5 Common Household Air Pollutants

It’s scary to think about, but the air inside your home can actually be five times more polluted than the outdoor air, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

This indoor air pollution can be attributed to just a few seemingly-innocuous household things. Keep reading to learn about a few items that pollute air:

• Dirty air filters: Your air filters are designed to keep dangerous particles out of your air while protecting your HVAC system. These filters get less effective as they collect more dust and debris, leading to pollutants in your air. Trouble breathing or an abnormal amount of dust in your home could be due to dirty filters.
• Cleaning products: Those powerful cleaners you use throughout the house may be doing more harm than good. Many cleaners contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that reduce air quality and can even lead to breathing problems, headaches or other medical issues. We recommend switching to all-natural cleaning products to keep your air as fresh as possible.
• Paint: VOCs are also common in paints, and those fumes don’t go away once you’re done repainting your home. Keeping those old paint cans in your house or your garage pollutes your air and puts your health in jeopardy.
• Air fresheners and scented candles: Lighting a candle or using an air freshener can mask nasty odors in your house—but those nice-smelling products may contain harmful chemicals that lead to home air pollution. Read the label the next time you buy a candle or air freshener to ensure it’s made with all-natural ingredients.
• Woodburning fireplaces: Starting a fire is a cost-effective way to keep your home comfortable throughout the winter, but the smoke and ash from the fire lower your home’s air quality and can lead to breathing problems down the road. If you do use a woodburning fireplace, make sure the flue is open and clean before lighting it.

How can I fix my indoor air quality?

In addition to getting rid of those candles, old paint cans and other items that pollute air, you can do these things to clean up your indoor air:

• Replace your air filters: The best way to solve your air quality woes is to replace your air filters. Check your manufacturer’s recommendations, but you should likely change them once a month.
• Open the windows: Try opening up your windows on nice days. Even if it’s just for five minutes, having the windows open lets fresh air in and gets rid of indoor air pollution.
• Buy some houseplants: Plants like peace lilies, spider plants, dragon trees and weeping figs are known to help boost your indoor air quality. Keep them in the den, kitchen, bedrooms or any other areas where you spend large amounts of time.

How are your air filters looking?

If your air filters have seen better days or if your heater isn’t working as well as it used to, call our team Ken’s Comfort Zone Air Conditioning. We’ll send someone out ASAP to perform a heating inspection, replace those filters and do our best to address your home air pollution.

Categorised in: Air Quality

This post was written by Writer