In an urban area like Indianapolis, it’s worth making the effort to bring more natural greenery and fresh air into your life. With the right indoor plants, you can accomplish both.
Indoor Plants for Cleaner Air
Harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene are common air pollutants in modern homes. Fortunately for us, some plants are particularly adept at filtering these chemicals out of the air. A few of these are:
- English Ivy (Hedera Helix) – This climber will add an air of classic elegance to your home as it cleans your air.
- Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) – The humble Boston fern hides serious air-cleaning power. To stay healthy, though, it needs humid air and at least partial shade.
- Snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata ‘Laurentii’) – Famous for its hardiness, this is one of the best indoor plants to get if you tend to have a brown thumb.
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) – A popular hanging plant, this one is another tolerant, adaptable species.
- Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) – Also known as Gerbera daisy, this plant will give you bright, long-lasting flowers as long as you provide it with regular sunlight and keep its soil damp.
- Bamboo palm (Dypsis lutescens) – This airy palm is perfect for bringing a tropical touch to your home. It prefers warm, humid conditions.
Managing Your Humidity
Because plants themselves and the damp soil they live in both release moisture into the air, too many plants in your home can create excess humidity. High humidity encourages the spread of mold, bacteria, and dust mites, which bring your air quality right back down again.
To get the right balance of air-cleaning plants and healthy humidity, limit your plants to a few in each room or, if you’re set on having a few dozen, gather them all in one room where the humidity can be contained. Hang a hygrometer on your wall and monitor it to ensure your indoor humidity doesn’t much rise above 50 percent.
For more tips on improving your air quality, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing in Indianapolis.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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