During winter, while we seal our homes to stay warm, we also trap allergens like pet dander, bacteria, and dust indoors. This can lead to poor indoor air quality and cause allergies, respiratory problems, and discomfort.
Improving your indoor air quality can help avoid asthma flare-ups and allergy symptoms. Poor indoor air can create symptoms like headaches, aggravated allergies, elevated asthma, fatigue, coughing, dry eyes, and skin rashes.
Why It Matters
While we’re sealing our homes to stay warm, we’re also trapping something less desirable: poor indoor air quality. And with colder temperatures, we spend more time inside, increasing our exposure to any pollutants present. Some of these pollutants are floating around your home are:
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) — Not a good kind of organic, these might be polluting your indoor air every time you clean or even use your personal care products.
Cleaning — A clean house may be a healthier house because good indoor hygiene can greatly cut down on dust and animal dander. Your regular cleaning should focus on strategies to reduce the accumulation of pet dander, mold, and dust in your home.
Keep Mold Out — As most of us know, mold can have horrible effects on your respiratory system and overall health. It grows well in wet, warm environments, so you may need to get a dehumidifier for your home’s basement.
Filters & Ducts – Of course, you know to change your filters. It’s standard to change them every three months, but if you have a pet or two you might want to do it a little more frequently. Cheap HVAC filters don’t last long as the more pricer ones do, so they need replacing more often.
Another item you might want to ponder is having your air ducts cleaned. Dust and dander can become trapped in them after years of air blowing through.
Air Purifier — If there are family members living in your home that have allergies or asthma, an air purifier would help greatly. The units capture at least some of the irritants that may trigger symptoms. You’re probably not going to be able to remove these allergens completely, but you can cut down on them.
Fresh Air — If it isn’t allergy season outdoors, you might want to open windows from time to time to let that fresh air in. Do this even in the colder months once in a while.
And remember, Greer’s carries an extensive array of products to help make sure your indoor air is safe and clean, including air purification, humidification, UV light, and air cleaning systems, as well as air and furnace filters.
By taking simple steps, you can improve your indoor air quality and enjoy a healthier, more comfortable winter season. So if you believe your indoor air isn’t doing so well, please give us a call.
