air quality | indoor air

AIR QUALITY

Indoor Air

There are three basic strategies to improve your indoor air quality:

  1. Eliminate individual pollution causing sources
  2. Improve ventilation
  3. Clean your air

Eliminate pollution causing sources

  • Don't smoke or allow others to smoke in your home
  • Clean home regularly to eliminate dust, dust mites, molds
  • Control indoor humidity to eliminate mold growth
  • Use organic, non-chemical cleaning agents
  • Air out dry cleaned clothes outside before bringing into home
  • Use pesticides outdoors only or allow pesticide professionals only to treat indoors

Improving Ventilation

Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house; open windows and doors to improve ventilation. It is particularly important to increase ventilation when indoor activities include activities that would increase air pollutants like painting, cooking, or welding.

Cleaning Your Air

The effectiveness of an air cleaner depends on how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (expressed as a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the cleaning or filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute). A very efficient collector with a low air-circulation rate will not be effective, nor will a cleaner with a high air-circulation rate but a less efficient collector. The long-term performance of any air cleaner depends on maintaining it according to the manufacturer's directions.

When moving into a new home, while the home may appear clean and fresh it is full of airborne pollutants from the cabinetry, carpets, paint and glue. It is recommended to use a HEPA air purifier in each room prior to moving in and then continue usage as part of your healthy home initiative.