During the summer season, most homeowners think first and foremost of their air conditioning systems when it comes to keeping their homes comfortable. In the winter, that focus obviously shifts over to the heating system that they use to warm up their homes for comfortable living. While maintaining comfortable temperatures is important, however, it really is just a part of the picture. There is one influencing factor that is both very important to comfort all year long, as well as frequently overlooked.
That factor is indoor air quality. Now, you may assume that the air in your home is at least of a higher quality than the air outside. However, that is not true. You may also think that there is not really much that you can do in order to improve indoor air quality. That too is wrong, though. With the use of devices such as air purifiers in Cincinnati, OH, you really can boost the quality of the air that surrounds you at home.
What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?
There are a whole lot of different reasons why your indoor air quality may suffer. Some of them really are just beyond your control, and you cannot do much about the source of the problem (though you can certainly treat the symptoms). Others are very much within your control, though you may not really think of it.
- Location, location location! If you live near a busy roadway, an active construction site, something like a gravel pit or a quarry, or even just a densely forested area, then the location could be contributing to your poor indoor air quality. Without pulling up your roots and moving, using systems like air purifiers is your best bet for boosting bothersome air quality.
- General cleanliness. We don’t mean to make anyone feel bad about their housekeeping practices, and we realize that this can be a sensitive area. However, you really cannot overlook the fact that the general cleanliness of your home can affect indoor air quality therein. If you have pets, you need to vacuum more frequently, for instance, and consider taking the smoking outdoors.
- Airtight construction (or the exact opposite). There is a common and modern misconception that sealing a home up as tight as can be is the best practice when it comes to home construction. This is not really correct, though. That can eliminate the natural ventilation—which you admittedly don’t want to overdo—that helps to maintain good indoor air quality in the house.
Use Air Purifiers for Better Indoor Air Quality
There are different types of air purifiers, and the right one for you is going to depend on a few different factors. Firstly, there is the electronic air purifier. While modes of operation may vary slightly from model to model, the general idea is that pollutants pass through an ionization chamber, and then are collected on oppositely-charged plates for easy removal. This is an effective way to get airborne pollutants like dust, dirt, and pollen out of the air.
Then there are living biological pollutants, like mold spores, viruses, and bacteria. Using UV germicidal lights to kill these pollutants off is definitely the way to go. You cannot just trap them because, even if you did so effectively, they could continue to reproduce and grow their numbers.
Schedule your air purifier services with Bartels Heating & Cooling.