5 Indoor Air Tips For Better Health

In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, the environment in your home affects your health. Your HVAC system is a critical component of your home’s environment. Here are five ways to optimize it for better health.

1. Control humidity: During winter, low humidity causes more than just cracked skin. A dried nose and throat can make you more susceptible to colds.
   Installing a humidifier will address this but you need to ensure you don’t over humidify your home and end up creating an environment that’s perfect for mold and pathogens to grow.
2. Keep The Temperature Just Right: In your attempts to save energy, lowering your home’s set temperature may seem like a viable option. Just be careful not to lower it too much. Dramatic changes in temperature cause your system to work harder and consequently, increase your utility bill.
   Conversely, keeping the temperature too high affects your health as well as your pocketbook. Your ideal temperature varies from day (with ongoing activity at home) to night (lower temperatures improve sleep quality). A programmable thermostat will help keep your temperature just right throughout the day and sleeping soundly at night, while a well-balanced air system will keep the temperature consistent throughout your home.
3. Adequate Ventilation: Don’t underestimate the importance of replacing stale, moist indoor air with fresh air from outside. Exhausting moist bathroom and kitchen air will reduce humidity issues, not only in these areas but throughout your home.
   Introducing fresh air prevents the buildup of carbon dioxide and other gases, some of which can cause long term health issues and are downright toxic.
4. Remove Allergens: Filtration is a first step in reducing the allergens in your home. The right filtration for your system is another way to further limit the growth and buildup of mites, dust and other allergens. An air purifier will take your air quality to the next level as you further remove pathogens and other invisible enemies to your health that your filter cannot catch.
5. Eliminate Drafts: As part of maintaining your home’s temperature, keeping it consistent throughout requires eliminating cold spots. This could involve upgrading your system to produce even more heat, sealing windows and doors or balancing air distribution.

If you’re concerned about your HVAC system’s ability to keep you and your family healthy this winter, give our team a call. We offer an indoor air quality test to help you better understand what is going on in the air of your home and what options may be best for you and your family.