4 LESSER-KNOWN TIPS TO IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY

If you've ever spoken to your HVAC contractor about indoor air quality, you probably learned a lot about air purifiers, filters, humidifiers, and other ways your HVAC system can keep your home's air fresh. However, there's a lot more to indoor air quality than you may initially expect. This guide will familiarize you with four lesser-known tips to improve indoor air quality.

1. Keep Up Your Home Cleaning Routine

Dust, dirt, and pet dander often make their way into your home's air when dusty surfaces are disturbed. This is especially true of carpet and upholstered materials, which are excellent at trapping particles. Keeping your home clean helps to improve indoor air quality by reducing the number of pollutants that reach the air.

To clean with a focus on improving indoor air quality, dust all surfaces in your home thoroughly and vacuum at least once per week. Make sure your vacuum has a tight seal around the bag or dirt canister so that it doesn't release particles into the air.

Mold spores are an airborne pollutant that can cause sinus and respiratory irritation. While you clean, check dark, damp areas carefully so you can detect any hidden mold colonies. Common hiding spots for mold include vent registers and ducts, bathroom exhaust fans, and underneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks.

2. Avoid Scented Products

You can spray air freshener and assume that the fresh scent means your air is clean. Unfortunately, many popular air fresheners will actually reduce indoor air quality. Scented air fresheners contain carcinogenic chemicals known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are examples of VOCs that may be in air freshener fragrance mixes.

Scented products other than air fresheners often contain VOCs as well. Hazardous chemicals may be in the fragrances of household cleaners, laundry and dish detergents, and even soaps and shampoos. Manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients of their fragrance mixes on the label, so your best option is to use unscented products for cleaning.

3. Install a Thermostat With Circulate Mode

Air purifiers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers are great HVAC add-ons for indoor air quality, but they are only effective while your blower fan circulates air. Most thermostats only have two fan settings: Auto which runs the fan only when your furnace or AC is in use, and On, which runs the fan constantly. Using the On setting can certainly help to filter your air and control humidity, but this can also increase your energy costs.

Some thermostats have a circulate mode or CIRC setting that provides a good solution for both air quality and energy efficiency without the need to upgrade to a more expensive smart thermostat. Thermostats with a circulate mode will run the blower fan twenty to thirty minutes out of every hour, even when you don’t use heat or air conditioning.

4. Test for Radon Regularly

Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that forms everywhere near the earth's crust as uranium in the crust breaks down. Radon can build up in homes and other buildings over time and create a serious indoor air quality issue. Prolonged exposure to radon increases the risk of lung cancer while presenting no other symptoms.

Since radon pollution can occur anywhere, every home should be tested for safe levels of radon. Your state radon office provides resources to purchase radon test kits or obtain them free of charge. They can also connect you with a licensed radon contractor.

No single fix is available for indoor air quality issues, but various small improvements will add up and help you and your family breathe easier. For more useful air quality tips and all your other HVAC needs, contact the pros at Dick Kearsley Service Center.