You do your best to eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, and keep your stress levels down, but do you consider your indoor air quality (IAQ) with regards to your well-being? Indoor pollutants and allergens are a significant part of your overall health concerns and should be addressed no differently than any of the other measures you take to stay well.

Particles, gasses, dust, and pet dander naturally occur indoors and when you add outdoor irritants like pollen and smoke, your indoor air quality can really suffer. Every time you open a window or door you’re letting the bad stuff in and it mixes up with the pollutants already inside creating an air pollution cocktail in your home. As a matter of fact, Indoor air quality can be 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.

Fresh, clean air should be replacing the pollutants circulating in your home. This can be done in a variety of ways:

Clean your home often. It may seem like common sense that regular cleaning helps your indoor air quality but are you doing it often enough or cleaning deep enough? If you see even a little dust settling on furniture or countertops, it’s time to clean the house. Move furniture and appliances and get deep into the nooks and crannies. The more of the pollutants you remove, the cleaner your indoor air will be.

Keep indoor humidity levels low. Dust mites love humid air and it makes the perfect breeding ground for them. If you are running your A/C but notice that it’s still damp and stuffy in your home, it’s possible there is something wrong with your HVAC system and it should be checked.

Check for leaks around windows and doors. Pollen and pollutants can get in through even the tiniest cracks or leaks. Make sure your home is properly sealed. This tip will also help lower energy bills as air-conditioned air or heat can’t escape.

Keep windows and doors closed. During high pollen counts or above normal outdoor air pollution levels, keep your home closed up tight so the bad stuff can’t come inside.

Keep your filters clean. The filter in your HVAC system collects all kinds of nasty things. Pollen, dust, insects, dirt, dander, and so much more get caught in there. A good rule of thumb is to replace your 1” filter every month (2”- every 2 months, 4” – every 6 months, media – every 6-8 months) or if you have washable filters, clean them monthly. You can also sign up for a Texas Ace Heating & Air preventive maintenance membership to keep you from having to remember to do it yourself.

Install a whole-home air purifier. To have the absolute cleanest indoor air, a whole-home indoor air purifier is the ultimate addition to your HVAC system. Much better than small portable units, a whole-home air purification system will clean the air all over your home. It’s built right into your home’s heating and cooling system so when the A/C or heat is running, the filter system cleans the air of all the indoor pollution in your home.

Taking these steps will drastically improve your indoor air quality leading to a healthier life overall. You and your family will notice a big difference in the way your home looks, smells, and feels.

If you’re in the market for a whole home air purification system, look no further than Texas Ace Heating & Air. We’ve installed hundreds of units for the good folks of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Call us at 817-240-6701 or contact us online to find out more about installing a whole home air purification system.