4 Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Most people think of the outdoors when they think of air pollution. However, the air inside your house can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Children, elderly people, and those with asthma are especially affected by indoor pollutants. Here are four ways you can improve your indoor air quality.

Replace Air Filters

Keeping your furnace's air filters clean is one of the best ways to improve the air quality in your home. Dust, debris, and dirt will build up in your heating and cooling system over time. How often your furnace's filters need changing depends on what type of filter you use. Follow the recommendation of the manufacturer. Not only will changing your air filters improve your air quality, it will also boost your HVAC system's performance.

Adjust Your Home's Humidity

Dust mites and mold thrive in a humid environment. Make sure that you repair any water leaks as quickly as possible. When you shower, run your bathroom exhaust fan to reduce humidity. Have your heating and cooling system inspected to ensure that it's keeping your humidity at an optimal level. Consider having a whole-home dehumidifier installed.

Keep Your Home Clean

Dirt and dust collect on your floor. Vacuum your home at least once per week. Use a vacuum cleaner with rotating brushes and strong suction power. Make sure it has a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, which will pick up allergens. If any dust is left after vacuuming, mop your floors. Use a microfiber dust mop, which will pick up more dust and dirt particles.

Use bedding that's machine-washable, and wash it weekly to reduce allergens. Minimize the amount of dirt that's tracked into your home from outdoors. Place a mat at each door, and consider asking guests to take off their shoes when they come inside.

Avoid Smoking While Indoors

A number of health problems are caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. If you or your guests are going to smoke, do so outside to keep your indoor air clean.

For more information, or to schedule heating service, please contact us today.

3 Steps to Improving Your Home's Air Quality This Winter

During the heating season, poor indoor air quality in your home can have an adverse effect on your family's health. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to prevent bad air from infiltrating your house. To help you get started, we've listed 3 tips that will quickly improve the air quality in your home.

The Filter
A clean and regularly replaced filter is vital to the quality of your home's air. Your furnace filter removes dirt and debris from the air before it moves through your heating system and into your home. When you don't routinely change your filter, it is unable to perform its job, meaning dust, pollen, pet dander and other pollutants are not sufficiently extracted from your home's air. Luckily, poor air quality due to a dirty filter is an easy fix. By simply changing your filter every three months you can improve your home's air quality. However, if you have pets or a family member with allergies, you should consider replacing your furnace filter at a more frequent rate.

Open A Window
While opening a window in the dead of winter may seem counterproductive, it's actually beneficial to your home's air quality and the health of your family. Fresh air is key to keeping bacteria and viruses at bay. An open window a couple of minutes a day will invigorate the air in your home and help fight off many unwanted impurities or better yet, get a hrv/erv system installed. It will provide fresh air to your home will filtering and tempering it first.

Get Your Furnace Checked
Scheduling an annual maintenance check-up and cleaning will ensure your furnace is functioning properly, which will help improve your home's indoor air quality. Allowing years to pass without getting your furnace tuned-up won't only affect the air in your home, but it will also cut years off your appliance's life. When your unit is performing inefficiently due to a lack of maintenance you will notice increased energy bills and a more frequent need for repairs. All of these issues are easily avoidable with a yearly service plan.

If you would like to schedule a yearly service plan, please contact Blackie’s Heating and Air Conditioning and we'll be happy to help you.

Is Dust Causing a Problem?

It’s funny how a simple little thing like dust can cause so much trouble – especially for those prone to allergies and respiratory ailments. It can affect the quality of your indoor air as it collects, and even as it gets cleared away.

Backing up a minute, dust isn’t actually one single thing. It’s a combination of substances, including human skin cells, pet dander, fabric fibers and your basic dirt and debris. All these substances gather together to form dust which gathers on lamp shades, end tables, tops of refrigerators and pretty much everywhere else.

Your electronics like to collect dust. So does your furniture, your door frames, baseboards, even ceilings. Keeping these spots dust-free helps reduce allergies that flare up indoors. We’ve got some more information on that topic in a free report, Is There a Dust Storm in Your Home? Please check it out. 

What are YOU breathing?

Indoor air quality is a hot topic these days whether it’s discussing musty old basements or dusty vents, but the thing you should really be concerned about breathing in is carbon monoxide. Not only does this gas make you sick, it is also potentially deadly. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are so similar to so many other illnesses that doctors have difficulty diagnosing it. Many people simply feel they are coming down with the flu when all the while their own home is poisoning them. Feeling concerned yet? Well, the good news is there are things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. It is imperative to have your home’s heating system serviced every year by a professional technician and ensure that it is properly vented. It is also a good idea to install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home for added protection.