Improving Indoor Air Quality: Tips for a Healthy Home

With the magnificent magnolias spreading their pollen in spring now in full bloom and the weather gradually warming, it’s time to start thinking about the brutally hot summer ahead. As the humidity levels start to rise, you may hesitate leaving the cool comfort of your homes, particularly as the air might be filled with various floating particles, compelling you to change into fresh clothes and often worsening allergy symptoms. Therefore, maintaining a healthy indoor environment for your residential or business places becomes essential. Hence, your Las Vegas home needs not only to be as comfortable but as healthy as possible, free from not just indoor allergens such as pet dander, mold, and pollen but also outdoor allergens brought in through doors, carried on cleaning products, and circulated by fans.

One way to achieve this goal is to improve your home’s indoor air quality during the spring so that it’s at an optimum level when summer rolls around. With our range of products and services, The Cooling Company is here to help. We employ trained technicians who can effectively manage the complexity of your HVAC systems, helping you breathe easier by alleviating allergies and enhancing well-being. To circulate cleaner indoor air, we have eight simple steps to help you achieve it, comprising of routines such as proper vacuum use, efficient air filters, HVAC maintenance, and regular checks of fans and doors.

1. Let the Plants Grow

Plants make an excellent purifier for indoor air that you can enjoy throughout the year. Just as trees, grasses, and other plants help to purify outdoor air, indoor plants work diligently to remove a variety of indoor pollutants through the process of photosynthesis.

This is because as plants absorb the carbon dioxide that’s necessary for photosynthesis, any other gases that are dissolved in the air will also flow into the plant. These wonderful green allies can help control and reduce levels of mold in the air. Regardless of the air composition, the only gas that plants will release is oxygen, ensuring you’re left with pure, fresh air garnished with a dash of nature’s own ingredient, healthy oxygen.

2. Use Some Activated Charcoal

Another great all-natural method for improving your indoor air quality comes from an ingredient you might not expect: activated charcoal. Typically found in cleaning products, this potent material comes encased in small canvas bags that you can place around your home. Inside each bag is a small amount of charcoal that’s usually made from the remnants of charred bamboo.

Thanks to the open pores in the charcoal, this substance is extremely efficient at absorbing odors and other contaminants that tend to circulate around the home. The critical point is ensuring air can flow through the bag. That’s how the system, akin to a network of fans, pushes contaminants through the charcoal, much like how an effective vacuum would work. Also, if your bag isn’t basking in a sunny location, you’ll need to set it out in the sun for an hour or so once a month to refresh it, much like airing out clothes.

3. Put Some Muscle Into It

If you’re looking to increase your indoor air filtration even more, you can use an electric air filter and purifier. For the absolute best cleaning experience, you can have The Cooling Company’s skilled technician install an air purifier in-line with your other HVAC components, as part of regular HVAC maintenance. This ensures that the clean, healthy air is effectively distributed throughout your home via filters that are apt at catching particles from pets and other allergens.

If you notice only one or two rooms are having issues with air quality, perhaps due to pet presence or mold growth, you can choose to use a more mobile air filter that you can move around your home, like a fan that you can shift from room to room, allowing you to control the air quality in individual spaces, much like closing or opening doors to regulate temperature. In any event, you’ll want to make sure to use a unit with HEPA filtration.People find it incredibly efficient to use air purifying products that remove as many contaminants as possible from the air, including common air pollutants such as dust mites and VOCs. Tricks such as vacuuming on a regular basis can also aid in reducing dust levels. Before vacuuming, consider removing your shoes to avoid tracking in contaminants from outside, or consider a shoe replacement.

4. Open Up Some Windows

Spring brings with it enjoyable temperatures and the chance to freshen up areas within your home, making it a perfect time to open your home’s windows to introduce some fresh air. However, one hidden source of indoor pollution is the dust and grime carried by the soles of people’s shoes. Therefore, as a point of information for the occupants, it is beneficial to design a logo displaying “shoe-free zone” and placing it at your doorstep.

The ideal times to have your windows open are in the morning and evening when the temperatures aren’t as scorching. This not only helps to prevent overheating but also in energy efficiency, so you don’t have to crank up your AC later. By using these sensible tricks, you can help to keep your utility bills in check. Also, it’s essential to avoid exacerbating any existing conditions, such as asthma, by introducing more pollutants into your home. That’s why you should always remember to check the air quality report for your area to ensure that you won’t be introducing more pollutants than you’re eliminating.

5. Remove Some Dust and Dander

While many components of dust are harmless to humans, some, such as mite feces and mold spores, can trigger allergic reactions, making it hard to breathe while indoors. That’s why it’s essential to vacuum regularly and remove large collections of dust in your home. One area that we at The Cooling Company, represented by our logo, strongly recommend checking is your HVAC system’s ducts and filters. This maintenance check is among many services we offer to ensure your home’s air quality is at its best.

