In the winter when your home is closed up tight to keep the interior cozy and warm, your air quality can quickly decline because contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can’t escape. Poor air quality is known to pose a host of both short- and long-term heath hazards, but you can improve it naturally with the right indoor plants.
Remove Harmful Compounds and Clean the Air
Potted indoor plants absorb hazardous gases like VOCs through their leaves and roots as they take in carbon dioxide, which they need for photosynthesis. Microorganisms present in the potting soil help to neutralize the harmful gases that the plant absorbs. Because plants drawn in carbon dioxide and pollutants and release oxygen, you can boost your air quality by having two of the following plants per 100 square feet of space:
Golden pothos
The fast-growing golden pothos vine looks great either climbing on a trellis or in a hanging basket. In addition to cleaning up on benzene and formaldehyde, it also absorbs carbon monoxide, so it’s a good choice for a mudroom that’s adjacent to your garage where exhaust and gasoline fumes can waft in.
Spider plant
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance house plant that’s extremely resilient, the spider plant is ideal because it can survive even if you don’t have a green thumb. Plus, it’s effective at removing carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene and toxic xylene from your air supply.
English ivy
The hardy English ivy requires little light and its climbing tendency makes it adaptable to virtually any space. Its lush, green foliage can efficiently absorb formaldehyde, but it can also get rid of airborne mold spores, so it’s an excellent addition to a bathroom.
Lady palm
The lady palm is a lovely, tree-like potted plant that’s especially easy to maintain. It does an excellent job of scrubbing the air of ammonia, which is an ingredient found in cleaning products, dyes and fabrics.
To learn more about indoor plants and other ways to improve the air quality in your Lorain home, contact us today at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area