Maintaining high indoor air quality (IAQ) is essential for a healthy and comfortable home. Dirty air can often lead to foul odors, allergies, and other respiratory issues, so it’s crucial to maintain your HVAC system (which plays a huge role in IAQ) and practice other simple habits to keep your indoor air fresh and healthy.
Today, we’ll discuss how to improve indoor air quality, explain what causes poor IAQ, how to combat it, and when you should call in the pros.
What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality
There’s a lot of reasons why the air in your home may be subpar, and the first step to understanding how to improve indoor air quality is recognizing these common causes:
- Dust, pet dander, and pollen
- Mold and mildew from extreme humidity
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cleaning products, paint, furniture, etc.
- Tobacco smoke, cooking fumes, and other similar pollutants
- Dirty HVAC components and a lack of ventilation
If your home is commonly exposed to any of these elements, start looking into ways to reduce them or up your HVAC quality to better filter the air inside.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
These tips will help you improve your HVAC system and ensure it’s doing its part in filtering air and keeping your IAQ at a safe level.
Upgrade Your Air Filters
Not all air filters are created equal, so it’s important to choose one that will effectively clean the air in your home. MERV ratings show how well filters trap different sizes of particles on a scale of 1 to 16, with higher numbers being more effective.
Generally, a filter with an MERV of 8 to 13 is recommended for residential HVAC systems. However, HEPA filters, which go above and beyond the MERV scale by catching 99.97% of even the smallest particles, can also be helpful in improving your IAQ and the efficiency of your unit.
Whatever kind of filter you choose, be sure to replace it regularly, around once a month or according to the specific manufacturer’s instructions.
Invest in an Air Purification System
Air purifiers work alongside your HVAC system to reduce pollutants such as allergens, dust, pet dander, and even airborne bacteria and viruses. You can install a whole-home air purifier that connects to your HVAC system or strategically place single room purifiers throughout your home.
Whole-Home Systems
- Integrates easily into an HVAC system
- Purifies air consistently throughout the entire home
- Higher installation costs
Single Room Purifiers
- Target specific areas or rooms that need added filtration
- Flexible and easy to cater to your needs
- Less expensive upfront
Improve Ventilation Throughout Your Home
Proper airflow is key to keeping your home’s air fresh and clean because it flushes out stale air and reduces indoor pollutants. To boost natural ventilation, open windows and doors when the outdoor air quality is high and turn on fans to circulate air more effectively.
Running a ventilation assessment can help you determine how well air is flowing through your home and make the necessary changes. Frequently check for blocked vents, stale air, or weak airflow from your HVAC system. If you notice any issues, get in touch with your HVAC company for a more thorough evaluation and tips on how to improve indoor air quality.
Control Humidity Levels
High humidity can quickly lead to the growth of dangerous mold and dust mites, while extremely dry air can exacerbate respiratory issues such as dry eyes, nosebleeds, or asthma. Maintaining an indoor humidity range of 30–50% can help keep these issues at bay.
Look into setting up humidifiers or dehumidifiers (or integrating them directly into your HVAC system) to provide optimal humidity and health year-round.
Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance
Dirty coils, ducts, and filters in your HVAC system can significantly reduce IAQ by allowing dust and allergens to circulate throughout your home. Over time, these contaminants can reduce the efficiency of your system and aggravate respiratory conditions.
Professional tune-ups and cleanings ensure your system remains free of buildup, promoting cleaner air and optimal performance. This regular, preventative maintenance will be a worthwhile investment in your long-term air quality and health.
Consider Duct Cleaning Services
Dirty ducts can significantly decrease your IAQ, so keep an eye out for excessive dust, musty odors, mold growth in vents or ducts, increased allergy symptoms, or inconsistent airflow. All of these indicators likely mean you need a thorough, professional duct cleaning. Having clean, fresh ducts will help reduce allergens in your home and promote good respiratory health.
When to Call the Experts
Knowing how to improve indoor air quality can be a challenge, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can call in the experts for a thorough IAQ inspection if you have specific concerns or if you notice any of the following persisting issues, even after trying the tips in this blog:
- Strange odors or stale air
- Dirt and debris around vents
- Uneven heating or weak airflow
- Increased allergy symptoms or other sickness
HVAC professionals use specialized tools to pinpoint the root causes of your indoor air quality problems and help develop a tailored solution. This could include services like duct cleaning, installing HEPA filters, or adding humidity control systems.
It’s also important to note that not all IAQ products are the same—some are designed to target particulate pollutants for cleaner air, while others are specifically engineered to combat odors.
With expert guidance, you can choose the right combination of solutions to breathe easier and enjoy a healthier, more comfortable home.
Keep Your IAQ Fresh and Clean with Bell Cow
Clean air is crucial to your family’s comfort and safety, so don’t compromise on it. If you have any concerns about how to improve indoor air quality, Bell Cow is here with comprehensive solutions and high-quality service, every time. From duct cleaning to HVAC repairs and replacements, we have everything you need for a healthy home.
Give us a call to schedule your air quality and HVAC checkup.