The air inside your home is not as clean as you may think. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside homes and other buildings can be more polluted than the air outside. There are many things that can contribute to poor indoor air quality, such as smoke, mold, dust mites, and pet dander. The good news is that there are some simple things you can do to improve the air quality in your home and enjoy a healthier environment. 1. Invest in an Air Purifier Air purifiers work by trapping harmful airborne particles, such as allergens and smoke and removing them from the air. This can help reduce various respiratory problems, such as asthma and allergies. Additionally, air purifiers can also remove harmful chemicals and pollutants from the air, providing a cleaner and healthier breathing environment. An air purifier can also extend the life of your furniture and reduce household dust levels. When purchasing an air purifier, it is important to look for one with a high clean air delivery rate (CADR). The higher the CADR, the more effective the purifier is at filtering the air. 2. Change Your AC Filter Regularly You might not often think about...
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Some people don’t know that poor indoor air quality can be dangerous to your health. However, the reality is that indoor air can contain harmful contaminants that lead to health problems. Fragrances, pet dander, household cleaners, and dust are some examples of indoor pollutants that often appear when a home air quality test is performed. Since you spend most of your time indoors, it would be wise to keep your indoor air clean for a comfortable environment. Here are some tips to ensure that you protect and clean the air that you breathe indoors all year long. Check Your Furniture Some furniture is made of toxic materials and glues that can pollute your indoor air. The toxic glues contain harmful chemicals. Some finishing products like varnishes can affect the health of asthmatic people and those suffering from allergies. You can prevent indoor air pollution naturally by avoiding furniture treated with chemicals and furniture pieces assemble using toxic glues. Salt Lamps Salt crystal products are great at reducing airborne irritants, allergens, and pathogens by extracting water vapor from the air. A salt lamp is a natural way of cleaning your indoor air because it works by pulling toxins from your surroundings...
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If you’ve ever dusted your furniture only to have it be covered in dust again after a few hours, you know how frustrating indoor dust can be. Made up of millions of particles from a variety of sources, dust is impossible to eradicate completely. This is especially true when you consider that a large portion of dust is made up of dead skin cells, something your body is losing on a constant basis. Even though dust will always be a part of your Oak Harbor home, there are some steps that we at can offer to help you to keep the dust at bay. Here are a few ideas to help you get started. Use a High-Quality Furnace Filter One of your best allies in the fight against dust in your house is your HVAC system. As the system circulates air to condition it, the air is pulled through a filter that stops dust in its tracks. The types of dust that the filter can capture are determined by the filter’s MERV rating. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. Essentially, this refers to how tightly wound the filter fibers are, which ultimately determines the size of particles that can...
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As the winter months set in, getting cozy in a warm home is what most people look forward to. Even if you have a decent central air or heating system installed, your home’s heating comfort potential may not be as high as you thought. When was the last time you checked for leaks? How much electricity or fuel are you using? As you ask these questions and check your home, here are a few details to help you understand what it takes to maintain a comfortable, efficient heating system in the winter. Is Your Home Properly Sealed? In order to heat (or even cool) efficiently, a home needs to be well-sealed. This means covering up as many cracks, gaps, holes or other openings that can’t be sealed as easily as opening or closing a door or window. This doesn’t mean your home needs to become a sealed-off laboratory or hermetically sealed container — although you could make that happen with remodeling and the right materials. You just need to get rid of any gaps that allow outside air to critically interfere with inside air. What does critically interfere mean? The rate varies, but as a consumer, it means enough to...
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