Have you found yourself sneezing a lot at home? Coughing? Did you recently start losing sleep?
The reason might surprise you: it could be poor quality air in your home.
Bad air can cause several symptoms, all the way from coughing to full-blown asthma attacks. Even worse, some concentrations of pollutants are 2 to 5 times higher inside than outdoors. If you have children who stay in their room more often, the situation looks even bleaker.
Thankfully, there are several ways you can increase the air quality in your home - and many of them are quick, easy, and effective. Consider pursuing multiple options below so you can start breathing more clearly in the comfort of your home.
Get your air quality assessed.
Given that experts understand how to measure air quality, you should consider contacting professionals to get your home’s air assessed. Many indoor quality services send technicians to help you better understand how vents, fans, furnaces, and more impact your physical health and breathing. After their assessment, they can help with repairs, maintenance, HVAC inspections, and replacement - all to better your home’s air quality.
While waiting for a professional, there are several steps you can take right away to better your home’s air quality.
Improve your home’s ventilation
You might immediately think of opening your windows to let in fresh air, but experts disagree. According to the medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai Medical Center, E. Neil Schachter, MD, opening windows still lets in outdoor pollutants from cars and factories. Instead, Schachter recommends installing trickle ventilation - “a 10-inch high screen with extra filters” - which allows in fresh air while keeping pollutants out.
Buy some plants
Many people enjoy taking care of plants - but did you know they also help clean the air? Plants clear the air of carbon dioxide and assist in the removal of formaldehyde, benzene, and other toxins. Some plants are particularly hardy and will thrive even when neglected - consider purchasing a Devil’s Ivy or Peace Lily for a low-maintenance cleaner.
Wash your carpets
Although you might initially think air quality has everything to do with ventilation and little with furnishing, carpets and rugs could cause your air quality to plummet. Carpets can house bacteria, allergens, dust, and other pollutants - negatively impacting your air quality without you knowing it. Worse, according to the American Lung Association, toxic gases in the air can settle in your rugs through small particles.
No amount of ventilation can fix your dirty carpets - take some time to thoroughly clean them to better your air quality.
Clear out your AC filter
If you enjoy blasting the air conditioner during hot summer days, you need to clean out your filter. Think about it: your AC unit is constantly cooling air while simultaneously trapping pollutants. In fact, manufacturers recommend cleaning out your air conditioner filters every two weeks - even more so if you live in a dustier environment.
Consider taking time out of your day to set up a cleaning schedule for the AC - it will make a world of difference for your breathing.
Add humidifiers
Humidifiers are an excellent addition to your home - and they work during any season. For example, in hot summer months, when there are more allergens in the air, humidifiers help bring back moisture blown away by air conditioners and fans. Similarly, humidifiers add moisture to the air during cold, dry winter months.
Even better, research has shown that humidifiers can even lower your risk of catching the flu. There are many different types to choose from, including steam vaporizers and ultrasonic humidifiers, so do your research and figure out which works best for you.
Install air cleaners
That’s right - there are quite literally electronic cleaners meant to help purify the air. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends finding cleaners that collect pollutants effectively with high circulation - ensuring your home receives as much cleaning as possible. Some additional benefits of air purifiers include neutralizing unclean odors, relieving asthma symptoms, and improving sleep.
While there are several cheap options available, these machines likely are not as effective at cleaning the air. Instead, consider opting for a high-quality air purifier - which guarantees cleaner air.
Learn more about volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
In short, VOCs are human-made chemicals that stem from products such as paints, pharmaceuticals, cleaning supplies, and more. They cause both short-term and long-term adverse health effects - and many are unaware of how often they expose themselves. The American Lung Association reports that VOCs can be found in products including but not limited to Aerosol spray products, chlorine bleach, dishwashing liquid, rug cleaners, and more.
Lucky for you, EWG has an excellent guide on where to find low or no-VOC products.
Now that you are better equipped to deal with poor indoor air quality, contact a professional and get started on some at-home steps - it will make you feel, and breathe, a million times better.
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