Everyone wants their family to be as healthy and happy as possible. When we think about healthy activities, most of us imagine doing things like planning balanced meals, getting regular exercise and seeing our doctor and dentist for regular checkups. 

However, when it comes to your family’s health, one thing you may be overlooking is the impact indoor air quality can have. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside homes and other buildings can be more polluted than the air outside – even in large industrialized cities. And, because we spend approximately 90 percent of our time indoors, we could be placing ourselves at even greater risk. 

Health Problems of Indoor Air Pollution

Many people don’t realize their “constant cold” or other nagging symptoms may be the result of breathing in the air in their homes. Poor air quality in your home can disrupt your sleep, bring on asthma or allergies and cause symptoms such as headaches, congestion, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, irritability and forgetfulness.

Common indoor pollutants include lead, formaldehyde, fire retardants, radon and volatile organic compounds from cleaning products, along with dust mites, mold and pet dander. All these can contribute to the symptoms above and make the air in your home dangerous to breathe, especially if you already have respiratory problems. 

What Can You Do to Improve Indoor Air Quality?

At this point, you may be feeling alarmed about how the air quality in your home is affecting you and your family’s health, and wondering what steps you can take to improve it. Here are some simple ideas for making it easier to breathe in your home.

• Regularly change your household air filters.
• Don’t smoke indoors.
• Put a doormat immediately outside your front door and use it regularly. Take off your shoes as soon as you walk in your house to avoid tracking in outside allergens.
• Dust, vacuum, sweep and mop regularly.
• Keep your home humidity levels below 50 percent to prevent dust mites and mold.
• Look for fragrance-free or naturally scented laundry products, and switch to cleaners that don’t include artificial fragrances. Avoid room sprays, scented candles and plug-in deodorizers, all of which could contain chemicals and volatile organic compounds.
• If the weather allows, open the windows to allow toxic chemicals to escape from your home. 
• Get houseplants that purify the air. Plants like ferns, spider plants and aloe vera aren’t just beautiful – they’re living air purifiers. Their leaves and root system work together to absorb chemical pollutants from synthetic materials. 

Contact Nu-Temp for Professional Help With Indoor Air Quality

We all need to be more aware of air quality and ways to improve our indoor environments. Now that you know some ways to reduce your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals, you can work to make positive changes in your life. 

At Nu-Temp Heating and Cooling, we know you’d do anything to keep your family safe. We professionally install air scrubbers, UV light kits, humidifiers, media filters and air cleaners. Call us today at 215-702-3970 for affordable HVAC maintenance and more ideas for keeping your indoor air quality pure.