Do you look forward to fall as a time when you can turn off the air conditioner and open up the windows, letting the fresh air inside your home? Or, like many allergy sufferers, do you have to keep your home shut up tight throughout the fall to keep the pollen out? The bad news is, either way, you’re going to have indoor air quality issues.
What Affects Fall IAQ
You’d think we’d get a break in fall from pollen allergies, but unfortunately certain plants are still giving off pollen and causing reactions that range from sniffling and sneezing, to rhinitis, bronchial irritation and even asthma.The best way to avoid pollen, of course, is to stay indoors. But you will also have to keep windows closed and brush pollen off your clothes and pets when entering the house.
But keeping the windows shut can cause another problem: the buildup of airborne pollutants commonly found in homes, including dust mite particles, pet dander, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dust and mold. Because of tight, modern construction methods, the typical American home may have air that’s up to seven times more polluted than that outdoors. These pollutants are, like pollen, the source of many respiratory irritations and can also aggravate asthma.
Countering Bad IAQ
So what to do this fall about poor indoor air quality? Here are some suggestions.
- Tackle pollutants at the source by 1) Taking off shoes at the door to limit dust; 2) vacuuming frequently with a HEPA filter 3) fixing plumbing leaks to eliminate mold 4) installing exhaust ventilation in damp areas, such as the bathroom and kitchen 5) brushing pets outdoors 6) airing out anything that off-gasses VOCs before bringing it into the house, buying natural products without VOCs and tightly capping chemical products that contain VOCs.
- Install a good quality, pleated air filter; change it often.
- Acquire a portable air purifier; for best results, install a whole-house model .
To learn more about improving indoor air quality any time of the year, or to schedule repairs, maintenance or installations, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
