In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over several themes for home and building owners to maintain high air quality during the fall and winter period we’re currently in. This transitional period presents several specific challenges here, namely the fact that we spend more time indoors during cold temperatures – and creating air circulation is tougher due to the cold outside.
At Wasatch Clean Air, we’re here to help with this and numerous related areas. We offer everything from air duct cleaning to home air purifier systems to help keep your air healthy and breathable throughout the fall and winter, plus the remainder of the year as well. Let’s go over a few other general tips we’ll often recommend to homeowners during this season.
Moisture Issues
In areas where moisture is present, particularly bathrooms and kitchens with water appliances, it’s vital to ensure you have proper ventilation to keep air quality high. In this case, ventilation can refer to a few different areas: Windows, for one, but also ventilation fans, kitchen hoods and others.
Too much moisture building up inside a home can lead to the formation of mold growth, which is a major threat to air quality and human health. Humidity levels should be kept between 35 and 55 percent in most cases – if moisture infiltration in even a single room has caused the level to be significantly higher than this, whether due to a leak or poor ventilation (or a combination of both), mold could quickly form. Check for plumbing leaks or other possible water entry sources, and if needed purchase a hygrometer to check your home’s humidity in various rooms.
Fan or Hood
Speaking of ventilation, it’s very important for kitchens to have a range hood or fan to help filter out moisture and other potential air contaminants. Down similar lines, bathrooms should have a properly-sized fan – this isn’t only for removing foul bathroom odors, but also for circulating air and keeping moisture levels and air quality in the proper range.
Candles and Incense
While many chemical cleaners and sprays aren’t the kinds of products you want in your air, the same is not true for many kinds of candles and incense. As long as you hunt for products that are natural and don’t contain harmful chemicals – and as long as you use these items safely and properly – they can provide a great boost to not only the smells in your air but also its overall quality.
Organized Spaces
Finally, an area many don’t connect to air quality that’s absolutely related: Staying organized. Not only does this promote cleaner spaces that don’t risk contaminants spreading, it also makes it easier to spot any issues that might be building toward negative air quality – such as a leak forming in a given area and risking mold, for instance.
For more on the kinds of practices that will keep your air quality high this winter, or to learn about any of our air purifier systems or other services, speak to the staff at Wasatch Clean Air today.
