Countering Fall Indoor Air Quality Concerns

As the fall season advances, we usually spend more and more time indoors. In general, we start using our heating systems in October or thereabouts — sometimes even a little earlier. The combination of heated air and closed up house can make for rather stuffy, stale indoor air quality, and no wonder: the air in the typical American home is up to seven times more polluted than the air outdoors.

And it’s not just that your home feels stuffy. The closed windows and airtight construction of most modern American homes promote the buildup of a number of airborne pollutants, including mold, dust mite particles, pet dander, pollen, dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Exposure to these particles can often result in people developing allergies to them. What’s more, they can aggravate a number of respiratory conditions, including rhinitis, bronchial irritation and asthma.

How to Improve Your IAQ This Fall

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to improve your fall indoor air quality. Here are some of them.

1. Keep mold away from your home by fixing plumbing and ceiling leaks. Reduce moisture in the bathroom and kitchen by installing exhaust ventilation. Be sure it is ducted to the outdoors.
2. Vacuum regularly with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. Go after dust mites in the crevices of upholstered furniture, and in carpets.
3. Wash linens in hot water to control dust mites.
4. Brush pets outdoors to control dander.
5. Brush off pets and clothes before coming into the home to remove pollen. You can also change clothes right away, putting the clothes you’ve worn outdoors in a plastic bag until you wash them.
6. Air out anything that might have VOCs in them before bring the items indoors, such as dry cleaning or textiles. Cap cleaners and other chemicals with VOCs tightly, or store them in the garage. Avoid purchasing products made of pressed wood.
7. Use a good quality, pleated air filter in your HVAC to capture airborne pollutants.

Want to know more about improving indoor air quality this fall? Contact Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning of Lorain.

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 other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.