You’ll often hear people talk about air quality and pollution on a large environmental scale, but what about inside the home? With people spending the majority of their time inside, indoor air quality has a significant impact on personal health.

Make sure you take it seriously inside of your own house or be prepared to suffer the consequences.

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters

You may be unaware of the fact that indoor air quality is a problem in most homes. Or you may choose to ignore it. But either way, it’s something you have to give more attention and focus.

“The effects of indoor air pollutants range from short-term effects – eye and throat irritation – to long-term effects – respiratory disease and cancer. Exposure to high levels of some pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, can even result in immediate death,” Bluepoint Environmental explains.

“Also, some indoor pollutants can magnify the effects of other indoor pollutants. Based on cancer risk alone, federal scientists have ranked indoor air pollution as one of the most important environmental problems in the United States.”

It may be invisible and predominantly odorless, but your home’s air isn’t something you can afford to play around with. You need to proactively address it, or it will wreak havoc on your family’s health.

How to Improve Your Home’s Air Quality

There are plenty of simple things you can do to enhance the air quality inside of your home. Here are some easy places to begin:

  1. Maintain Your HVAC System

Your HVAC system plays a critical role in your home’s indoor air quality. When it’s operating in tip-top shape, you have a much better chance of breathing in safe, clean air.

When it hasn’t be serviced in a while, it’s possible that your system could be pumping lower quality air into your home.

The best thing you can do is regularly maintain your HVAC system by having it inspected once or twice every year. (Typically, in the spring and fall.) You should also change out/clean air filters every few months.

  1. Clean Your Home Regularly

You should clean your home regularly but be sure to avoid toxic cleaning products. Instead of buying products from the store, make your own solutions using safe ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice, borax, vinegar, and water.

  1. Introduce Plants

Want to clean your air the natural way? Houseplants are a fantastic solution. They absorb particulates from the air and cleanse it through the process of photosynthesis. Some of the best plants include garden mums, spider plants, dracaena, ficus, peace lily, and Boston ferns.

  1. Use an Air Purification System

If you want to take your home’s air quality to the next level, you may consider investing in a purification system or air cleaner.

These systems range from inexpensive table-top and floor models to expensive whole-house systems. The effectiveness depends on how well it collects pollutants and how much air it draws through the filtering element (expressed in cubic feet per minute).

“A very efficient collector with a low air-circulation rate will not be effective, nor will a cleaner with a high air-circulation rate but a less efficient collector,” EPA.gov explains. “The long-term performance of any air cleaner depends on maintaining it according to the manufacturer’s directions.”

Take Your Family’s Health Seriously

You watch what your family eats, encourage physical activity, and make sure they put on seat belts when you ride in the car – but are you paying attention to your home’s indoor air quality?

If you’re serious about caring for your family’s health, you need to take proactive measures to keep your home’s air safe and clean. Why not start today?