The summer months in St. Louis should be a time for fun, leisure, and great memories. They should not be a time you remember because of asthma attacks, wheezing or other respiratory ailments. Unfortunately, more people are suffering from these kinds of breathing problems because of declining air quality. In response, people retreat indoors to enjoy cool temperatures and better indoor air quality. However, there are still many cases where the air quality indoors can be just as bad or even worse, than the air outside. So, here are a number of indoor air quality concerns to watch out for.
Understanding Common Sources for Indoor Air Quality Concerns
Indoor Air Quality Concerns Caused by Outside Air Getting In
Outside polluted air can make its way into your St. Louis home whenever doors, windows, and other points of entry are opened. So, when the Air Quality Index indicates that outside air is unhealthy or worse, keep your windows closed and avoid opening doors unnecessarily.
Also, indoor air quality concerns increase as people bring dust and other particles into your home on the soles of their shoes. To combat these indoor air quality concerns, place mats outside doors so people can shake the dust off before entering. If possible, have people leave their shoes near the entryway, and instead use slippers while indoors.
These steps will help keep pollen, dust, and other pollutants from entering your home and affecting indoor air quality.
Alleviate Indoor Air Quality Concerns through Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Another common cause for indoor air quality concerns can come from within the home. For example, if you have pets that shed fur or hair, it is important that you clean up after them regularly, because fur can lead to allergic reactions, respiratory issues, and other indoor air quality concerns. The summer heat may cause your pets to shed hair even more than usual. You can address this by following a regular schedule for vacuuming and cleaning the floor, as well as any furniture that your pets use.
Also, watch out for places where excessive moisture can build up, because increased humidity can lead to the growth and spread of mold. Having mold anywhere inside your home will definitely increase your indoor air quality concerns. If there are certain parts of your home that tend to be damp, consider using a dehumidifier to help keep things dry.
Similarly, make it a point to check the drainage canals in your HVAC system or air conditioner units. When these get clogged, moisture will accumulate. If mold eventually grows, the air conditioning can scatter the spores around your home.
A final source of indoor air quality concerns comes from the products and materials used in your home. Paint, cleaning products, furniture, and other things stored in your home can release harmful particles and fumes into the air. You can make special efforts to purchase more environmentally friendly products. It is important to check air filters to make sure that they have not become clogged with dust, particles, or other debris and are operating properly. These may need to be cleaned or replaced. So, be sure to perform maintenance checks at least as often as recommended by the manufacturer.
Improve Indoor Air Quality Concerns with Air Purifiers
If you still have concerns about the air quality in your home after following these steps, you can reduce indoor air quality concerns even further by using indoor air cleaner appliances or devices, which actively pull particles and allergens out of the air. Some of these will have air intakes that move air through HEPA filters, cycling clean air back out into your rooms. Others will make use of electrostatic charges to more efficiently draw in and trap the particles in the air. Still other devices also use ultraviolet light for even more cleaning and air sterilization.
These appliances will augment the filtration already being done by your air conditioning unit, resulting in far fewer indoor air quality concerns.
Let Us Address Your Indoor Air Quality Concerns in St. Louis
If you would like to learn more about what you can do to reduce indoor air quality concerns for your St. Louis area home, please get in touch with the experts at Galmiche & Sons by phone at 314-993-1110! We have many years of experience when it comes to St. Louis heating & air conditioning systems, and our staff would be happy to provide the advice that you need.
