6 Tips to Improve Air Quality in your Home

Does someone in your home suffer with respiratory troubles, seasonal allergies or another type of breathing difficulty? Improving your home’s air quality might not only address these issues but will also freshen up your home by ridding it of possible pollutants causing your problems. Let the home remodeling experts with Handyman Connection of Butler Warren show you how.

Tip #1 – Make sure your home can breathe

A healthy home is one that consistently exchanges air through adequate ventilation. Like your lungs, your home needs be constantly taking in fresh air and releasing old, stagnant air. If you’re noticing your home tends to have high humidity levels, perhaps it’s because it’s over insulated. While a well-insulated home improves the effectiveness of your heating and air conditioning systems, an excessively airtight home cannot release hot air from showering, cooking and unvented heat sources. When this happens, your home becomes a haven for allergens such as mold, mildew and microscopic dust mites, which thrive in moist environments.

To see if your home is well ventilated, try a few things. First, make sure your attic, gable and soffit vents are in good shape and are not blocked by insulation or debris. Secondly, determine your home’s humidity level. If it is above 50 percent, install a dehumidifier in a damp area of your home, use exhaust and attic fans and run your air conditioners during hot and humid weather.

Tip #2 – Keep your furnace and air conditioner filters clean

Regularly changing the filters in your furnace and air conditioners not only ensures these units will run efficiently but also works to keep your home’s air cleaner. However, opt for the more expensive electrostatic filters, which will noticeably improve your home’s air quality.

Tip #3 – Clean your floors weekly

Vacuuming and mopping weekly will deter dust mites, pet dander and even chemicals from accumulating in your home. Moreover, using a HEPA-type filter in your vacuum cleaner will trap in dust and dirt. Similarly, mopping bare floors with plain water and a disposable microfiber-covered mop will catch dust and allergens, and you can throw away the microfiber cloth when you’re finished.

Tip #4 – Invest in a big doormat

Use an extra-large floor mat outside your main entrance door. Since shoes are the source of chemicals, germs, oils and other pollutants, a good mat will help to keep the stuff from getting into your home. A special note: be sure to wash the mat from time to time.

Tip #5 – Grow some indoor plants

Not only will leafy plants give your home a warm and welcoming look, houseplants are good for the air. According to The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, houseplants actually purify the air by absorbing chemical pollutants produced by such things as cleaning agents, tobacco smoke, adhesives, paints and even plywood paneling. So fill your home with ferns, peace lilies, palm plants or your favorite flowering plant and breathe better; however, make sure children and pets don’t ingest poisonous plants.

Tip #6 – Consider new flooring materials

Old carpets and carpet padding makes the perfect home for dust mites and other allergens. Therefore, consider replacing them with another type of material such as hardwood, vinyl or ceramic tile and say goodbye to tedious and time-consuming carpet cleaning. Instead, use machine-washable scatter rugs and enjoy cleaner, fresher air.

Are you looking for a reputable and dependable handyman service company? Look no further than Handyman Connection of Butler Warren! Our craftsmen are skilled in multiple skills to get your home looking fabulous. From major renovations to minor repairs and updates, we are the home improvement experts you can depend on. Give us a call today for a free, no-obligation project estimate and let us discuss your home repair needs.