Spring is the notorious time of year for air quality problems, but allergy sufferers know that winter can be just as bad. In spring, pollen is a major culprit. But in winter, when your home is sealed up tightly, air circulates less, humidity can build up, and so can allergens. (Read: What is Healthy Air?)
If you’re concerned about controlling pollutants inside your home this winter, here are a few tips from the Centers for Disease Control that can help:
Inspect Heat Sources that Affect Air Quality
Gas, wood, and even biomass heat sources in your home can affect your indoor air quality. Appliances such as your furnace, water heater, and gas-, wood-, or biomass-fueled room heaters, should always be vented to the outside. Chances are, these appliances were professionally installed. But they still need regular inspections to be sure there are no leaks that could affect your family's health or safety.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explain that carbon monoxide (CO) is a real risk indoors, and that gas appliances and those that burn wood or biomass materials for fuel, can contribute to CO buildup in your home. So have these appliances inspected regularly, and install CO detectors to alert you if levels get too high.
Control Moisture to Prevent Mold in the Air
Mold are fungi, and they can thrive in humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. There are numerous types of mold, according to the CDC, and many of them contribute to respiratory problems such as coughs, fever and even chronic lung illnesses. (Read: Is There Pollution Inside Your Home?)
Keeping your home mold-free begins with controlling humidity, but if mold is already present, you’ll need to work on abatement. You can clean away mold spores from hard surfaces using a simple solution of soapy water. But if mold is present on porous materials that you can’t launder, such as carpets and upholstery, it might be necessary to replace them.
Take Smoking Outdoors to Keep Air Cleaner
Awareness of the dangers of tobacco smoke is at an all-time high. And it’s not just the smoker who is affected; second-hand smoke affects everyone else in the home. So first, if you smoke, you should quit. But if not, then smoking should only be done outdoors.
Not only does the residue from tobacco smoke stick to nearly every surface in your home, it’s also breathed in by everyone else inside. If you need a few more reasons to quit, or at the very least smoke outside, scroll through the volumes of CDC reports on smoking, dating back as far as 1964.
Control Air Polluting Allergens
Indoor allergens come in the form of insects, pollen, pets and other animals, chemicals, and many other sources. While some people aren’t affected by most, if any, common allergens, some people suffer greatly. The only way to control allergic reactions is by preventing contact with the allergens, and that takes scrupulous care.
Keep your HVAC filters clean or change them more frequently than the minimum recommended 30-day cycle. If you have carpeting, vacuum regularly using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. Hard-surface floors are better for allergy sufferers, as they don’t trap allergens. Keeping a clean home will help reduce exposure to other allergens, such as pet dander and insect droppings.
Air quality is important for everyone, no matter the time of year. But in the winter, when homes are closed up tight as a drum and fresh air circulation suffers, the people living in your home can suffer from allergens trapped indoors.
It all boils down to preventing what you can, and cleaning what you can’t. There’s no failsafe way to keep all allergens outside. But if you commit to regular maintenance, cleaning, and keeping preventable pollutants out of your home, everyone will breathe healthier, cleaner air year-round.
If you haven’t had your HVAC unit and other gas-fueled appliances in your home inspected this season, now is the time. It only takes a few minutes, and your inspector can likely repair any issues quickly.