Boosting Your Indoor Air Quality: A Room-by-Room Guide
Are you concerned about the quality of your indoor air? Do you want to take measures to improve the air in your home? A good place to start is with a room-by-room inspection. Once you’ve pinpointed the culprits that lower indoor air quality, you can take corrective measures.
Living areas
- Do you have pets? Pets shed fur and dander, which can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Don’t let pets lounge on furniture, and dust regularly. Vacuuming with a high efficiency particulate air device captures pollutants, instead of re-releasing them around the home.
- If you have a fireplace, carbon monoxide is a concern. Schedule regular fireplace maintenance, and install CO detectors to stay safe.
Bathrooms
- Activities such bathing generate moisture, the primary indoor air quality concern in bathrooms, which can eventually cause mildew and mold to form — without proper ventilation. An exhaust fan ushers moisture out of these rooms.
Kitchen
- Cooking and preparing foods can also degrade indoor air quality by releasing cooking odors and moisture. Running an exhaust fan ensures proper ventilation.
- Operating a gas stove can put your safety at risk if you don’t prioritize maintenance. Proper maintenance involves an annual check of the stove’s venting system to ensure there’s no CO hazard.
- Many homeowners store chemicals and cleaners in the kitchen, often under the sink. The release of their volatile organic compounds can significantly affect air quality. Try to avoid storing harsh chemicals in your home. If you must store them in your home, make sure they’re tightly sealed. Consider alternative cleaners, such as green cleaning agents.
Basement
- If you store chemicals in the basement, make sure they’re sealed tight. If you don’t expect to be using a chemical again in the near future, safely dispose of it.
- Many basements house combustible appliances such as a furnace and water heater. Regular service keeps them operating safely.
- A dehumidifier keeps moisture and mold issues in this space at bay.
Do you need to give your home’s indoor air quality a big boost? Contact Beyer Boys for expert help finding the right solutions for your home. We’ve served greater San Antonio since 1990.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater San Antonio, Texas area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).