Clean, Seal, and Protect With Miller’s Heating & Air
Indoor air quality is critical to human health. Think about it: everything that is in that air you breathe enters your lungs and into your bloodstream. Poor indoor air quality can cause irritation to the throat and lungs, coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, nausea, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. Polluted indoor air is even known to contribute to heart disease, respiratory illness, and cancer.
The good news is, there are steps you can take today to improve the indoor air quality of your home. Listed below are our top ten tips to improve indoor air quality and help you breathe better!
Top 10 Tips To Improve Indoor Air Quality
Replace the air filter.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the air filter is often forgotten and neglected. A dirty, clogged filter not only fails to trap dust and debris, but also makes the HVAC system work harder to distribute air. Each filter is labelled with a lifespan, anywhere from 1 month to 3 months. For best results, replace the filter within that recommended timeframe.
Get a tune-up.
Have the furnace and air conditioner inspected and tuned-up at least once a year. Part of every tune-up is a deep clean. The HVAC technician will vacuum and clean the interior of the furnace or air conditioner, where dust and debris hide. Getting routine tune-ups will keep that filth from circulating through your home.
Inspect your ductwork for leaks.
Residential air ducts are mostly hidden behind walls and under floors, so it’s difficult to know what condition they are in. Cracked and leaking ductwork can negatively affect your indoor air quality by drawing in pollutants from outside the system.
Have the ductwork cleaned.
Up to 40 pounds of dirt and debris accumulates in your ductwork every year, just from normal use. To protect the health of your family and improve indoor air quality, have your ductwork professionally cleaned every 7 years. At Miller’s Heating & Air, we use the advanced Rod-Whip method, which features a filter that can capture contaminants up to 1/300th the diameter of a human hair.
Have the ductwork sealed.
After the ductwork has been cleaned, sealing the ductwork stops leaks and provides lasting protection against further accumulation of dust and debris. Miller’s Heating & Air is a certified dealer of Aeroseal. Aerosol sealant is injected as mist into the ductwork. The aerosol particles collect on the edges of holes and cracks in the ductwork to seal them from the inside. Aeroseal duct sealing not only improves your HVAC system’s performance, but also contributes to better indoor air quality.
Monitor humidity levels.
For ideal indoor air quality, the environment should have a certain level of humidity. Not enough humidity (dry air) can exacerbate respiratory symptoms, while too much humidity can foster the growth of harmful mold and mildew. To ensure the perfect balance, install a humidistat to monitor humidity levels, and use a humidifier or dehumidifier to adjust as needed.
Ensure proper ventilation.
It may seem counterintuitive, but fresh air from outside is vital to indoor air quality. To ensure ideal airflow throughout your home, make sure all external intake and exhaust vents are free of blockages and debris, including leaves, snow, and ice. Use the vents in bathrooms and kitchens to remove moist or smoky air. And when weather permits, open your windows to catch a breeze.
Install an air purifier
There are many different types of air purifiers. Some can be attached directly to the HVAC unit, while others are freestanding. Air purifiers use UV light to kill harmful viruses and bacteria. They significantly improve indoor air quality and can make your filter up to 10 times more effective.
Choose low-VOC and fragrance free products.
Pollution from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the biggest factors affecting indoor air quality. VOCs are the carrying agent used in paint and cleaning supplies. To improve the indoor air quality in your home, choose low-VOC paint, and natural, fragrance-free cleaning products.
Add plants.
Just like trees do for the environment, houseplants cycle the air and convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Consider adding plants to your kitchen, bedroom, living room, or even the bathroom. Some of the best plants to help improve indoor air quality are areca palms, pygmy palms, spider plants, chrysanthemums, rubber plants, and Boston ferns.
Air duct cleaning, air duct sealing, and air filter replacement are some of the best steps you can take to improve indoor air quality for the health of your family. Contact a trusted local HVAC company to schedule an appointment and for more assistance with improving indoor air quality at home.
Rely On Miller’s Heating & Air
With over 70 years in the business, the team at Miller’s Heating & Air has decades of experience helping folks in Vancouver, WA and north Portland, OR improve their indoor air quality. Miller’s Heating & Air is proud to offer duct cleaning with Rod-Whip and duct sealing with Aeroseal, as well as installation, tune-ups, maintenance, and repair of most home heating and air conditioning systems. For expert advice on improving indoor air quality, rely on Miller’s Heating & Air.
