7 STEPS TO IMPROVING INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ)
Putting into practice the following seven steps can go a long way to improving your indoor air quality and quality of life! Individuals with allergies and asthma should identify their allergy triggers and take additional measures to limit their contact with the allergens. Depending on the severity and nature of your allergies or asthma, you may want to consult your family physician.
1. Keep Your Home As Clean As Possible
Staying ahead of the dust is important. Vacuum weekly. To keep the dust in the filter bag, use a vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency particle arrestor (HEPA) filter. Have your carpets professionally cleaned yearly using a hot water extraction method.
2. If You Have a Forced-Air Heating System, Clean the Air Ducts and AC Coils
The air duct system is an efficient distribution system, for warm or cool air and for contaminants. The air conditioning (AC) coils collect dirt, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. Air flowing over the coils can result in bioaerosols being distributed throughout the house. If the AC coils and air ducts are contaminated, they will need to be cleaned. Air ducts imbedded in slabs on grades are particularly susceptible to moisture intrusion, dirt, and mold.
3. Upgrade the Filters on Your Furnace and Change Them Regularly
Many of us still use spun-glass (fiberglass) filters that cost less than a $1.00. Although they protect the large dust particles from mechanical parts like the blower motor, they do little for improving the indoor air quality. Upgrade to an electrostatic pleated or media filter with a MERV rating of 8 to 9.
4. Maintain Humidity Levels Between 30-50%
The optimum relative humidity level for the well-being of the home and for the health of the occupants is between 30 and 50%. Maintain the humidity level below 50% to prohibit the growth of molds, dust mites, and bacteria.
5. Ensure Adequate Ventilation
Many homes do not have sufficient ventilation. This results in uneven temperatures throughout the home and an increased concentration of pollutants within. Increasing the home's ventilation can decrease the concentrations of harmful indoor air contaminants.
6. Encapsulate Vented, Unconditioned, Dirt Crawlspaces
While they may seem unimportant, crawlspaces are part of the building envelope and as they are highly humid they produce an constant unseen moisture stream through the whole building, contributing the the proliferation of mold. Dirt crawlspaces should be sealed and isolated from the moisture in the ground and outside rain.
7. Consider Purchasing an Indoor Air Purifier Such As a Portable HEPA Machine
Good ones will filter out particulates as small as 0.3 microns - including biological allergens and indoor air contaminants/pollutants such as bacteria, mold spores, and pollen. Choose the right size air purifier so that the room air is filtered every 10 to 15 minutes.