Over time, ducts, places in your home that most people don’t pay attention to, can slowly become stuffed with dust and dirt. These ducts can become a breeding ground for mildew, especially during the moist springtime, and this area also becomes viable as a potential source of allergens. Therefore, to keep your home’s air healthy, and as a beneficial ingredient to add to your spring-cleaning tips, consider getting a professional duct cleaning.

6. Clean the Coils Thoroughly

Even in the arid embrace of the desert air, there is still quite a bit of humidity around. Perhaps, adding a dehumidifier could be one of the methods to manage this. Your air conditioner, or AC, has to step up to the challenge of removing this moisture in order to cool the air in your home. The evaporator coils, which sit above the blower fan, are primarily responsible for this task. However, if your home is especially dusty, considerable amounts of dust and debris can accumulate on these coils. And this is no different if you run your HVAC system without a filter in place.

Spring cleaning is not just about dusting corners and replacing worn-out items; it also includes ensuring your home’s systems are functioning at their best. If the coils become clogged, they won’t remove the humidity from the air efficiently. Plus, any moisture they do take out will become trapped in the dust and dirt. This can then turn into a major breeding ground for allergy-inducing mildew. That’s why one of the parts we at The Cooling Company clean during our normal maintenance is your air conditioner’s evaporator coils. This not only eliminates the build-up of such harmful substances but also keeps the air responsive to your health needs.

7. Upgrade Your Attic Ventilation

A properly ventilated attic is a key ingredient to a healthy and energy-efficient home. That’s why it’s good, especially when the flowers begin to bloom, to take the time to check that the ventilation in your attic is sufficient. Make this task part of your regular basis checks to ensure optimal air quality in your home. To aid people in maintaining a suitable environment, it’s crucial to ensure that the air system in your home is adequate for the size of your property. This takes into account the vital role of air ducts which strategically circumnavigate the structure of your home.To maximize the impact, homeowners must check regularly to ensure your air ducts are not clogged by animal nests, insulation or even plumbing mishaps – this is another vital spring cleaning tip. The fact is, it’s necessary to ensure that the surfaces inside your air ducts are properly cleaned to prevent the growth and spread of bacteria that could affect your home’s IAQ (indoor air quality) and overall health. Remember, this is a task best suited for professionals. It might cost you some money, but it’s well worth it for the sake of your health and the things in your home.

In many cases, an added touch like air purifiers can be extremely beneficial. For instance, an attic fan installed by The Cooling Company can provide good turnover, pulling in fresh air through the attic vents, so that it can mix with the filtered air from the purifiers in the rest of the home. Of course, by bringing fresh air into your attic, you also ensure that the attic doesn’t get too hot. And this helps lower the demand on your air conditioner, reducing your energy bills.

8. Accept That You Might Need Help

For a number of these indoor air quality (iaq) solutions, including spring cleaning and heating duct maintenance, it’s a great idea to have a partner like The Cooling Company in Maryland to help you with the installation of the mechanical components and manage harmful compounds. This ensures proper installation of these components so that they make a significant difference in your home. After all, you deserve to be breathing clean, healthy air, especially on those days when it’s too hot to be outside.

At The Cooling Company, we have over 50 years of combined HVAC experience, meaning you can trust us to give you great results, time after time. Our team of highly trained professionals ensures that all aspects of your HVAC system – from your furnace or air conditioner to your air ducts, plumbing components and air purifiers – are in top shape. We can also address commercial services with the same level of expertise, no matter how large the job might be.

Our commitment to service is palpable in improving your home’s heating or air quality delivery, but we also consider the cleanliness of your office spaces. We provide spring cleaning tips for your office space to ensure that you enjoy the same quality of service across all areas of your life.

Our new system’s 100% satisfaction guarantee is reflective of our many five-star reviews from homeowners on Facebook, Google, and Yelp. You can be assured of our commitment and professional service whether you need help improving your home’s comfort or advice on spring cleaning.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you’ve noticed your indoor air quality (IAQ) is suffering, or if you encounter any other issues with your home’s comfort. Feel free to give us a call or reach out to us through our website to experience the best HVAC service in Maryland.

Our professionalism and commitment to service is unwavering, as seen in our many five-star reviews. We treat each homeowner like family, delivering expert advice and solutions, from improving your home’s air quality to the sanitization of surfaces in your office. Feel free to reach out to us if you notice a dip in your indoor air quality or need advice on any other issue relating to your home’s comfort. Your satisfaction is our top priority and we’re ready to help.

Contact us if you’ve noticed your indoor air quality (IAQ) or if you’re having another issue with your home’s comfort. Whether it’s a plumbing concern or a need for better ventilation, don’t hesitate to reach out. Feel free to give us a call or reach out to us through our website today.

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