Oxygen is the most important nutrient we consume. In fact, when you breathe in poor-quality air, you’re starving your muscles. So how can you make sure that you are breathing the best quality air?

How Can You Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Imagine yourself drawing in a lungful of fresh clean air. It’s a pretty good feeling, isn’t it?

Breathing in quality air is more than just something that makes us feel good. So, what should you do? When you’re outside, you don’t necessarily have much control over air quality. It could be poor because of pollen, smog, heavy fuel usage and so forth. Fortunately, there is more you can do to improve the air quality inside your home, and this post will share helpful information on that subject.


Indoor Air Quality Levels

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are three levels of danger when it comes to indoor pollution. Here they are:

Level 1: At this level, your home has allergens and particulates in the air, ranging from dust and pollen, to mold, fungi, mildew and more. If this is the state of your home, you and your family may be experiencing runny noses, congestion, nose and throat irrigation and more. You may be coughing, wheezing and sneezing and, if someone in your home suffers from asthma, flareups may be more common and/or more severe.

Level 2: At this level, your home may be polluted with allergens as well as with infectious agents, meaning bacteria and viruses that make people sick. If this is true for your home, you and your family may be experiencing sinus and other upper respiratory infections, along with throat and ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and more.

Level 3: By the time your indoor air quality reaches this level, the air you and your family breathes in also contains toxic compounds. Some of the more commonly-known culprits include carbon monoxide, toxic mold, and pesticides. Symptoms you may suffer include memory lapses, mild depression, lung dysfunction, blurred vision, headaches, and lethargy.

7 Fixes to Consider

Fast and pretty inexpensive measures you can take to protect yourself include putting carbon monoxide and radon detectors in your home. You should also regularly change the air filter in your HVAC system. Additional strategies include:

  • Ban smoking in your home.
  • Make sure your home is properly ventilated, including but not limited to any gas appliances.
  • Keep the humidity in your home at an acceptable level (between 30% to 60%) to inhibit the growth of mold and mildew.
  • Keep windows closed when pollen levels are especially high. Also do this when pollution and/or humidity levels are high.
  • Avoid using odor-masking air fresheners and other deodorizers because they may contain toxic chemicals. If possible, store household cleaners in a garage or shed. Do the same with any other chemical products.
  • Clean and vacuum at least weekly, including the washing of bed linens and stuffed toys.
  • Have professionals clean your ducts once every three to five years.

It’s also important to have professionals clean your ducts to maintain good indoor air quality and also help to extend your HVAC’s lifespan as dust and grime are removed.

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte offers three levels of duct cleaning services for Charlotte and the surrounding areas, one to fit virtually any budget. Each of them includes professional duct cleaning that is 100% guaranteed, along with related services. If you’d like to know which tier would be best for your home, please contact us online or call (704) 703-4220 today. We’ve been providing people in Charlotte and surrounding areas with quality professional service since 1971.