A 10-Point Strategy To Breathe Easier In Your Home

Without proper ventilation, irritating particles such as pet dander, dust, pollen, mold spores and volatile organic compounds can become concentrated in your indoor air. This leads to poor indoor air quality, which can affect your health by increasing symptoms associated with allergies, asthma and respiratory illness. Luckily, there are ways to improve the quality of your indoor air.

Here is a 10-point strategy to help you breathe easier in your home:

1. Furnaces and gas water heaters should be vented properly to the outdoors to reduce emissions.
2. Fans should be installed in kitchens and bathrooms to remove moisture and ventilate your living spaces.
3. Never idle your cars in the garage for any length of time as this can increase your risk of carbon monoxide exposure.
4. Ventilate fireplaces and wood stoves to the outdoors to prevent carbon monoxide exposure. Also schedule routine maintenance to ensure everything is working correctly.
5. Clothes driers and central vacuums should be sealed and vented properly.
6. Store cleaning products, paints and other solvents in air-tight storage containers and keep them far away from air intake vents.
7. Keep candles, cigarettes and space heaters out of the home.
8. Ventilate your air for at least 30 minutes each day by opening windows or running exhaust fans.
9. Make sure all windows in the home are capable of opening and functioning correctly. Use them often, especially when you are cleaning or painting that specific room.
10. Schedule routine professional maintenance for your HVAC system, and remember to inspect and change air filters as needed.

Contact Blanton’s Heating and A/Cfor more information on strategies you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you and your family breathe easier in your home.