Americans spend nearly 90% of their time indoors. This is why the quality of the air you breathe inside your home is important. Poor air quality can leave you vulnerable to a host of respiratory problems.
As cold and flu season approaches, your focus should shift to how to improve air quality in your home. If you want to breathe easier and stay healthier during this time, we've got you covered. Below is a guide to help you.
The Benefits of Improving Home IAQ This Cold and Flu Season
How to Improve Air Quality in Your Home
How Do Air Quality Systems in Your Homework During This Cold and Flu Season?
Improving your indoor air quality (IAQ) isn't just a nicety. It is a necessity, especially as you approach the cold and flu season. Here's how your home's IAQ can benefit you during this time:
Chronic exposure to indoor air pollution can worsen the severity and frequency of airborne diseases. This leads to more complications. The poor IAQ can easily facilitate virus transmission among your loved ones. It also hinders the recovery process, increasing the likelihood of reinfection. Luckily, healthy air quality can reduce the spread of airborne viruses.
Poor indoor and outdoor air quality contains pollutants like carbon monoxide. This can trigger temporary infections or worsen chronic respiratory conditions like asthma. As a result, it can make it hard to breathe. Improving air quality during this cold and flu season can help eliminate pollution and make it easier to breathe.
Winter is dense. During this time, cold air traps airborne allergens and germs indoors. Installing air purifiers can help maintain a healthy indoor environment. They can help you eliminate these harmful particles, creating a healthier indoor air environment.
Many people struggle with sleep quality, especially during the cold and flu season. Inadequate rest can make it hard for you to fend off illnesses. Improving air quality can result in better sleep. When you rest well, your body's immune system operates optimally, with a better chance of fighting off colds and flu.
Working from home can present its challenges. Poor indoor air quality can contribute to distractions and a lack of focus. This can affect your productivity. If you're working from home, it's a good idea to aerate your space accordingly. Clean air makes it easier to concentrate and be productive. Improved air quality supports your ability to focus on tasks, ensuring you can meet your work responsibilities efficiently.
When the cold and flu season hits, it can lead to frequent and severe cases of flu, and who wants that? But don't worry, we've got a plan to help you out. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to improve IAQ in your home.
Dampness can lead to a lot of problems. These include mold growth and the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into your air. If left uncared for, it can lead to respiratory issues. To improve IAQ, say goodbye to dampness. You can do this by addressing leaky pipes, indoors and outdoors. Also, keep an eye out for pooling water.
Testing your air quality is the best way to know what you're breathing in. You can opt for DIY fixes. But for more comprehensive results, hire professional air quality testing. You can consider using the Air Quality Index (AQI). The Environmental Protection Agency uses it as the official yardstick for assessing outdoor air quality.
Love lovely, scented candles, air fresheners, and diffusers?
While they may smell nice, these scented items may not be doing your indoor air quality any favors. Some scented products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like:
Formaldehyde
Benzene
Toluene
These substances can be harmful to your health. Excess exposure to these VOCs can lead to headaches and irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. You can also find VOCs in cleaning and cosmetic products, too.
Whenever you can, skip these products or choose ones with low VOC levels.
Indoor plants can help you cleanse the air. But often the results are mixed as some plants can become a source of mold or allergens. If you want to bring in some green, choose air-purifying plants like:
Dracaena
Peace lilies
Common ivy
These plants are known for their air-purifying qualities. While plants can help, they're not the ultimate solution.
Air filters can get clogged with substances like dust, pollen, and pet dander. When they're dirty, they can't do their job properly. This can contribute to poor IAQ in your home. To improve air quality, set a regular schedule to check and change your air filters. This is a simple, budget-friendly step.
Even with all these steps, your home may still harbor harmful viruses and allergens. These can worsen cold and flu symptoms. To deal with these invisible troublemakers, consider investing in air purifiers. Air Captura™ UV Air Purifiers capture and eliminate viruses and allergens. This makes the air you breathe cleaner and safer.
Carbon monoxide is a sneaky villain. It's odorless, tasteless, and can creep into your home, making you feel sick. To protect your loved ones, equip your home with carbon monoxide detectors. They're like your trusty sidekicks. These devices will alert you if this dangerous gas is present, giving you peace of mind.
Life can get hectic. As a result, it can get easy to forget about IAQ. However, consistency is key to maintaining clean air.
This is why it's important to maintain a healthy routine. Establish a routine for checking your air filters, running air purifiers, and monitoring your carbon monoxide detectors. It may seem like a chore, but it's a small price to pay for better health.
Additionally, keep your home clean. Regular cleaning can do wonders for your IAQ. Make sure you:
Dust and vacuum your home frequently
Clean carpets and upholstery
Wash your bedding
Keeping your home clean reduces the buildup of allergens and pollutants. It can help boost your indoor air quality.
As the cold and flu season settles in, it's time to get cozy and stay healthy. But how do you ensure that the air you're breathing inside your home is as fresh? That's where air quality systems come in.
Here is a breakdown of how they work:
Your home's air can be filled with invisible enemies like germs, bacteria, and allergens. They can make you sick, especially during the cold and flu season. You need a solution to keep them at bay.
Invest in air cleaners and sterilizers. These devices are your first line of defense. They target airborne germs, bacteria, and viruses, ensuring they can't wreak havoc in your home.
Air cleaners use UV-C technology to break down the DNA of those nasty microbes. This makes them harmless. Your air cleaners are like the bouncers at a club; they only let the good guys in.
These IAQ systems come in various options to suit your budget. Your health is worth the investment.
Even after your air goes through an air cleaner, there may still be tiny particles floating around. Dust, pet dander, and even viruses can lurk around, causing you trouble.
To capture these troublemakers, use air purifiers. They're like detectives in your home, constantly on the hunt for allergens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
These devices take indoor air cleanliness to the next level. They use a combination of filters, including HEPA filters to trap and remove even the tiniest particles from the air.
Over time, your HVAC system's air filter can get clogged with dust. This makes it less efficient. You don't want this to affect your home's air quality, especially during the cold and flu season.
A simple solution is installing air filters. These devices are trusty sidekicks for maintaining good air quality in your home. They quietly trap particles as the air passes through, ensuring your home's air remains fresh and clean.
Installing these filters in your HVAC system is easy. As air flows through them, they capture particles. Remember to change air filters regularly to ensure they're always working well.
As the cold and flu season approaches, there's no better time to start improving your home's indoor air quality. From installing air purifiers to maintaining a healthy routine, you can follow these steps on how to improve air quality in your home to ensure that your loved ones breathe easier and stay healthier.
At Parker and Sons, we're committed to helping you improve your indoor air quality. Our professional team can install air filters and purification systems, and we also offer top-notch HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation.
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