The time of year is here when you won’t be raising the windows in your home may more times until warmer weather comes back. It’s safe to say that from now until the end of March, your home’s windows will be closed 99% of the time.
While keeping cold air out and warm air in is the goal, the circumstance also means that keeping the same air inside your house makes it become stale and more polluted.
A Rougher Time of Year for Allegry Sufferers
People who are more susceptible to allergies have a rougher time this time of year. It’s not so much an issue of more allergy particles in the air as it is the lack of transferring new, cleaner air inside to replace the older, more stale air.
Inside air pollution can come from the fumes of gas appliances, ranges, ovens, stoves, water heaters, a gas fireplace or a wood burning fireplace. Pet dander, dust mites and mold add to the indoor air pollution issue. Cigarette smoke can create and cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
When doors and windows are open more in the warmer times of year, inside air pollution is allowed to dissipate more. In colder months, the opposite happens.
First Things First
The first thing to do to alleviate inside air contaminates is to make sure you change out your comfort system’s air filter(s) at least monthly. The simplest preventive measure is almost always never done on a regular basis.
You might also invest in a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. If you’re experiencing reactions to the quality of the inside air in your home, every little measure helps.
Houseplants are another great way to help keep the air inside your home clean. NASA has kept plants on their space stations to help keep the air clean. There could not be a more closed environment than a space station in outer space. If it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for us.
Keeping your home clean by vacuuming your carpet and other floor surfaces also will help keep your inside air cleaner. Running ventilation fans while cooking and showering will also help remove stale and contaminated air from the inside of your home.
Air purifiers also help. As with all things, some are better than others. Consumer Reports is a great place to check for rankings, price and effectiveness of air purifiers.
Accuclean Air Filtration Systems
Another, but somewhat more costly investment is to install an American Standard Accuclean air filtration system from Bunn’s and Bennett Heating and Air Conditioning. An AccuClean whole house air cleaner will remove up to 99.98% of dust, dirt, pollen, mold, allergens and other particles from the air.
If you have questions about your home’s indoor air quality, give Bunn’s and Bennett a call at 256-536-0967. Bunn’s and Bennett is a licensed and insured HVAC dealer having served Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley for more than 32 years.
