Breath of Death: 4 Tips for Improving Home Air Quality in the Winter

Breath of Death: 4 Tips for Improving Home Air Quality in the Winter

When the cold weather hits, people spend a lot more times indoors. This means that your home indoor air quality is more important than ever. If you are breathing in bad air, it can have a negative impact upon your health. To prevent this, you must take steps to improve the air quality in your house. Here are four tips for improving home air quality in the winter. Get a Humidifier One of the worst parts about winter is how dry everything gets. The dry air is not only bad for your skin, but it is can also be rough on your nasal passages and throat, as well. To help prevent dry air from hassling you this winter, you should invest in a good humidifier to keep the air in your house moister. Just be careful not to make the air too humid in order to prevent the growth of allergens like mold, bacteria, and dust mites. Vacuum with a HEPA Filter An important part of keeping your home air quality high is to vacuum regularly. When you vacuum, it is best to use a model with a HEPA filter to help improve your home air quality. A HEPA filter will remove contaminates like mold, dust, pollen, dust mites, and pet dander from the environment to keep your home’s air as pure as possible.  Proper Ventilation One of the biggest mistakes that people make when the weather turns chilly is to keep their homes shut up all winter long. This is especially true for people who have older furnaces in their houses. Most older furnaces have an air intake located inside the house. Newer furnaces bring in air from the outside to keep fresh air coming into the home. If you have a furnace with an indoor air intake, then you need to air out your house occasionally to help prevent toxins from lingering in the air inside your home. The Importance of Running Your AC in the Winter Sometimes homes can build up condensation when they are shut up all winter. One of the best ways to deal with this issue is to occasionally run your air conditioner during the winter. Although most people think air conditioners are just for cooling off the home, keep in mind that they are also designed to condition the air by removing moisture. This can be just what your home needs if it gets damp from being shut up to keep your home warm during the wintertime. It’s also good home AC maintenance to run your unit on a periodic basis, as it can help you identify potential issues before the warmer months arrive. With these four tips, you will be all set to keep your home air quality high this winter. With high air quality, being inside so much in the winter won’t seem quite as bad. You will stay healthy and feel comfortable with the good air you breathe in when you are inside.   Article submitted by Lizzie Weakley.  Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.

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