Spring is the time for making a fresh start. Many homeowners use springtime to air out their homes and perform a thorough cleaning. If you are getting ready to start your spring cleaning, you will also want to give consideration to your indoor air quality for two reasons.
1. Addressing the Pollutants That Come With Spring
Spring is in the air, and so are numerous factors that threaten air quality. According to KAMU Health, spring is the most polluted time of year because there are residues from high levels of energy consumption during winter months, and agricultural processes release significant amounts of ammonia into the air via manure spreading an large-scale fertilizer use. When you open your windows to air out your home, these pollutants make their way inside. Add spring cleaning to the list, and you introduce toxic chemicals into the air. According to UC San Francisco, common household cleaning chemicals increase indoor air pollution. Cleaning chemicals can create volatile organic compounds with liquid cleaners and aerosol sprays being the biggest culprits.
2. High Levels of Pollen
Additionally, Large amounts of pollen are present since trees and plants are coming out of dormancy and starting to bloom. High pollen counts can be problematic for those who contend with allergies and asthma. According to the Centers for Disease Control, high pollen counts have been known to Significantly exacerbate allergy symptoms, and exposure to large amounts of pollen have been known to cause asthma attacks. Pollen also makes its way into your home when you open the windows.
What to Do
There are some sound solutions you can put in place to address indoor air quality issues. You can contact a technician to inspect your HVAC system and perform duct cleaning. Duct cleaning is beneficial because all the dust and debris that had accumulated inside of your air ducts will be removed so they do not circulate throughout your home.
You can also have an air purification system installed. Air purification systems will remove viruses, bacteria and indoor pollutants from the air to improve overall health. Air purifiers also remove unpleasant odors from the air. You do not have to worry about being bothered by nasty smells such as food odors and smoke. If you live in an older home, you may have to worry about inhaling asbestos particles. Some air filters are designed to trap asbestos particles, so they will not impact you.
Now that you understand the importance of addressing indoor air quality issues, consider adding it to your spring cleaning checklist this year. At Crocker Refrigeration Heating & Air, we are dedicated to helping the residents of Santa Barbara, CA improve their indoor air quality, so give us a call today.
