Now that winter has taken up residence in the Midwest, you may spend more time inside. Have you ever thought about what might be floating in the indoor air? Pollutants, dust, mold, and other irritants can get past your closed doors and windows, leaving you and your family vulnerable to particular health concerns. How can you clear the air? Ernst Heating & Cooling of Hamel, IL, has five tips and solutions for indoor air quality concerns.
Clean house
If you’re going to hibernate indoors, make sure you regularly clean to limit the amount of dust and dirt trying to live with you. Vacuum your carpets and area rugs once or twice a week to sweep up the pet hair and ash particles from the fireplace. If you’re in the market for a new carpet, consider hard flooring instead – it’s much easier to keep clean and doesn’t hold dirt and allergens as a rug does. Don’t forget to clean your draperies and throw pillows, and wash bedding regularly. These simple steps can capture irritants before they have a chance to circulate your indoor air.
Check your filters
A dirty air filter can negatively impact your home’s indoor air quality. When was the last time you checked your home’s air filter? Not only does a dirty air filter impair your HVAC system’s ability to grab dust, dirt, and allergens before they circulate in your home, but it can also affect the longevity of your HVAC system. A dirty air filter makes your HVAC system work harder, which can limit its lifespan. Do you have questions about which air filter is best for your home? Ernst Heating & Cooling can help you make this critical decision.
What’s in your ductwork?
You may not be able to see what’s going on deep inside your home’s ductwork. You can clean portions of your ductwork with your vacuum. But, if there’s a collection of dust, dirt, or other debris inside, you risk having those irritants spread around your home every time air blows through the ductwork. Ernst Heating & Cooling can help determine if it’s time for a professional cleaning.
Add humidity
Humidity isn’t always a bad thing. When the winter weather brings dry air, you can experience upper respiratory discomfort or even illness. The dry air can affect your wood floors, paint, and plaster! Consider getting humidity back with a whole-house humidifier from Ernst Heating & Cooling.
Consider an air cleaner
While your HVAC system filter does an excellent job of grabbing the larger pieces of dust and pollutant particles, you may want to invest in an air filtration system. Our indoor air quality solutions include the Lennox PureAir™ system, which can filter out most bacteria and sneeze droplets. It can even repel odors and chemical vapors.
If you’re concerned about your home’s indoor air quality, Ernst Heating & Cooling can help. Contact us now at 618.217.1836 or schedule an appointment online so we can discuss your indoor air quality options. If you’re going to be indoors, ensure you’re enjoying clean air, thanks to Ernst Heating & Cooling!