When you spend considerable time indoors, poor air quality can cause a variety of health issues. Unexplained allergy symptoms, fatigue, brain fog, and respiratory distress are just a handful of the complications associated with low-quality indoor air. Do any of these issues feel familiar?
At Steve’s Plumbing & Heating, we know poor indoor air quality presents a confounding challenge for many homeowners. We’re here to help you solve it. Below, we’ve outlined five simple solutions you can implement to improve the quality of your indoor air.
1. Duct Cleaning
Many homeowners don’t realize it, but the condition of their ductwork plays a major role in the quality of their indoor air. Are you among them? Dirty ducts have been known to trigger a slew of bothersome health symptoms tied to:
● Excessive dust and dust mites
● Pet hair and dander
● Outdoor pollen
● Chemical residue
● Mold, mildew, viruses, and bacteria
Unless you keep your windows cracked open, your HVAC system continually recycles the air inside your home. As that air picks up particles from inside your house, it carries them back into the ductwork, where they settle along the interior walls of the system. Unfortunately, that buildup will grow over time without professional intervention.
That’s where duct cleaning services come in. Professional duct cleaning is designed to eradicate health-harming buildup from within your ducts using specialized cleaning tools. With routine cleaning, you’ll not only enjoy purer indoor air, but you’ll also find your HVAC system operates more efficiently.
In addition to routine duct cleaning, we also recommend replacing your system filters according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule.
2. Ductwork Maintenance
In addition to having your ductwork cleaned regularly, you should also ensure your ducts are in good condition via routine air duct inspections. Most duct systems last about 10-15 years, after which they often suffer deterioration, cracks, holes, and damaged seals.
Any type of damage to your ductwork can allow particles from within your attic and walls to enter the system. Mold and mildew spores, bacteria, and even pests can easily enter your air ducts if they’re compromised, and all of these things can quickly diminish your indoor air quality. Unless you’re aware of the problem and take measures to fix the damage, it will inevitably grow worse over time.
If you’ve noticed the interior of your home smells odd — especially if you detect musty, wet odors when your HVAC system runs, you need a duct inspection. The same holds true if your air ducts are more than a decade old. If the inspection reveals issues with your system, handle the repairs as promptly as possible to help improve the quality of your home’s air.
3. Annual Air Conditioner Maintenance
Is your air conditioner housing mold or bacteria? Unless you conduct routine maintenance according to a regular schedule, this issue can be difficult to detect. And, though you might be unaware of such a problem, it continually pollutes your indoor air.
So how do you remedy the issue? With routine air conditioner maintenance.
HVAC maintenance serves to improve system performance through component inspection and cleaning. If you’ve never had your air conditioner professionally serviced, expert attention can go a long way in terms of improving your indoor air quality.
For optimal performance system performance, we recommend scheduling a maintenance appointment once per year.
4. Household Air Purification Systems
Though your HVAC system contains filters, they’re not designed to trap many of the more microscopic particles that contribute to poor air quality. Fortunately, household air purification systems are designed to pick up the slack.
Generally, air purification devices (or whole-house systems) contain HEPA filters, which effectively capture 99.7% of particles as small as 0.3 micrometers in diameter. For reference, the average human hair has a diameter of about 80 micrometers!
Can you imagine just how microscopic some of those health-harming particles inside your house are?
Certain devices and systems also come equipped with UV sanitization, which effectively kills viruses and bacteria as they pass through the filter.
5. Air-Cleaning Houseplants
In 1973, NASA identified over 100 airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inside the Skylab space station. Upon entering the station, workers experienced respiratory difficulties and burning eyes, two of the most typical symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome, which is caused by exposure to high levels of indoor pollutants.
In an attempt to find a solution for improving indoor air quality, researcher B.C. Wolverton began placing houseplants inside an experimental, tightly sealed building known as “The Biohome.” When the houseplants were brought in and left to work their air-purifying magic, researchers conducted air quality testing. They found the majority of the VOCs had been eliminated from the environment, and, unsurprisingly, the workers’ symptoms also disappeared.
If you think your indoor air quality could use some help, adding houseplants to your decor can make a significant difference. But you’ll need to add more than just a couple to enjoy their air-cleaning benefits, and some plants do a better job than others.
For the lowdown on the greenery you should get, check out Best Indoor Plants for Air Purification.
Ready to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your Wisconsin Rapids Home?
At Steve’s Plumbing & Heating, we’ve been serving homeowners throughout Wisconsin Rapids and the surrounding areas for over 30 years. If you’re dealing with dirty ductwork or unexplained allergy symptoms, we can help you get your indoor air quality back on track.
To schedule a service appointment or request an estimate, give our team a call at 715-421-1800. You can also get in touch with us by filling out our contact form, and a member of our team will be in contact with you promptly.