There’s a good news, bad news aspect to modern home construction. On the one hand, tight construction practices ensure optimum energy efficiency for long-term savings on utility bills. The bad news is that an airtight home tends to trap dirty air and degrade indoor air quality, threatening the health of home occupants. Fortunately, a variety of steps are available to improve air quality and remove pollutants from your home in all seasons.
Waging the War Against Indoor Pollutants
- Effective air filtration — This means choosing an air filter for your furnace or air handler that removes the great majority of airborne contaminants. It should accomplish this without impeding system airflow. In addition, make sure you inspect the filter monthly, and change it when it appears dirty or clogged.
- Reduce pollutants — You can do this by avoiding chemical-laden household products or anything (including furniture, carpets and building materials) that contains high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Securely store any hazardous substances such as pesticides and highly concentrated cleaning compounds. Look for natural alternatives.
- Improve ventilation — If your home is adequately ventilated, that should compensate for tight construction. Ventilation strategies range from natural methods (opening windows) to high-tech balanced ventilation systems such as heat recovery or energy recovery ventilators. A whole-house fan is also an option worth considering.
- Healthy humidity levels — When your home is too humid or dry, either situation can create a more inviting environment for health-threatening pollutants. Find and repair sources of moisture such as plumbing leaks and damaged foundations. Address high humidity in household air with portable or whole-house dehumidifiers, depending on the extent of the problem. Likewise, use a humidifier to add moisture during dry winter weather.
- Consider installing a whole-house air cleaner to remove contaminants in indoor air.
For more advice on improving indoor air quality and reducing pollutants in your Dayton area home, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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