How To Improve Indoor Air Quality in Winter

A winter season is a challenging time of the year when it comes to maintaining a healthy air quality in our homes.

Here are practical helpful tips on how to improve indoor air quality during the cold season:

 

Deal With Dry Indoor Air In Winter

We at Dustless Duct advise the introduction of fresh outdoor air to one's home through venting, heating, and HVAC systems.

According to the recent studies, a moderate level of indoor humidity of 40% minimizes the contagious ability of viruses, preventing them from spreading.

Portable ultrasonic humidifiers are also highly recommended to humidify houses during the winter months to prevent you and your loved ones from catching the infectious influenza viruses.

Using a vented exhaust fan and opening windows during the winter season is also an ideal and least costly means of preventing the build-up of pollutants in the house that potentially exacerbate asthma and allergies.

 

Reduce The Number Of Pollutants

Here are recommendations how to reduce pollution sources in your house:

• Eliminate sources of indoor air pollution like toxic and harsh smelling cleaning solutions.
• Avoid using wood stoves and avoid smoking. Wood and cigarette smoke contain similar carcinogenic substances that affect your health.
• Utilize a gas-fueled fireplace instead of the wood-burning fireplace to reduce air pollution.
• Utilize prompt and proper garbage disposal. Non-disposal of overflowing kitchen garbage bins contributes to poor air quality in houses. All trash bins must be disposed of promptly and properly. Throw away rotten and decaying food products that produce molds and other harmful pollutants.

 

Check The Air Ducts And Change Filters If Necessary

To improve your indoor air quality, air ducts should be inspected frequently and air filters must be changed routinely, specifically every 3 months. This is one of the appropriate and effective ways to prevent the occurrence of air and heating problems and saves electricity costs as well.

Poor maintenance allows the build-up of dust in the filtration system over some time and compels the furnace to work twice as hard and eventually damages it.

Learn more: What Things You Should Do Before Turning On Your Furnace

 

Clean Your Living Space Regularly

These simple measures will help to maintain a healthy indoor environment in your house:

• Maintain cleanliness of the living room.
• Remove dust from surfaces by using wet cloth and wear an air-filtering mask to protect your airways.
• Vacuum rooms regularly to minimize the collection of airborne pollutants like dust mites, pollen, and mold. Use a vacuum with a filter to prevent the blowing of dust back into the air.
• Natural cleaning products can be used to keep rooms clean, safe, and germ-free.

 

Use of Air Purifier

New high-tech air purifiers are available in the market. These devices purify air several times every hour and keep the indoor air cleaner during the winter months. Some of them use innovative nanotechnology that:

• Captures and removes the microscopic allergens, pet dander, and pollen from the air.
• Catches the floating dust that harbors the fragments of dust mites. These allergens are common causes of allergic reactions.
• Removes 98% of artificial smells from citrus-scented cleaners in 2 hours.
• Destroys volatile toxic compounds like formaldehyde, a substance that is difficult to remove from the air indoors. It can be found in clothing, furniture, flooring, and cigarette smoke.
• Removes invisible smoke particles.

 

What Else Can You Do To Improve Air Quality?

Implement these habits that help to keep clean air indoors:

1. Avoid smoking and stay away from second-hand smoking exposure.

   The smell and output of smoking cigarettes, tobacco, and vape products affect the quality of air in your home and cause lung illnesses.

2. Doormats must be used to wipe shoes before entering the house.

   Shoes are carriers of pollutants such as pollen, animal dander, and feces, and harmful chemicals. Thus, clean your footwear regularly.

3. Decorate the House with Plants.

   Indoor hanging plants not only revitalize the ambiance of the house, they also filter and purify indoor air, and remove air pollutants such as benzene and xylene.

4. Purify The Air Using Aromatherapy.

   One way to try to improve your indoor air quality in winter is the use of aromatherapy. It refers to the use of therapeutic high-quality essential oils placed in a diffuser, to disinfect and cleanse the air of pathogens, molds, bacteria, and viruses in houses.

 

Get Ready For The Winter Season!

Winter indoor air quality can be improved through routine customary inspections and proper maintenance of the building heating system can save money on fuel and extend the life of the air ducts and furnace at home.

The time is now to be vigilant in maintaining proper house hygiene and make the essential preparations specifically during the dry and cold winter season to avoid the sick building syndrome.

Let's take good care of your home's heating system so we can enjoy the cold winter months.

Winter is coming soon! And now you know how to keep healthy indoor air during the winter season. If you need professional air duct cleaning feel free to call Dustless Duct at 888-758-1835.