Protect Your Home from Harmful Particles: A Guide to Clean Air

It’s important to keep your home’s air clean, especially these days. Over the past year, most of us are spending more time in our homes than ever due to major events being canceled and businesses operating remotely. The air you breathe can profoundly impact your general health and well-being.  

Just because your home’s air smells pleasant doesn’t actually mean it’s clean.  

A number of harmful odorless particles can hide in the air. Additionally, some items people use to make their homes smell nice can contain toxic chemicals. Regardless of how much time you spend inside your home, it's in the best interest of you and your family to keep its air clean.  

To do that, you need to understand some of the harmful particles that might be floating around in your home. 

Mold 

Mold spores are almost always in the air around you. That’s why mold can develop so quickly inside your home. By themselves, these spores are harmless. However, mold collects and multiplies when a moist surface is left exposed. This releases additional spores into the air, which multiply further.  

Having active mold in your home can cause congestion, irritated eyes, itchy skin, coughing, and more. Mold can be especially dangerous for people with asthma, lung diseases, or immune conditions. 

Pet Dander and Other Allergens   

Pets can be great company, especially when you’re trapped in your house all day. However, they can take a toll on your home’s air quality. Just because you’re not allergic to your cat or dog doesn’t mean you won’t be affected by the fur that they shed. Even if you have a pet that doesn’t shed, they still release dander and other allergens that can cause sinus problems and skin irritation. 

As for those without pets, pollen, dust, and other allergens are still floating in your home’s air. Left unchecked, they can result in stuffy air, scratchy throats, congestion, and more. 

Radon 

Like mold, radon is in almost all of the air we breathe. In small amounts, this radioactive gas is harmless. In higher doses, however, it can be very dangerous. In fact, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon gets into your home through cracks in the foundation or through pores in brick and concrete.  

Left unchecked, radon can become concentrated and slowly poison anyone living in your home. Radon build-up is especially common in basements but can also happen in other areas.  

Air Fresheners and Toxic Contaminants  

Air fresheners and aerosol sprays might make your home smell more pleasant, but this comes at a cost. Rather than purifying your air, these products cover up one smell with another. Once your air freshener fades, any previous scents will return. What’s worse, however, is that air freshening products use toxic chemicals to create their trademark scents. 

Most air fresheners contain carcinogens that cause irritation to your nose and throat and are directly linked to cancer.  

Keeping Your Home’s Air Safe and Clean 

You can do a few things to actively keep your home’s air clean. Cleaning your home regularly is a great start. This will help reduce dust, germs, and mold. If you have pets, you should also keep them cleaned and groomed. 

Rather than relying on air fresheners, you should utilize air purifiers. Unlike plugins and aerosol sprays, air purifiers actually clean the air, removing harmful particles and naturally improving the smell of your home.  

Even with regular cleaning and air purifiers, you still need to have your home checked for radon. A simple radon test can ensure your home’s air is safe. The EPA recommends that your home is checked for radon at least every two years. 

Finally, you should make sure that your home’s HVAC system and air ducts are cleaned. A dirty HVAC system can suffer from performance issues. Meanwhile, dirty air ducts can house allergens, debris, mold, vermin, and more. Keeping your ducts clean can make a big difference in the quality of airflow throughout your home. That’s part of why the EPA recommends that your ducts be inspected every 3-5 years. 

Air Duct Cleaning Company has covered your air purification needs if you live in the Central Ohio area. In addition to providing commercial and residential air duct cleaning services in Dayton and Springfield, Ohio, we offer air purification services, dryer vent cleaning, radon mitigation, and more. Contact us today to get started.