How to Keep Your Home Healthy With Your Indoor Air Quality
These days we are all more concerned about our overall air quality, especially as it relates to COVID-19, and may understandably be focused on specific questions. How long can something like the coronavirus stay in the air? Is six feet far enough away? What can I do inside my home to help keep the virus at bay?
Although questions like these are top of mind right now, the reality is that we inhale millions of particles each day. Many are harmless or may cause minor irritation or allergy symptoms in the majority of people. Others may be viral or bacterial in nature, but your immune system tackles them immediately one they enter your body. However, the combination of some of these indoor air pollutants can affect your family’s health in both the short and long run.
Our professional team at Kliemann Brothers is dedicated to helping you improve the indoor air quality in your Tacoma home. As allergy season ramps up this year, more than 50 million people will suffer from allergies this year, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Those with underlying respiratory conditions may suffer more severely than others when exposed to common indoor allergens.
Here are some ways to improve the indoor air quality of your Washington home this summer.
Change Your Air Filters
Changing your air filters is one of the easiest things you can do. All heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems use some kind of air filter, which usually requires replacement every three months.
Typically high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are highly sought to filter indoor air. By law, these filters must remove a minimum of 99.97% of particles and are an excellent investment if someone in your home has allergies or suffers from respiratory conditions.
There are several types of filters, and you should check with our HVAC team or your system manufacturer’s instructions for the best-suited filter for your home and needs.
Regular Dusting and Cleaning
Daily living creates a great deal of indoor air pollutants. Each family member sheds skin and hair daily, which adds to the dust that accumulates on your floors and surfaces. Dust mites, which love to feed on dust particles, become a common allergen for many.
If you are like most Americans today, and you own a pet, you are more than familiar with the amount of pet hair and dander that accumulates around your home. Pollen from outside, dirt and other debris, mold and fungus spores, kitchen odors, and smoke can add to the mix of indoor air pollutants in your home.
Do your best to regularly clean your home, and use a HEPA vacuum bag if you suffer from allergies or respiratory illnesses.
Invest in Air Filtration
A wide range of air filtration systems can boost your home’s indoor air quality even further. Remember that different filtration systems will tackle different indoor air pollutants.
High-level systems are available today that attach directly to your HVAC system and address nearly all indoor air pollutants for your home. Air cleaners can be especially helpful if you suffer from allergies or asthma. Talk to one our indoor air quality specialists to assess what might work best for you.
Schedule an Air Conditioning Maintenance Checkup
Did you know your air conditioning system can have an impact on your indoor air quality? Although most people think of air conditioners as simply cooling down their homes, most air conditioning systems perform various secondary jobs to help improve the indoor air quality inside your home.
For example, air conditioners help manage your humidity levels. If these levels are too high, they can result in the rapid growth of things like mold or fungus, and a dehumidifier may be in order. On the other hand, if your humidity is too low, both your body and home can suffer ill consequences and a humidifier may solve the issue.
By regularly scheduling an inspection and cleaning of your air conditioning system, you will be able to boost your indoor air quality at the same time.
Contact Our Indoor Air Quality Experts
If you want more information about improving the indoor air quality of your Tacoma, WA, home, call our professionals at Kliemann Brothers. We are well-versed in the latest technology available to help you maintain a healthier home in these uncertain times. Call at 253-537-0655 or request service online.