Poor indoor air quality can increase the amount of dust mites, mold spores, and pet dander in your home, which leads to a variety of symptoms, including respiratory problems, fatigue, and digestive issues. It's important to ensure you take steps to improve your home's air quality, particularly during the winter months, so you can feel your best. Although it is impossible to remove every allergen present within your home, there are a number of things you can do to help reduce them and minimize your exposure to them.

Maintain A Clean Home

Keeping your home clean will cut down on dust and pet dander, which then leads to a healthier air quality. When cleaning, you should take steps to reduce mold, pet dander, and dust throughout your home. If possible, avoid wall-to-wall carpeting and vacuum any carpets or area rugs one to two times per week. It's also important to ensure your vacuum cleaner includes a HEPA filter. Regularly cleaning your bedding, curtains, and other fabric items is another great way to improve indoor air quality. You can purchase purchase dust-mite proof mattress and pillow covers, but if you're unable to invest in these items, be sure to wash them in water that is a minimum of 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Clean Your Air Ducts and Regularly Change Air Filters

If you have a heating system that uses forced air, you should change the filters regularly. These filters trap dust and other irritants instead of leaving them free to move about your home. Keeping them fresh not only helps extend the life of your system, but it will also keep the air in your home as healthy as possible. You should also regularly clean your air ducts to get rid of trapped dust and prevent it from circulating. Contact a professional for help with this type of home maintenance to ensure it's done correctly and is advised for your particular system. A clean and well maintained system will help improve ventilation within your home and ensure that the air entering through your vents isn't contributing to any problems.

Purchase an Air Purifier and/or Dehumidifier

If you have a pet and are unable to eliminate the source of allergens in your home's air, you can invest in an air purifier to help. These can improve air quality by capturing irritants that can cause you to experience symptoms. Although they won't completely remove these irritants, using an air purifier can significantly cut down on the amount present in your home, which often helps eliminate symptoms. You should also consider investing in a dehumidifier for any areas within your home that are particularly damp. Reducing the amount of moisture in the air will help prevent mold from growing. You should make sure that any damp spaces within your home, such as a basement of bathroom, are well ventilated. If you notice any visible mold growth on the ceilings, walls, or fixtures, you should clean it off as soon as possible. If you're not willing to purchase a dehumidifier, you can take steps to reduce moisture by turning on fans, opening windows when cooking or showering, and eliminating any areas where water or moisture collects within your home.

Be Cautious About Indoor Plants 

It's widely believed that indoor plans can help improve the air quality inside your home, but some research suggests that this may not be entirely true. Some people believe that house plants reduce indoor air pollutants; however, newer research indicates that ventilation helps far more when it comes to removing indoor air pollutants than plants ever could. In some cases, though, indoor plants could cause more harm than good if they begin to become a source of mold growth. Some plants are more effective at removing pollutants from the air. These include, dracaena, spathiphyllum, and hedera helix. So, although plants can offer many benefits to your home, you should be strategic about the ones you choose.

A variety of different things can contribute to the overall air quality within your home and impact a wide range of both short-term and long-term health issues. It's important to keep your home clean, regularly maintain your heating system, reduce moisture, and choose your house plants wisely. By taking these four small steps, you can drastically improve the air quality within your home and help keep yourself as healthy as possible. If you're uncertain whether your home's air quality needs some help, you can have your air quality tested by a professional to give you a better understanding of what steps you should take.

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Choate’s HVAC