Flock's Top 10 Tips for Improving Indoor Air Quality
Air quality awareness is on the rise, and for a good reason! At Flock, we're committed to finding current and helpful information that helps you as you pursue excellence in your urban lifestyle.
So far this month, we have looked at conditioning our homes in the summer and how to stay safe while outdoors when temperatures are soaring. Today we're looking at the air quality inside our spaces.
We learned about ground-level ozone, more commonly known as smog in the city. Smog can affect breathing and is harmful to our health. This toxic compound can seep into our homes which adds another reason why we should check the seals on our windows and doors, not only to keep the cool air in but to keep smog out during the hottest hours of the day.
Our findings were surprising in terms of what we can do about the air quality inside homes. Indoor air pollutants can be up to 5x more significant than the outside! With looming chemicals off-putting from our products and furniture, dust, mold, pet dander, and building materials, then adding poor air quality from the outdoors, we agree that air quality is a genuine concern.
What can we do
#1 Clean
Home hygiene is the most essential step in managing the air quality in your space. Good hygiene includes dusting, vacuuming and efficiently wiping down surfaces where mold can grow and bacteria lives. Purchasing a HEPA-Certified vacuum to ensure proper containment of particles is recommended. Washing drapes, decluttering and having good ventilation in areas like the kitchen and bathrooms help to keep the air clean.
#2 Know what you're bringing into your home
From the products we use to our furniture, many items we bring into our homes give off gasses that have been proven harmful to our health when exposed over a long period. Be mindful about how you fill your home: choose hardwood over carpet, check ingredients, and research how the items you bring into your home are manufactured.
#3 Opening Windows
We just talked about keeping our windows and doors sealed for the summer, but that means we're also creating a build-up of toxins. Sources tell us that it's also important to find the time to air out your space and allow for a cross breeze, if possible, through your home. Try this in the early morning and later at night in the summer to avoid smog.
#4 Air Quality Meters
A device we can get behind is an air quality meter! Airthings provide constant monitoring of your air quality. These devices can track radon levels, pollution, and other dangerous gasses in the air. Airthings come with an app so you can see what your air quality levels are from any place at any time.
#5 Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers
Mold (the dreaded “M”-word!) is another problem that can significantly affect our health. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers can help you adjust your home to the correct levels that benefit your health instead of being harmful. You never want things too dry or too humid.
#6 How to Spot Mold
Mold can be sneaky. Visual signs of mold are discoloring, dark rings, water stains, and the bubbling, peeling, or cracking of wallpaper and paint. Mold can be different colors including black, white, gray, green, and brown. If you can’t see it, but you sense a musty/earthy smell in your space, the mold may be behind flooring, ceilings, or walls. It’s best to call in a professional to inspect and conduct an air test so that they can properly remediate and suggest solutions for preventing further mold growth.
#7 Air Purifiers
Naturally, air purifiers come to mind immediately when we talk about air quality. Air purifiers have come a long way, and there is an extensive range of purifiers on the market with many different functions and price points. The downside to this quick fix is that the medical community does not widely accept them to improve conditions of people with breathing ailments such as allergies and asthma. We're not saying you shouldn't purchase an air purifier, but we recommend deep diving into what's available on the market to see if an air purifier can benefit your space.
#8 Candle quality and cool mist diffusers with essential oils
There’s nothing better than the ambiance of a candle. However, they’re a well-known air pollutant (sad face.) Simply swapping out candles can improve the chemicals that are being released into the air. Beeswax and soy candles burn more cleanly than the typical paraffin wax. It’s even said that beeswax can help clean the air! When burning candles, make sure you can ventilate your space during or after. Finally, if you’re going for scent, switching to a beautiful cool mist diffuser with essential oils has many benefits for your health and adds to the room's ambiance with lighting and the spillover of mist. If you have indoor plants, they’ll be happy with this upgrade, too.
#9 Cleaning air ducts and replacing air filters
We’re ok with being repetitive on this topic. Maintaining your HVAC truly benefits your health, comfort, and the system itself. Go ahead and change that filter. This is your reminder!
#10 Plants
Plants are known to help clean air, but this, too, is up for debate due to their tendency to produce mold and catch dust. We still love plants and believe they have many benefits to your home. Be mindful of dusting your leaves and paying attention to the soil quality. Overwatering and poor drainage can lead to root rot. A simple trick to avoid this is proper drainage and allowing your plants to dry out between waterings. If the soil seems to be growing mold or drainage seems poor, it’s time to repot and switch out your soil.
Clean air means a healthier home and a healthier you! Your space will feel fresh and welcoming, which is what we all want to come home to! You’ll thank yourself for taking preventative measures that will save you money by circumventing some common maintenance issues that we see in DC.
At Flock, we believe that happy homes make for happy residents, who cultivate strong, local communities that sustain our city, DC. Check out our other posts for more happy home content!