Why Indoor Air Quality Is Important To Your Family's Health

Even though you may feel as if you’re family is always on the go, the average American spends more than half their life indoors. Whether it’s sleeping, eating, or simply enjoying quality time with one another, the air that you’re breathing inside your home has a major impact on your overall health. As leaders in building green, family friendly homes in Charlotte, North Carolina, True Homes would like to share a few helpful tips for how to further improve the air quality in your new home.

Learn About Pollutants

Have you ever noticed your child sneezing when they aren’t sick? Or maybe

you’ve heard complaints of sore eyes, headaches, and an itchy throat without being able to pinpoint a cause? The issue at hand could very well be a result of poor indoor air quality and pollutants affecting your health. Pollutants like radon, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide could be seeping into your home without you ever knowing, as they are all colorless and odorless gasses that can wreak havoc on your health. To make sure you’re not exposing your loved ones to such harsh pollutants, it’s a great idea to purchase home alarms that can detect the gasses mentioned above as well as air purifiers.

Improving Your Air

One of the best ways to improve the air quality in your home is to pinpoint the source of pollution and control or reduce the emissions which can be accomplished in a few easy ways, including:

a. Ventilation
By increasing the amount of fresh and healthy air brought into your home, you can help dilute and remove any negative indoor pollutants. To accomplish this, try opening your windows for a couple of extra hours each day. Of course, if you live in an urban environment, or next to a busy roadway, the outdoor air may not be any better than your indoor air. Thus, you need to take additional measures to improve your home’s overall indoor air quality.

b. Filter Changes
Even if you have green appliances in your home, heaters and air conditioners

are still known to trap a ton of dust and debris. To ensure the best air quality in your home, make sure to check and change your air conditioning and heater filter on a regular basis. Air filters are graded on a system known as MERV, which stands for Minimum Efficiency Rating Value. The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient a filter is at removing particles. While you may think to install the highest rated filter possible, these filters can be prohibitively expensive and your system may not even be able to handle pulling air through them. Thus, you should look for air filters with a MERV rating between 8 and 12.

c. Humidity Adjustments
Did you know that too much humidity in your home can cause mold? If you’re beginning to notice a humid environment inside your house, try purchasing a dehumidifier to run in the large family areas of your home.

d. Air Purifiers
Air purifiers can significantly enhance the overall air quality inside your home. Many filters are equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters that can remove the smallest particles suspended in the air. Higher end models may also include activated carbon to remove unwanted odors from the air, or UV lights that kill any bacteria and germs inside your home. Air purifiers are graded according to their CADR rating, which measures the amount of air they can purify in a given time. The higher the CADR rating, the more efficient the filter is at circulating air. Air purifiers can be expensive, so when considering a particular model you should be mindful of how expensive and how often filters need to be changed. You should also look for filters that offer the highest CADR rating/dollar.

At True Homes USA in Charlotte, we understand the importance of green, healthy homes that families can thrive in both physically and mentally. If you’re curious about the benefits of living in a True Homes community, please call (704) 271-1191 to speak with a sales representative today about our various housing options. Additionally, we invite you to browse our website for more information at: www.truehomesusa.com.