While it’s fun to decorate for fall, some types of decorations could affect your Indianapolis home’s indoor air quality (IAQ). This can cause certain health issues, such as respiratory symptoms, especially if anyone in your home has asthma or allergies. Keep the following fall IAQ concerns in mind when you spruce up your home this season.
Pollutants
Indoor pollutants can enter the air in your home in several ways. Some household items can emit pollutants depending on the materials they’re made from. When you’re decorating this fall, you might want to think twice about using fall-scented candles. While these candles can give your home a seasonal smell, they can lower your indoor air quality if they’re made of paraffin wax. This petroleum-based wax allows pollutants to drift into the air in your home, making it less healthy to breathe. Using candles made of beeswax is a healthier option if you want scented ones.
Pollutants from candles can also reach your HVAC filter, which allows them to be distributed throughout your home. Changing your air filter regularly can help prevent this from happening.
Mold
Mold is a year-round problem. However, some common fall decorations could invite mold into your home. Mold can cause a wide range of health problems, including headaches, coughing, and more serious reactions.
If you decorate with pumpkins, make sure that you keep them in an area that isn’t damp or humid. Pumpkins and similar decorations, such as gourds, can become moldy in humid environments. If you plan on carving Jack-o-lanterns and keeping them in a window or other indoor area, wait until it’s close to Halloween, so they won’t rot or develop mold.
If you’re using hay bales as fall decor inside your home, keep in mind that they can also become moldy. Keep these bales in an area of your home where they won’t get wet or damp, which promotes mold growth.
If you have any other fall IAQ concerns for your Indianapolis home and need help finding solutions, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
