Close your eyes. Take in a deep breath through your nose. Count to eight in your mind. Exhale. Felt good, right?

Breathing does feel good. It keeps us alive after all. It’s also one of those things that are easy to take for granted… until something causes you to have trouble with it. Pollen counts, for example, are especially high this time of year. 

No matter what stands in their way, everybody wants to breathe. Not only that, but everybody wants to breathe clean air. But…how? While we can’t help you fix the quality of the whole world’s air, we can help you with the air inside your home. 

Here are four things you can do to improve your health by improving your indoor air quality:

Create a schedule for changing all the air filters in your home. 

If you want your HVAC system to perform optimally, you’ll have to make sure you’re changing your air filters at regular intervals. How frequently you’ll need to change your air filter will rely on a number of things, including what your filter is made from. Fiberglass filters are more affordable, but need to be replaced approximately once per month. Pleated air filters last, on average, four and a half months before needing replacement. You can look at the packaging for the filter itself to know when it’s supposed to be changed. Listen to those instructions, and you’ll improve your home’s overall air quality.

Consider having an air exchanger installed.

Air can get moldy just like anything else if it sits in the same place for too long. If stale air never gets exchanged for cleaner, fresher air, then the overall breathing quality in your home will drop. That’s where an air exchanger can step in to help. Aptly named, an air exchanger… exchanges air. Fans and vents within the unit work to move stale indoor air outside of your home and replace it with fresh air that’s been circulated in from the outside. 

Freshen up your floors.

Dust holds onto things. It’s not just dust, it’s dust that’s collected allergens, chemicals, and who-knows-what else. Of all the dust that can be found in your average home, dust on the floor is the most likely to go unnoticed, hidden underneath cupboards and in dark corners. You don’t want to breathe any of that in, which is why regular floor cleaning is necessary! Start with a vacuum that contains a HEPA filter, mop up what’s left, and protect your floors from future mess by putting door mats at every entrance to your home. Your lungs will thank you.

Make sure your home’s humidity is under control.

Dust mites love moisture. So does mold. So do most generally unpleasant things that can find their way into your home. That’s why you want to make sure your home’s humidity is set between 30% and 50%. This is a level that will keep your home comfortable without promoting mold growth or other unpleasantness. You can better control your home’s humidity by having a whole-home humidifier installed. Otherwise, you can take other small steps like having your dryer vent outside, immediately fixing plumbing leaks you find, and making sure not to overwater your house plants.

Buy some plants!

House plants are like small, easy-to-manage air purifiers. They create oxygen, they’re fun to look at, and there are many varieties that are easy to take care of. As long as you don’t have any existing allergies that would be triggered, house plants are an accessible way to keep your indoor air feeling fresh.

There are many different factors that go into clean and healthy indoor air. If you have additional questions about indoor air quality and how you can improve yours, give the experts at Welter Heating a call today.