Improving the indoor air quality in your home this spring: Part 2

Your indoor air quality is an important aspect of your home. Ensuring your air is as clean as possible and eliminating the presence of contaminants can improve the overall wellness of your whole family. Having poor IAQ can impact the health of your family and those who enter your home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Follow this guide to help you make changes and adjustments that will enhance the IAQ in your home: 

What other dangerous contaminants may be in my home?

Radon, asbestos and formaldehyde are pollutants that may contaminate your indoor air. These elements pose a significant risk to your overall health and monitoring their presence in your home is crucial. 

Radon is a radioactive gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association. Asbestos and formaldehyde are often found within the home. Products like carpets, plywood, ceilings and walls may contain these elements. Have a home inspection to check for these potential pollutants and whether you need to address their presence in your house. 

How does ventilation impact IAQ? 

Without proper ventilation chemicals and pollutants may be trapped inside your home. Circulating air in your house helps cut down on the volume of contaminants present in your house substantially. It is crucial that your home has an effective ventilation system. 

In addition, a ventilation system cuts down on humidity in the home, which can help eliminate the risk of mold growing in your house. 

Natural and mechanical ventilation impact how much air moves through your house. The exchange rate represents how quickly outdoor air replaces indoor air. Knowing your exchange rate can be valuable information that can help you piece together whether your IAQ is poor. 

How do I improve the ventilation in my home? 
Improving ventilation may require you to implement both mechanical and natural systems. According to HVAC.com, you can choose from a variety of ventilation options. There are positive and negative aspects to mechanical and natural solutions. By combining them you can drastically improve your IAQ. 

Natural ventilation is the most affordable option. Using passive vents, windows and other gaps in your home, you can help circulate new air into your home. Unfortunately, this cannot be controlled and may not be sufficient to provide the best ventilation for your house. If the weather is cold or rainy, you may need to shut windows, and this can trap pollutants in your home. 

When fans are used to push air out it is referred to as mechanical ventilation. This type of air circulation tool is typically found above oven ranges. Some of the benefits include air purification using filters, integration into heating and cooling systems and effective uniform ventilation. Unfortunately, these systems can be more expensive and gobble up energy. 

A system that integrates both mechanical and natural ventilation can help improve IAQ without breaking your bank. In addition, consider investing in a more energy efficient ventilation system. The U.S. Department of Energy indicated there are four different types of whole-house systems that help ventilate air. 

How else can I improve my IAQ? 

According to Alpine Direct, you can keep your indoor air healthier and cleaner in a few different additional ways. For example, investing in an air purifier to eliminate odors, germs and bacteria can help keep your home feeling fresh. 

In addition, regularly switching the filters of your heating and cooling system can help improve your overall IAQ. The buildup of dust and contaminants may be re-filtered into your home if you fail to do this. Make a habit of regularly switching it out whenever it becomes visibly dirty or simply doing so once a month. 

When dusting and vacuuming try not to recirculate all the pollutants. Think about purchasing a HEPA filter vacuum. According to Health.com, this is one of the healthiest cleaning mechanisms you can invest in for your home. 

"Dust can trigger allergies and asthma," noted James Sublett, MD, a spokesman for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Using a HEPA filter vacuum helps filter out 99.7 percent of pollutants. This can help dramatically improve the quality of your indoor air. 

Can plants really help improve my IAQ? 

Healthline indicated there are a number of plants that help cut down on the presence of certain pollutants in your home. For example, the Peace Lilies help eliminate formaldehyde and ammonia and Bamboo Palm helps keep carbon monoxide and chloroform at bay. All of these contaminants negatively impact your IAQ. 

Head to your local garden center and speak with a professional about available plants that can help you improve the quality of air indoors. 

By implementing these small changes in your home you can improve the wellness of you and your family. Incorporate these suggestions into your lifestyle to help enhance your overall IAQ.