When it comes to our homes, we go to great lengths to maintain our family’s health and safety. Many Virginia residents install high-tech water filtration systems, smoke detectors, and burglar alarms to protect their loved ones from harm.
However, there is an area of home safety that often gets overlooked: air quality. People assume air in their home is safer than that outside, but it’s just the opposite in many cases. So what can you do to ensure that your air is contaminant-free? Here are four easy and affordable steps you can take to eliminate airborne pollutants.
1. Open a Window
It may not seem like a groundbreaking tactic, but opening a window in moisture-prone areas of your home can have a drastic effect on your air quality, and the best part is doing so won’t cost you a dime!
Every time you take a shower or boil water, tiny water droplets evaporate into the air and can settle on walls, ceiling, and floors, creating a breeding ground for mold. Opening a bathroom or kitchen window can give your home a little extra ventilation, allowing the moist air to escape and fresh, dry air to enter.
2. Bring Plants Into Your Home
House plants serve a dual purpose. Not only do they bring character and style into a living space, but they also act as natural air filters. Plants like Peace Lilies and Chrysanthemums have been scientifically proven to reduce airborne toxins.
While carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and xylene are toxic to humans, air-purifying plants thrive and even depend on these airborne pollutants to grow and propagate, making them an effective and affordable air cleansing addition to your home.
3. Switch to HEPA Filters
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are specifically engineered to catch microscopic particles that would typically slip through a standard polyester or cotton air filter. These “super filters” can capture pollen, mold spores, and dust particles as tiny as 0.3 microns, with their ultra-thin glass fibers and activated carbon. According to the EPA, HEPA filters can “theoretically remove at least 99.97%” of all airborne particles.
HEPA filters come in 10 X 20, 14 X 20, and 16 X 24 sizes, making them compatible with nearly all home ventilation systems. Installation can be completed in a matter of minutes, using only a screwdriver, making it one of the easiest air-purification upgrades.
4. Have Your Air Tested
To properly purify the air in your home, it’s crucial to know what’s in it. Whether it’s radon, mold, or pollen, each airborne contaminant needs to be handled differently. A professionally conducted indoor air quality test can help you identify potentially dangerous air pollutants and help guide you to an effective solution to remove them.
Air Quality Experts in Richmond and Virginia Beach
At Air Quality Inc., our goal is to keep residents of Richmond and Virginia beach happy and healthy by creating a pollutant-free home environment. Over the years, we‘ve helped thousands of families purify their living spaces by conducting mold, air quality, and home allergen tests.
If you have concerns about your home’s air quality, contact us today. Our team of licensed air quality technicians is ready to answer any questions you might have.
