8 Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Most of us may be aware of outdoor air pollution and believe we’re safer indoors. In truth, indoor air quality can be just as bad, or worse without the right preventive measures in place to eliminate air contaminants.

Poor indoor air quality can have a greater impact on health than you may think. Air contaminants are generally microscopic and invisible to the naked eye, making us prone to inhaling them. Risks to well-being include headaches, allergies, asthma, respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and cancer. To enable you to breathe fresh and clean air, we’ve listed down 8 tips you can do to improve indoor air quality.

8 Simple Ways You Can Improve Indoor Air Quality

1. Cut Back on Potential Air Pollutants

To improve indoor air quality, you must take the time to learn about common sources of air pollution so you know how to avoid them. Air pollutants such as mould, bacteria, dust, debris, pet dander, and other allergens can nest in appliances, furniture, and flooring. Also, keep in mind that smoke from cigarettes and in general negatively impact indoor air quality.

Chemicals from cleaning supplies or paint, and activities like sanding wood can release harmful toxins in the air. We advise you to check the label of chemical products and see if they’re EPA-approved, and to stow them away from living spaces. We also recommend that you do DIY projects outdoors as much as possible.

2. Maximise Proper Ventilation

Maximising proper ventilation can be as simple as letting air from windows and doors flow into your space. We just suggest that you have the right window and door treatments such as screens that can keep air pollutants such as pollen and insects out.

Those who have cooling systems such as air conditioning units can maximise proper ventilation by making sure air filters are clean and replaced as needed. Also, to be certain that air access ways such as AC ducts are professionally serviced.

3. Test Indoor Air Quality

It is always a good idea to test indoor air quality, especially if you’ve been having allergic reactions more often than usual, or notice stuffiness or a strange odour in the room. While there are DIY testing kits available, they may be limited to a certain type/s of pollutants.

It is worth hiring professional indoor air quality testing services. Not only will they detect the air pollutants present in your space, but also propose actionable solutions to improve indoor air quality.

4. Do Preventive Measures to Manage Allergens

Allergens and irritants such as dirt, mould, dust mites, and pet dander can cause you to sneeze or have a runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, skin rashes, and inflammation, if not controlled. To improve indoor air quality, you must know how to maintain surfaces and spaces free from potential contaminants.

Some preventive measures you can try to curb allergens and irritants are to take advantage of hypoallergenic pillows and mattresses, and to wash beddings in hot water twice a month to eliminate dust mites. To extract contaminants from indoor air, we suggest you vacuum furniture and flooring as much as you can. Also, to deep clean curtains, sofas and other upholstery.

5. Invest in Air Purifiers and High-Quality Air Filters

An air purifier makes a great addition to any indoor space because it helps eliminate all types of contaminants from the air. We recommend you get an air purifier with high efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filters as they’re equipped to reduce harmful particles such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), smoke, carbon dioxide, mold spores, and other allergens.

To ensure the effectiveness of air purifiers and air filters, we advise that you take into account the capacity of air filters. Since most air contaminants come in the form of small particles that can cause clogs most air filters need to be replaced or cleaned monthly.

6. Regulate Humidity

Moist air or humidity can improve indoor air quality for as long as it is regulated to stay between 30 to 50 per cent. It is high levels of humidity and dampness that should be prevented because these conditions breed mould and mildew, and increase the emission of VOCs into the air, triggering asthma attacks, coughing, and wheezing.

To reduce humidity levels indoors, make sure that kitchens and bathrooms can release excess steam outdoors. Also, avoid pooling water on surfaces and get maintenance services to fix leaky pipes or roofs right away. Since indoor air quality in Dubai naturally tends to be humid, residents may benefit from having a dehumidifier to control moisture levels and promote breathing comfort.

7. Inspect Heating Systems

Make it a habit to inspect heating systems such as gas range stoves or appliances, and fireplaces as these produce harmful air contaminants including carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide that can easily enter the bloodstream. As much as possible, there should be vents or exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom to draw out stale or humid air.

In relation to maximising proper ventilation, kitchen exhaust fans and hoods must be cleaned regularly since air contaminants can stick to greasy surfaces and compromise hygiene and respiratory health. Moreover, heating systems must be responsibly maintained so as not to be a fire hazard.

8. Freshen the Air With Indoor Plants

Plants not only beautify your space with a touch of greenery but also improve indoor air quality as they help purify and freshen the air. You can depend on certain indoor plants such as ferns, dracaenas, and aloe vera among others to utilise carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen.

Depending on the kind and how many you have around your home or office, indoor plants can serve as filters. They can effectively pull out contaminants like VOCs and toxins or odours released from wood, cleaning products, carpets, trash, and natural gas from the air. Of course, choose a plant you can maintain because they can also accumulate mould, dust, and bacteria if not properly cared for.

Final Thoughts on How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Maintaining healthy indoor air quality is vital to our overall well-being. Sadly, indoor air quality is not guaranteed, you need to make conscious efforts to breathe in fresh air. We recommend that you invest in furniture cleaning and sanitization to eliminate pollutants lingering in your air as well as those creeping in crannies. Also, factor in potential sources that contribute to poor air quality.

While professional services entail labour costs, you’ll gain peace of mind and save yourself from expensive repairs and breakdowns in the future. All the tips we provided to improve indoor air quality are simple and sustainable ways you can enhance breathing comfort and nurture a safe living environment.