Make your home the home to “stay in for fresh air”!

Maintaining a fresh and healthy indoor air quality offers an array of benefits to your household bliss. Not only will improved air quality keep your home free from pollutants and minimize illness but will also add a welcoming charm to keep your family and friends cheerful. While many live under the false security that air pollution only ails outdoor environments, we show you the top tips in making your home, the home to stay in for the freshest air!

1. Dial up the ventilation

Yes, the first step is indeed as simple as increasing your ventilation! During the warmer months it would be ideal to open up the doors and windows and allow the fresh air to circulate within the house, preventing moisture to deposit in your house that can result in a damp and humid atmosphere. While this fix is efficient and inexpensive, the fresh air from outside also brings in allergies and noise pollution. Also, with the cooler weather creeping in, it is essential to find a more suitable solution. Fear not, the world of home ventilation systems awaits you! Such technology allows the ventilation of indoor air through fans and filters which removes the polluted and stale air from your house and replaces it with fresh, healthy air. It also addresses the impacts of the dampness often caused by moisture. Models range from basic inexpensive versions to their higher end energy saving counterparts.

2. Cut down the root of the problem

While your ventilation system or air filter works to remove hazardous particles from within your home, eliminating the very source of pollutants is vital to sustaining healthy air quality. Some common pollutants can hail from various aspects of daily life including cleaning chemicals. Try to buy products that are organic or contain small amount of chemical substances, more specifically be on the lookout for those products which advertise Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) or none at all. Other sources of pollutants include monitoring the exposure of pets in your home and having a firm ‘no smoking indoors’ rule. Whilst pet dander is evidently a cause for poor air quality it can also take a toll on your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Similarly smoking has a harmful impact not only on the smoker but those who are subject to ‘second-hand smoke’. Passive smoking can lead to asthma attacks and increase your risk of developing lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and other lung diseases.

3. Residential air purifiers

These days, there are a variety of Air cleaners and purifiers in the market. While some are portable units, others are whole house Air cleaners that can be installed in the duct-work of the house itself. Different Residential air purifiers use different technologies to clean the air, and the decision on which one to choose should be made based upon individual preference and budget.

• Ionic: Ionic air filters as the name suggests, use negatively charged ions to eliminate particles from the air. Through this attraction, these particles increase in their weight and fall to ground. Air ionizers are effective in removing ultra-fine particles and are beneficial to areas polluted with bacteria, viruses and smoke. However they do not remove odor and pollutants remain within the room despite their removal from the air.
• Ultraviolet Light: These purifiers use the electromagnet radiation of UV light to eliminate pollutants from the air and are successful in destroying germs, bacteria and mould but are unable to eliminate allergens, dust and solid particles from the air.
• High efficiency Particulate Absorbing filters: These purifiers allow for the elimination of 99.97% of airborne allergens and pollutants such as pollen, mould, pet dander, dust mite and bacteria. These can be a favorable option for allergy prone households although it does not remove chemical fumes, smoke or odors.
• Activated Carbon Filters: This option is one of the most efficient on the market, reacting chemically with pollutants and capturing chemical fumes, gases, smoke and odor from the air. It is important to note that these purifiers are ineffective in removing dust and micro-organisms.

4. Tackle your humidity woes

If you’re experiencing a lack or excess of humidity in spite of the mentioned solutions, a humidifier or dehumidifier can be the respective solution. As an excess of moisture can result in the growth of mould and bacteria, it is crucial to balance the levels of humidity in your home. For those suffering from poor and humid indoor air quality, a dehumidifier sucks in the air, reducing its moisture and then releasing it into your home. Similarly those residing in cooler climates can suffer from a lack of moisture in the air which is harmful to your lungs, skin, throat and general wellbeing and to counter this problem, installing a humidifier is the best course of action. This piece of technology is available in two forms, the evaporator, which releases evaporated water into the air and the atomizer which creates a mist of deconstructed water drops resulting in an even distribution of evaporation within the home.

If you are looking for any of the above components of an efficient indoor air quality system, contact H & H Heating and Air conditioning for all the latest range of ventilators, air filters and humidity control products. Visit https://www.amana-hac.com/Portals/1/pdf/CBs/CB-AIAQ.pdf to see a variety of Indoor Air Quality products offered by our company.