Yesterday, I talked about how to detect carbon monoxide and radon in your home. I also touched on the point that you shouldn’t let anyone smoke in your home to keep the air quality at its best. After all, on average, we spend more time indoors than out.
After you take care of the harmful gases, what else can you do to improve the air quality inside your home? Ventilating the home is very important. Open your windows whenever possible and if you have exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, use them. Even if you have pollutants in the home, ventilating can help get rid of them.
Fix any leaks in the roof, foundation, or basement to avoid dampness and mold. We all know how bad mold can be, but dampness in your home can cause wheezing, coughing, and asthma-like symptoms.
Make sure your air conditioner and dehumidifier is cleaned regularly. Your air conditioner should have filters, so clean or replace those on regular intervals. As for your dehumidifier, standing water can help the growth of dust mites, mold, and mildew, which is never a good thing.
While no pet lover wants to hear it, pets too can pollute your home’s air. Things like saliva, urine, feces, and dead skin cells can irritate allergies. Experts suggest if you have pet allergies to keep little Fido outside, but many pet owners will balk at that suggestion. If that is the case, at least try to keep pets out of the bedrooms and clean floors, curtains, and furniture upholstery regularly.
And speaking of cleaning your carpet and furniture, guess what else that can get rid of – dust mites! Dust mites, those nasty little minuscule pests that cause both asthma and allergies, need moisture to survive and thrive, so keep your humidity levels at below 50% if possible. Vacuum and clean both the carpet and furniture regularly and if you really want to fight them, remove the carpet completely. Since dust mites especially like your bedding, use special covers for your mattress and pillows to keep them at bay.
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