It is found that Americans spend around 90 percent of their time inside their home or workplace where there is a two to five times higher concentration of certain air pollutants. Additionally, EPA revealed that young kids, seniors, and individuals with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are highly vulnerable to the ill effects of poor indoor air quality.
Airborne diseases, which are typically caused by the poor air quality in indoor spaces, include SARS-CoV-2, chickenpox, influenza, measles, mumps, and the like. These types of airborne illnesses are highly contagious inside contained areas, particularly when air quality is less than sanitary. This is one great reason why it’s important to take proactive steps in improving indoor air quality through some proven tricks.
Here are six simple hacks to improve indoor air quality that won’t upset your wallet:
1. Place house plants with air-purifying properties.
Not all plants are created equal when it comes to their ability to purify indoor air. Plants with such a unique capability include bamboo palm, English Ivy, areca palm tree, Boston fern, and dwarf date palm, among others. You only need minimal expenses to grow these plants indoors so you should make them a priority.
2. Have your HVAC system professionally cleaned.
Your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system cannot clean itself, which is why you must hire professionals to clean it for you. For example, you must have a licensed HVAC company do an air duct cleaning on a per need basis since the US EPA does not recommend regular cleaning of air ducts. Your HVAC contractor can best determine whether to clean your air ducts or not since they follow a checklist to help them decide on the matter.
3. Mind your ventilation.
It’s totally unhealthy for your windows and doors to remain closed for an entire year. Remember that air conditioning units essentially recirculate indoor air, which means that if the air inside your house is already dirty, then you’re just breathing the same air throughout your stay indoors. You should, thus, regularly open your doors and windows to allow stale indoor out and fresh outdoor in. Also, consider installing exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchen so the dirty air inside your home gets expelled outside.
4. Invest in a Himalayan Salt Lamp.
While it may seem counterintuitive given its high price, a Himalayan Salt Lamp is actually one of the best investments you can make to purify the air inside your dwelling. The crystallized salt found inside the bulb of a Himalayan alt Lamp releases negative ions when heated, which greatly helps in air purification. Add to that the aesthetic merits of the lamp and you’ll also have something of great decorative value. So while you’re shelling out a considerable amount initially, the benefits you’ll get out of a Himalayan Salt Lamp will be worth the investment.
5. Do regular dusting and vacuum cleaning.
Dust, pollen, and other minute particles are among the most common air pollutants found indoors. When ignored, these pollutants can cause mild to severe respiratory illnesses that could put everyone’s health at risk. Fortunately, it’s not something you’re powerless over since you can simply do weekly or monthly dusting and vacuum cleaning. This is particularly critical; if you have a carpeted floor and lots of area rugs as these are notorious as dust magnets.
6. Get a great-quality air purifier.
Another inexpensive purchase that would be extremely helpful in maintaining excellent indoor air quality is an air purifier. You can easily buy one online or from a physical store as air purifiers are quite common these days. Just do some research or ask for recommendations on which air purifiers have the best features and a price tag that your spouse won’t frown about.
With these inexpensive indoor air purification hacks to guide you, there should be no excuse to continue living inside a home full of airborne pollutants.
