If you suffer from spring allergies, you’re probably not as excited about impending warm weather as other Grand Traverse County residents. Fortunately, improving indoor air quality is possible, particularly with the following tips.
Source control
Controlling contaminants at their source will make a big difference in improving indoor air quality.
- Reduce your chemical use wherever possible. Opt for nontoxic household cleaners or use vinegar and baking soda for most cleaning jobs.
- Remove your shoes when you enter your home. The soles of your shoes pick up a number of allergens and distribute them throughout your home.
- Turn on your bathroom fan when you shower to prevent mold and mildew growth.
Keep your home clean
Dust and vacuum at least once a week to control dust in your home and reduce allergens like dust mites, mold spores and pollen.
- Turn the fan setting on your thermostat to on when you vacuum to remove particles sent into the air by the vacuum exhaust and agitator. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes after you’re finished.
- Wash your bedding in hot water weekly to reduce the dust mite population and vacuum your mattress thoroughly.
- Dust with a microfiber cloth to pick up dust rather than move it around.
- Reduce clutter in your home, which collects dust and makes cleaning harder.
Clean your air
Air cleaning technology reduces allergens, improving indoor air quality and preventing allergy attacks.
- Check your air filter every month and replace it when it’s dirty. Choose a correctly-sized high-quality filter with a MERV rating of at least 7.
- Place portable electronic air cleaners in the most used rooms in your home, such as the bedroom and den. Electronic air cleaners use an electrostatic charge to trap microscopic allergens in your air.
For more expert advice about improving indoor air quality in your home, please feel free to contact the pros at Team Bob’s Heating Cooling Plumbing. We’re proud to serve the Grand Traverse County area with a high level of customer satisfaction.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Traverse City, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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