According to the EPA, the level of air pollutants is generally 2-5 times higher than outdoor air quality. In extreme cases, the level of pollutants can go up to 100 times higher than those present in the outdoors.
This means that lack of cleanliness is a compromise on the health of the residents and the visitors in the household.
Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality
Quite a few signs are listed as follows that tell you to repair your air duct in your home. Look at them below:
On an average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, be it within office premises or in the house. Therefore, they breathe in indoor air for more than 21.5 hours throughout the day.
The time indoors without going outside is even more for people who are not working like stay-at-home moms and young children, and those who are confined to the house because of medical conditions like heart patients and the elderly.
In this case, the following tips are quite useful in improving health through air quality indoors:
1) Assure that the House is Ventilated
The weather is hot and humid in Baltimore; therefore, most homes have air conditioning systems which means that the windows in the house are shut most of the time to make sure the air conditioning runs efficiently.
To make sure that the pollutants do not keep circulating inside the house, the house should be well-ventilated, at least for 2-3 hours a day when the humidity levels permit.
2) Change the AC and Vent Filters
Air conditioners have filters which are somewhat effective in filtering the pollutants from the air. However, the air filters can absorb so much of the dust and pollutants from the air.
If they are not replaced in time, they stop working and therefore, the pollutants that need to be filtered out are cycled back into the indoor air.
AC and vent filters need to be replaced periodically, especially in places like Baltimore, Maryland, where the pollution is higher than many other cities.
3) Use Non-Toxic Disinfectants and Cleaners
Chemical based disinfectants and cleaners might give you a spotless clean surface, but the fumes worsen the indoor air quality, especially if there is a lack of ventilation in the house.
So, using non-toxic disinfectants like lemon, baking soda, and vinegar can clean surfaces while making sure that harmful fumes do not worsen the air quality inside. Or if you don’t have the time to go for DIY solutions, you can look into disinfecting services in Baltimore.
4) Get your Air Ducts Cleaned
You might not even know and the air ducts in your house might have mold and mildew growing. The air ducts also gather a layer of dust. These dust particles also become a part of the air we breathe.
You must hire professional air duct cleaning services for making sure that the air ducts are free from dust particles, dust bunnies, and mold. Professionals can also guide you on the frequency of the cleaning based on the use, the location of your house, and whether the residents have health concerns and allergies.
Also, chimneys also gather a lot of soot and creosote which, if inhaled, causes respiratory problems. Therefore, a chimney cleaning solution is a must if you have one in your house.
5) Control Indoor Humidity
Although the levels of humidity are high outside in the summer season in the Baltimore, Maryland area, controlling the humidity is necessary inside to curb the growth of mold and mildew.
If you enter the house after a long day and experience a staunch smell, chances are that mold is already growing in the house, or inside the air vents. Getting it cleaned thoroughly by a professional mold testing and removal service is quite important to make sure that your health is not impacted because of bad indoor air quality.
Final Word
Indoor air quality is a strong contributor to health concerns since now we spend quite a lot of time indoors. Therefore, making sure that you hire professionals like those at 4seasonsairduct who can conduct a thorough inspection of the house is the right way to improve the quality of the air in the house.