimes you must take a few measures to filter out harmful airborne elements, and increase healthy oxygen levels inside your house.

What to Do About Air Quality in Your Home

Before investing in an air filtering system, pinpoint the actual causes of airborne allergens, which are often attributed to dust, mold, mildew, pollen, pet dander, and pests in the home. Do a complete visual inspection with a qualified home improvement or air quality professional. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends checking for high levels of radon and carbon monoxide, which can cause serious illness and even death. This is accomplished with a radon or carbon monoxide detector, which a home inspector can provide.

Meet Hans…Even the charming pets can cause air quality issues.

In addition to unhealthy conditions that may present during this inspection, you will want to look at other factors such as old carpeting, damage to the home, and leaky windows and doors. Repair damage to the home and convert carpeted floors to smooth wood or vinyl floors to reduce contaminants. Take the time to inspect your plumbing in the kitchen, bathrooms, and the cellar as they can be sources of mold spores that can become harmful for human inhabitants.

Evaluate Your Home’s Air Flow

Next, focus on your current air flow and filtering system you have in your home, which is most often part of your central air and heating system. Many times, a home’s central air system can be pumping in harmful outdoor elements because of a poor filtering mechanism, or because of wear and tear to the system itself over years of use.

If your home is located near a busy street or close to industrial areas, then it’s taken a lot more abuse as a result of dust and debris in the air being sucked inside. Your home heating and air system will generally need a thorough cleaning and inspection to make sure it is working well, with a fresh filter placed at least once per month.

Once all these areas of the home have been remedied, it’s advisable to install an air purification or cleaning system to improve the inside air quality of your home. There are many models to choose from, with some being designed for one room to whole house coverage. Get the best air cleaning machine for your family’s needs and you’ll be breathing easier.

 

If you need help with temperature, contact Cold Craft, Inc.

408.374.7292 or [email protected]