Keeping the air inside homes clean and free from nasty odors and pollutants is a high priority for many homeowners in Semmes, AL. But when you have multiple indoor pets and several family members living under one roof, this can be a real challenge. Below are three bad habits that can damage your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ).
1. Smoking or Vaping Inside the House
While smoking has declined in popularity over the past several decades, some homeowners still enjoy having a smoke when they come home from work or while taking a break on the weekend. But smoking and vaping indoors can create serious problems inside the home, especially if you do it every day.
Most central air conditioning and heating systems recycle your indoor air and spread that air from the intake vent to every room in the house. Filters can remove many airborne particles, but the odors will still linger and spread. If you want to continue smoking but don’t want your home to smell, start smoking outside or consider installing a whole-home ventilator to push that smoky air out while drawing in fresh, outside air.
2. Falling Behind on HVAC Maintenance and Upgrades
Your HVAC air filters are your home’s first line of defense against allergens, contaminants and pollutants in the air. These filters keep dust and particles from damaging the mechanical components of your central heating and cooling system. But they also trap those particles and keep them out of your lungs.
Besides maintaining comfortable temperatures, your central air system is also a kind of air filter for your home. Changing your HVAC filters every three months or so is vital to maintaining IAQ, and annual preventive maintenance is necessary to keep your whole system running smoothly, efficiently and reliably year after year. So don’t get in the habit of skipping out on regular filter changes and maintenance.
3. Lack of Regular Pet Care and Cleanup
We all love our dogs, cats and other household pets, and we consider them members of the family. It’s important to bathe and groom your pets and clean up after them regularly.
Pet odors and pet dander are some of the most common IAQ problems homeowners face, but they are also very manageable. Having pets and taking care of them and their living space is a big responsibility, but cleaning up after them daily goes a long way to improving IAQ. Adding an air purification system with UV lamps can also help remove bad odors from pets and humans alike.
Don’t let these bad habits make breathing the air inside your home unpleasant. Contact Air Specialty today to explore our many IAQ solutions to find one that will be perfect for your family.
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