5 Tips to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Your indoor air may be dirtier than you think it is.

It may look and smell clean—no smoke, no odd odors—but it likely contains contaminants you do not want to breathe. Here are just a few:

• Dust and pet dander
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Nitrogen dioxide from a gas cooktop
• Pollen

Open windows can either bring a fresh breeze indoors or worsen indoor air quality (IAQ), especially when the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issues an air quality health advisory. We have had a few of those this summer when particulate matter in the outdoor air increased to unhealthy levels.

Some polluted outdoor air may enter your Mukwonago home even if you close the windows. It can move through cracks and other openings, such as vents, and add to the contaminants present in your living space.

How do you freshen your indoor air if you cannot open windows? 

Analyzing Indoor Air

Identifying the contaminants in your home is the first step in improving indoor air quality.

At Midwest Heating & Cooling, we can analyze your indoor air to determine the best strategy for improvement. A home air test takes the guesswork out of air quality solutions. It is one of many tools our experts use in diagnosing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) problems.

Our pros consider tangible clues to your home’s air quality when recommending relief. Visible dust and pet hair might signal the need for a filtration system or air duct cleaning.

Mold growth could mean your humidity is too high, and a whole-home dehumidifier is in order.

We can piece together the puzzle that is your indoor air, but an air analysis offers a clear, complete picture quickly and accurately.

A home air test is our first tip for improving indoor air. Here are four other recommendations:

Control the Source

You can install an assortment of devices in your Mukwonago home to control indoor air pollution, but you sabotage your efforts by ignoring the source of contaminants Here are a few ideas to control the source: 

• Dust and vacuum regularly to keep your house clean. Remove your shoes at the door.
• Do not allow smoking indoors. Limit using your wood fireplace or consider converting it to natural gas, which releases fewer pollutants.
• VOCs are chemicals that permeate the air when off-gassed by thousands of products we use daily, such as household cleaners, disinfectants, pesticides, paints, glues, and permanent markers. Use them in well-ventilated areas of your home. Close containers before storing.  

Humidify Off the Charts?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends an indoor humidity level between 30 and 50 percent.

You can keep track of humidity by reading your thermostat or a hygrometer, which you can purchase at a hardware or home improvement store. 

Running your air conditioner can help dehumidify your home during the summer and reduce the chance of mold and mildew growth. A dehumidifier can ensure your air contains a healthy amount of moisture.

Midwest Heating & Cooling offers a whole-house approach to indoor humidity levels. Ask us about installing an AprilAire dehumidifier in your home.

Maintain Your HVAC

Start with your air filter. Inspect it monthly and replace or clean it according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Preventative maintenance can help avert problems such as condensate pan overflow and heat exchanger malfunction. Both issues can impact indoor air quality, health, and safety.

It is not too late to let our pros tune up your air conditioner or heat pump to ensure it operates efficiently through the summer. Call us to schedule a cooling system checkup and to reserve a spot for fall heating maintenance.

Your ductwork is an essential part of your HVAC system. Consider cleaning it every few years to remove contaminants that can pollute your indoor air. Our qualified technicians use specialized tools to remove debris that may be stuck on the air duct walls or floating freely inside.

Consider Cleaning the Air

A whole-house air purifier can remove particulate matter, destroy bacteria and viruses, and reduce allergy and asthma triggers, such as pollen and dust mites.

Our favorite is the iWave. It produces ions that attack contaminants, forcing them to cluster and making them easier to capture in an air filter.

Improve Your Indoor Air Today

Let our pros at Midwest Heating & Cooling test the air in your Mukwonago, WI, home. An air analysis is the foundation of improving your indoor air quality. Call us at 414-209-4668 or request service online.