During the winter months in Gilbert, AZ, you likely tend to spend more time indoors. You may keep windows and doors closed more often as well. This can lead to a higher concentration of indoor air contaminants that can impact your health, comfort, and well-being. Exposure to things like pet dander, dust, and volatile organic compounds can lead to symptoms like shortness of breath, headaches, a stuffy nose and fatigue. There are steps you can take to improve the quality of your indoor air in the winter months.
Utilizing Ventilation
It’s imperative to find ways to expel contaminated air from your home so it can be replaced with fresh air. This can be done using ventilation. Your home is likely equipped with exhaust fans. These fans are commonly in areas such as your bathroom and kitchen. Run your exhaust fans while you’re bathing, cooking or cleaning. This will help you regulate the humidity in your home while also reducing particulate matter.
You can have additional exhaust fans installed in your home as well. Commonly upgraded areas include your attic and basement.
Change Your Furnace Filter Frequently
Your furnace has a filter that should be changed once every 30 to 90 days. If you ignore this simple maintenance task, this can cause your indoor air quality to suffer. Also, you may want to upgrade your furnace filter to a model that will trap more particulate matter.
Most filters are rated using the minimum efficiency reporting value scale, or MERV for short. The higher the MERV rating, the more particulate matter that is trapped. Make sure that the filter you choose doesn’t cause too much airflow restriction in your HVAC system. This can lead to equipment malfunction and damage. Most residential furnaces can handle filters that are rated between 8 and 12 MERV.
Use Whole-House Air Filtration
Your furnace filter can only remove so many contaminants from your indoor air. You can have whole-house air filtration added to your HVAC to remove more particulate matter. This equipment can handle more restrictive filters that can remove as much as 99.97% of the particulate matter in your home. This includes high-efficiency particulate air filters or HEPA filters.
Control Indoor Humidity
If you have high levels of relative humidity in your home, this can decrease the quality of your indoor air. Humid air can hang on to more particulate matter, making it easier for you to breathe it in. Maintain relative humidity that is between 35% and 50%. You can do this by using a whole-house dehumidifier or humidifier.
If levels of humidity in your home rise about 50%, this can dramatically increase your risk of mold growth. Encountering mold can be dangerous to your health. It can quickly spread and circulate through your HVAC system.
Opening Windows and Doors
The temperature outside may be cooler than you like but strive to open a window or two for at least 5 to 10 minutes each day. This promotes a healthy exchange of air that can improve your indoor air quality. It can also help remove some of those pesky germs that get passed through your household in the winter months.
Adopt Houseplants
Several varieties of houseplants can do a great job of removing chemicals and impurities from your indoor air. This includes the peace lily, spider plants, golden pothos, and bamboo. Just be sure that you keep up with taking care of these plants. Don’t water them too often, as this can promote the growth of mold and affect your indoor air quality.
Keep Up With Routine Maintenance of Your HVAC System
You should schedule routine maintenance for your HVAC system before the start of winter. Our team will inspect your equipment for signs of damage, make necessary repairs, lubricate moving parts and check electrical connections. This can boost the efficiency and effectiveness of your HVAC system, improving your indoor air quality.
For more information on ways, you can improve your indoor air quality in the winter, Hicken Air offers a variety of indoor air quality services, including air purification. We can also help you upgrade your heating and cooling equipment, perform emergency repairs, and take care of routine maintenance. Contact Hicken Air today in Gilbert to schedule an appointment today.
971 N Gilbert Rd, Suite #203