Easy Tips to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality this Season

If you have hay fever or asthma, you’re probably well aware that March 1st to October 15th is allergy season in the Wilmington area. If your home is tightly sealed or you don’t have adequate indoor air quality controls, allergy season may seem to last year-round. Use these easy tips to improve the quality of air in your Mid-Atlantic home, and you’ll find that allergy season doesn’t have to be permanent.

Common Allergens

Allergies and asthma may be exacerbated by contaminants that are common to most homes. Mold spores are practically everywhere, and dust mites are a problem for many people with respiratory problems. Additionally, a majority of Americans are exposed to animal dander.

Unhealthful air quality doesn’t stop with microorganisms. The burning of fossil fuels pumps soot and harmful toxins into the air throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, with Maryland taking the hardest hit.

Indoor Air Quality Tips

A healthful strategy to improve indoor air quality in your home is to remove contaminants, control pollutants, and ensure your home receives adequate ventilation.

• Flooring: Vacuum your home once or twice a week. Use a vacuum with HEPA filtration. If you have tile or hardwood floors, use a microfiber sweeper to prevent agitating dust and contaminants into the air.
• Bedding: Use bedding that may be washed in hot water. A vinyl mattress cover helps reduce dust mites. Wash pillows along with bedding once a month.
• Dusting: When you are housecleaning, use damp cloths or wipes so as not to agitate dust. Turn on the HVAC system while cleaning (and vacuuming) to draw any airborne contaminants into the air filter.
• Whole-home solutions: Whole-home air purifiers use a combination of air-quality control devices to keep your indoor air healthful. Additionally, a whole-home heat-recovery ventilator ensures you receive daily fresh air.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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