8 Ways To Enhance Your Home’s Air Quality

Discover immediate maintenance tasks and long-term investments to promote healthier indoor air.

This year has brought a heightened awareness of how homes influence our well-being, especially as we spend more time indoors engaging in activities like Zoom yoga. Many are now seeking ways to enhance air quality within their living spaces.

While the quality of outdoor air varies based on location, individuals have more control over indoor air quality. Implementing simple practices such as a no-shoes policy indoors or investing in advanced HVAC systems like those offered by Trane can significantly improve daily breathing comfort and health.

Explore the following strategies that can be implemented immediately or considered for future enhancements.

Short Term Upkeep

Maintaining a home is an ongoing task that requires attention to both the big picture and the little details. Short-term maintenance involves addressing immediate concerns to keep your home in top condition.

Regular cleaning and tidying are essential for a well-kept home. This includes vacuuming, dusting, and decluttering to maintain a clean and organized living space. Additionally, addressing small repairs promptly can prevent larger issues from arising in the future.

Checking and replacing air filters, inspecting for leaks, and testing smoke detectors are all part of short-term maintenance tasks. These small actions can have a big impact on the overall upkeep of your home.

By staying on top of short-term maintenance tasks, you can ensure that your home remains a comfortable and safe place for you and your family.

No Shoes Inside

The most straightforward method to improve indoor air quality is to refrain from wearing outdoor shoes inside the house. Caroline Blazovsky, from the home health consultancy My Healthy Home, emphasizes that this practice is crucial in controlling what enters and exits your home. With her extensive experience investigating over 30,000 homes for health issues, she recommends having separate outdoor and indoor shoes to prevent contaminants from being brought inside.

Control pet dander consistently

Despite your fondness for your pet dog or cat, their pet dander contributes significantly to the deterioration of air quality in your home. Additionally, they inadvertently carry outdoor pollutants inside as they move around with their furry coats.

Consider purchasing dog boots for outdoor bathroom trips and bathing your pets weekly can help reduce dander. If allergies persist but you want to keep your furry friend, think about installing a whole-home purifier.

Add a Portable Humidifier (or Dehumidifier)

During the winter, when the air tends to be drier leading to common issues like runny noses and scratchy throats, incorporating a portable tabletop or floor humidifier can help restore a room’s air moisture to a healthy level. Maintaining the humidity levels between 35 to 50 percent is recommended to prevent microorganism growth and ensure optimal comfort. Select a humidifier suitable for the room size and consider getting one with a built-in hygrometer to monitor and regulate the air moisture levels effectively.

Trane Home Steam Humidifier

(For homes requiring humidification in multiple rooms, consider investing in a whole home humidifier integrated with the HVAC system to maintain comfort and avoid cold-related issues.)

Conversely, if reducing humidity levels is necessary, consider placing a dehumidifier in moisture-prone areas like the basement to prevent mold and dust mite growth.

Incorporate Cleaning Tools and Products Targeting Allergens

Making small adjustments to your cleaning habits can significantly improve indoor air quality, such as using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Opting for this type of vacuum prevents additional allergens from being released into the air while cleaning. Look for the certification seal from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to ensure the effectiveness of the vacuum.

Improving Cardiovascular Health with HEPA Filtration

According to Blazovsky, HEPA filtration can significantly enhance cardiovascular function and heart health. She suggests that a stand-alone HEPA air purifier can be bought to complement regular vacuuming routines.

Choosing Hypoallergenic Cleaning Products for a Healthier Home

When it comes to maintaining a clean and healthy home environment, it’s essential to consider using hypoallergenic cleaning products. Harsh chemical odors found in traditional cleaning supplies can be triggering for many individuals, exacerbating allergies and respiratory issues rather than alleviating them. Therefore, opting for hypoallergenic alternatives ensures that your cleaning efforts contribute to a deep breath-friendly living space without compromising your health.

Upgrade your air filter maintenance frequency

Trane Comfort Performance Air Filter

Owning a home requires consistent maintenance, especially when it comes to HVAC systems. Ensuring you regularly change your home’s air filters is crucial for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. According to Blazovsky, sticking to a set schedule for replacing your HVAC filter is essential.

Although the general recommendation is to replace air filters every 60 to 90 days, individuals with allergies or pets may need to do so every 30 days for optimal air quality.

Long-Term Investments

Investing in your home’s design is a long-term investment that can improve your quality of life and add value to your property. The Home Designer offers a wide range of design options that can enhance the look and feel of your space for years to come.

Upgrade Your Soft Furnishings

Soft surfaces like carpet, area rugs, curtains, and plush couches offer comfort but can harbor dust and debris. To improve indoor air quality, consider replacing carpet with durable options such as engineered wood or vinyl. Swap out curtains for easy-to-clean options like roll-up shades and choose leather over fabric upholstery for furniture to reduce the need for frequent deep cleaning.

Add an entire house air purifier

Trane Residential CleanEffects Air Cleaner

For a complete home solution, consider incorporating a whole-house air purifier into your HVAC system to maintain excellent air quality.

Unlike portable air purifiers that are moved between rooms, a whole-house purification system works within your home’s HVAC system to filter the air throughout the entire space. Professional-grade setups like Trane’s CleanEffects Air Cleaner are capable of removing even the smallest airborne particles more effectively than portable HEPA filters, ensuring cleaner air for your family. Additionally, this system is certified by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, providing added peace of mind.

Select a High-Quality HVAC System

One of the key components for ensuring the air quality in your home remains high is to choose a top-of-the-line HVAC system that is well-maintained.

Trane Residential Trane TruComfort XV20i Variable Speed Heat Pump

The Home Designer’s XV20i TruComfort Variable Speed Heat Pump is equipped with a Climatuff Variable Speed Compressor, ensuring precise temperature control, optimal humidity levels, noise reduction, and improved air filtration for your home. This results in consistent air temperature, even during rigorous operation.

When temperatures drop, you can combine the XV20i with The Home Designer’s S9X2 Gas Furnace. Additionally, it seamlessly integrates with the Nexia smart home system, allowing you to monitor and adjust your home’s air quality and temperature remotely for ultimate comfort and convenience.