How effective is your indoor air quality equipment?
There are many tings that contribute to indoor air pollution. Cleaners. Air fresheners. Outdoor Air. Plastics. Dust. you name it! It can be a bit overwhelming to think about staying ahead of all of these pollutants. In fact, indoor air quality is often cited as more polluted than outdoor air! Now that’s a scary thought.
Luckily, your heating and air conditioning system is a great tool to help combat poor indoor air quality. Different components can make your home fresh, clean and comfortable. An indoor air quality system may mean better overall health for you and your family.
Is your indoor air quality system up for the job? One key component of your heating and air conditioning system that acts as a guard against poor indoor air is your furnace filter. Unfortunately, many people don’t change their furnace filter nearly enough. While some people may be able to get away with changing it twice a year (once before the heating season and again before the cooling season) most people will be better off changing it more often. For some homeowners, like pet owners, it can be necessary to change your furnace filter once a month!
If you don’t want to bother with a disposable filter, you can always look into your permanent filter options. 
Just remember, permanent filters still need to be cleared! When you do have to clean it, make sure you take it outside. You don’t want those trapped particles released back into your indoor air.
If you want to make sure your indoor air quality system’s job easier, there are some things you can try to do around your house to reduce indoor air pollutants and keep your family breathing easy.
- Use natural cleaners and air fresheners. Baking soda can be a great tool when it comes to cleaning up around the house.
- Keep up with cleaning. Vacuuming, sweeping, dusting…these are all important ways to keep air pollutants out of the air.
- Schedule a duct cleaning. Once those pollutants make it into your ductwork, they are that much closer to being distributed into the air you breathe.
Is your indoor air quality system up to the challenge? If not, ask your local heating and cooling contractor about your IAQ system options. There are plenty to choose from that can filter your air, eliminate mold and odors, and regulate humidity.
What do you do to keep your indoor air as healthy as possible?