indoor air quality Indoor air quality is something you must treat seriously.  As the year goes by, it’s easy to forget how important it is to have clean air indoors. With our busy schedules and the changing of the seasons, buying new clothes to prepare for each, keeping our indoor air quality within a desirable range can fall to the side of our priorities. Nevertheless, seasonal allergies or asthma attacks inside your home can quickly remind you of its importance, because like it or not, air quality has a direct effect upon your health.
How it affects your life and health need not be out of your control though as there are steps you can take to make sure that your IAQ is cleaner all year round. Here below, listed by the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons, are the steps we recommend. Since IAQ is something that can be maintained year round, there will be some overlap in the tips we have listed (marked with an asterisk*).

Managing Indoor Air Quality During Spring and Summer

The warmer months within Spring and Summer call to mind a bevy of activities: from shopping for lighter clothes to traveling exotic climes. At the same time, while at home, we plan for graduation and house parties and patio poker games and we redecorate. But while we do some sporadic spring cleaning here and there, we don’t usually pay too much attention to our indoor air quality. As such, we may suffer from allergies caused by dust mites or asthma attacks. The air in which we breath in our own homes need not be anathema to our existence as there are ways to make it fresher in the warm months.

What You Can Do…

  • Ventilate the home by opening the window or opening the door*
  • When redecorating, use a “no-VOC” or “low-VOC” based paint; lay down carpets that were not chemically treated with harsh pollutants
  • Vacuum and dust regularly to clear pollen from the living spaces*
  • Place indoor houseplants such as Elephant Ear, Peace Lily and Weeping Fig*
  • Plug in an energy efficient fan in each quadrant of your home to circulate fresh air throughout
  • Change your Air Filter every 45 days or when it’s dirty, whichever comes first*
  • Changing and washing your linens frequently to rid them of pollen and dust
  • Checking for radon gas and hiring a professional to safeguard your home

Managing Indoor Air Quality in the Fall and Winter

What You Can Do…

  • Place indoor houseplants such as Chinese Evergreen*
  • Vacuum and dust regularly to clear dust mites and other allergens*
  • Change your Air Filter every 45 days or when it’s dirty, whichever comes first*
  • Reducing or eliminating excess moisture accumulated inside by identifying and fixing plumbing leaks
  • Ventilate the home by opening a window or the door occasionally*
  • Test regularly for Carbon Monoxide

Making use of these tips, in addition to other conscious efforts for a clean, organized and tidy home, will improve your indoor air quality significantly.