3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Home's Indoor Air Quality

If you're someone who believes that "health is wealth," you'll no doubt be concerned with the ways you can continuously improve your overall well-being. But you might not realize that health isn't only about maintaining a nutritious diet or partaking in regular exercise. The environment in which you spend your time can have a substantial effect on your emotional and physical health.

One aspect you might have overlooked? The quality of the air you breathe. If you spend a fair amount of time indoors -- like the majority of us do -- you might think you're safe from smog and pollution. However, just because you can't see the poor air quality in your home doesn't mean it's not there. In fact, studies have shown that the levels of certain organics are actually two to five times higher indoors than they are outside! Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to improve the indoor air quality of your home. Here are just three to jumpstart your health journey.

Be Choosy When Renovating

If you're planning on doing any remodeling work to your home or you're going to be moving into a custom-built house, do yourself a favor and think carefully about the materials you use. If you're painting your floor or walls, be sure to use a low VOC paint to ensure you won't suffer any negative health effects from this process. Whether or not you realize it, an air purifying paint can alleviate adverse respiratory symptoms during renovations and beyond. In general, you should strive to eliminate the use of adhesives, formaldehyde, and other harmful additives found in many building materials in favor of low odor paints and more natural options. If you're going the DIY route, you can easily find high-quality air purifying paint online; for those working with contractors, make sure the team specializes in healthy and green practices.

Amp Up Your Ventilation

In addition to your use of air purifying paints and other healthy building materials, you should focus on your home's ventilation to ensure the best air circulation. As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ventilation "helps remove or dilute indoor airborne pollutants coming from indoor sources. This reduces the level of contaminants and improves indoor air quality." Although natural ventilation (e.g., opening doors and windows to circulate air) can be effective, the majority of American households rely on mechanical ventilation (e.g., HVAC systems) to ensure air is circulated and that homes are kept at a comfortable temperature. It's a good idea to have your heating and cooling system, including your ducts and other components, serviced yearly to ensure everything is in good working order. You can do your part to facilitate proper air flow by cleaning your vents and changing your air filters as recommended. While purchasing a separate air purifier might not hurt, you may also want to invest in air filters recommended for allergy sufferers, too.

Go On a Cleaning Spree

Certainly, using health-focused paints and increasing your focus on air ventilation can go a long way. But don't forget that the less dust, dirt, debris, and other contaminants you allow into your home, the cleaner the air will be. Therefore, you might have to embrace your inner neat freak and get a little obsessive about cleaning. Be sure to launder your bed linens, cushions, curtains, and clothes on a regular basis to minimize the buildup of dust mites, pet hair, and other contaminants. Make and stick to a cleaning schedule to make certain every room gets enough attention. The more work you do here, the less work your filtration system will have to do later. Insider tip: wear a face mask while cleaning to minimize any adverse health effects of all that dust.

Improving your indoor air quality may sound like a huge problem, but purchasing air purifying paint, replacing your air filters, and cleaning your home frequently are three simple tasks you can take on without much sacrifice. Once you implement these steps into your routine, you and your family will definitely feel the difference. To learn more about how our odorless paints can help improve your home's air quality, contact us today.