All of us are concerned about our family’s health. That’s why the indoor air quality of your home is so important. Many pathegens and allergies are spread in our homes, simply because homeowners don not adhere to a few simple steps to protect the indoor air quality.
First of all, we need to insure that our homes are well sealed from air leaks. Most homes have an excess of air leaks, many in unseen places and others right before our eyes. Let’s look at a few of them:
- Window and door sealing and weatherstripping. Normal activity of opening and closing these entrances wears on seals and weatherstripping. Check them every year to be sure they are air tight (best done on a windy day)
- Places where cables and pipes go through walls. These should be caulked to prevent air leaks and energy loss
- Eaves, attics and basements. Many attics aren’t properly insulated.
Once you’ve taken care of air leaks, the next area of concern in maintaining your indoor air quality is the air filter in your HVAC system. This air filter is there to catch dust particles and remove them from the air. Be sure to change your air filter regularly, according to manufacturer’s recommendations (usually every 30 days).
Finally, be sure to keep your home clean. This is especially true if you have pets in your home. Dog and cat hair can greatly affect your indoor air quality. Additionally, mold and mildew can form in hidden damp areas of kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and basements.
It is important to check your home regularly (monthly is good) for all three of these areas. You can only maintain good indoor air quality by consistent checking and quickly correcting any issues that can degrade your indoor air quality.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
