Updated: August 2023
5 Ways to Improve Your Arizona Home’s Air Quality
When you have respiratory problems such as asthma or allergies, a house with poor air quality will only make your symptoms worse. Even if you do not have any health issues, you and your family members can be affected by the bad air. Contaminants such as dust and allergens circulating through the air can lead to feelings of fatigue and irritation of your eyes and throat.
Fortunately, you do not have to live with and suffer through these issues. There are five simple things you can do to improve the air quality of your home in Arizona.
1. Clean Your Home’s Floors at Least Once a Week
When trying to improve your home’s air quality, one simple thing you can do is make sure the floors are cleaned once a week. When you walk through your house after being outside, the sand, dust, and pollen attached to the bottoms of your shoes will transfer to the tile and carpet flooring.
These particles do not stay on the floor, however. When your home’s central air system turns on, it carries dirt and dust through the air, into the system, and back out into your home. These particles then settle not only on the floors but also on all surfaces of your house. If you have to dust the furniture constantly, this issue is part of the reason why you have to repeat this chore more often.
At least once a week, vacuum all of your floors, not just the carpets. You should vacuum any hard surfaces as well. While sweeping allows you to pick up large pieces of dirt, it mostly just pushes them around and even sends them back up into the air.
Even vacuuming does not remove all of the residual dust, dirt, and sand. After vacuuming any hardwood, linoleum, or tile floors, use a mopping gadget that uses disposable sheets to pick up the residue. This type of mop traps the dirt and allergens in the sheets so that you can throw them away without sending the particles back into your home’s air.
2. Improve the Ventilation in Your Home by Opening the Windows
If you keep your windows closed year-round, the same stale air keeps circulating throughout your home. The air is never refreshed, leaving you and your household to breathe the same contaminant-ridden air.
Since ventilation is a key part of improving the air quality, open your windows during the coolest parts of the day. Forego opening any windows without screens, as doing so will only allow more dust and dirt to enter your house. When it comes time to close the windows, wipe the sill with a damp cloth to remove any dirt that may have blown in.
3. Change or Clean the Filters in Your Home at Least Once a Month
Another thing that you can do to help increase the quality of your home’s air is to change or clean the filters at least once a month. When choosing a replacement filter for your HVAC system, make sure you pick one that is designed to filter out tiny particles.
When it comes to the filters in your home, however, you should not simply stop at the ones in your heater and air conditioner. There are other filters in your house that will not only trap dust and allergens but also become environments where mold, mildew, and bacteria can grow.
One filter to look for is the dust collector on your dryer. Even if you brush off the excess before each load, there will still be dust remaining on the filter and within the slot. Rinse off the filter once a week, and use a crevice tool once a month to vacuum out the slot.
After using your vacuum cleaner to either clean the floors or the dryer’s dust collector, make sure you also clean its filters as well. If washable, rinse them with warm water at least once a month and let them air dry. Also, wipe the inside of the vacuum cleaner with a damp rag after emptying the canister or changing the bag.
4. Have the Ducts Cleaned Once or Twice a Year
Even if you clean your floors regularly and open your home’s windows when you are able, dirt and dust will still settle within your heating and air conditioning system’s ductwork. When air is forced through the ducts, some of this old dirt is picked up and spread throughout your home.
While you can vacuum and wipe out the ducts directly attached to the vents, you will never be able to reach all the way through the ductwork on your own to clean it. It takes a professional service with the proper tools to perform a thorough cleaning.
Ideally, your ducts should be cleaned at least once or twice a year. If you or someone in your family has allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues, you should consider having the ductwork professionally cleaned more often.
5. Install an Air Purification System for Your HVAC System
As part of your efforts to improve your home’s air quality, you may have or are thinking about placing an air purifier in one or more rooms. However, these standalone purifiers only clean the air a certain distance around them, depending on the individual model.
If you want all of the air in your home to be cleaned, consider having an air purification system installed directly into your HVAC system. Before the air is forced out of the furnace or central air conditioner and through the ducts, the purifier removes any dust, dirt, or allergens.
For air cleansing at a microscopic level, have the HVAC professional install a purifying system that includes a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Not only do these filters remove dust, sand, and dirt from the air, but they can also catch mold spores, bacteria, and trace amounts of pollen that can worsen respiratory issues.
You also have the option to incorporate a ventilation component with the purification system. This component draws fresh air from the outside into the ducts, which is then cleaned by the purifier. The ventilation and purification combination is ideal if you are in a home where opening your windows is difficult or not possible at all.
Call on Our Professionals to Help
When it comes to improving the air quality in your home, there is only so much you can do on your own. It would be best if you also had the assistance of professionals, like our team at A/C Doctors.
During the initial visit, we can test the air in different rooms of your home to determine which areas have the worst air quality. Once we have made an assessment, we can offer various solutions to help clear and improve the air, such as air ventilation and purification systems, air scrubbing, UV lights, and more. We also provide heating, cooling, and ductwork services throughout Gilbert, AZ, and the surrounding area. If you are tired of being unable to breathe well in your own home due to poor air quality, contact A/C Doctors today to discuss available options.
