Clean Your Ducts
While it's not an emergency, getting your ductwork cleaned is strongly recommended. A dirty duct can cause air quality problems by allowing mold and dust to build up in the system. This puts you at risk for respiratory issues and other health concerns.
Why? Because when you think about it, your home is a giant greenhouse: The sun shines through windows and walls, heating up the inside of your house and everything within it (including you). That heat rises into your home's attic space where there’s no ventilation system—so it gets trapped there instead of escaping out through vents like fresh air should. When this happens over time...you guessed it: Mold!
The most common reason people notice musty smells or dampness around their homes is because they have mold growth due to a lack of ventilation. Poor airflow and humidity go hand in hand in creating the perfect mold spore environment. There are many ways we can help prevent this from happening again by ensuring that our HVAC systems are working correctly so that no matter what season comes.
Invest in an air purifier.
There are a number of air purifiers that can help remove allergens from the air. You can get one for under $100 from Amazon, and they're pretty easy to use: just plug it in, turn it on, and let it work its magic. They'll run all day long while you're at work or asleep—so you don't have to worry about leaving any windows open or anything like that. The only issue is that they take up space—but if you have a spare bedroom or closet that's not being used anyway (or if there's an unused corner of your living room), then you might as well put one there!
Remove any dust collection areas from your home.
Dust collection areas are typically located in corners, behind furniture, and in basements. Remove any clutter from these areas. You can use a damp cloth to clean the dust off hard surfaces and a vacuum cleaner to clean up the dust on carpets and rugs.
Clean or Replace Your HVAC Filter.
- When it's time to change your filter, you have a few options. If your HVAC system is self-cleaning and the filter can be easily removed and replaced, consider doing so monthly. Some HVAC systems have built-in reminders that will alert you when the time comes to replace your filter. If this isn't possible with your system, then consider checking to see if something else in the home may need cleaning or replacing instead; perhaps there's a hole in one of the vents or cracks on older ducting that could be causing contaminants from outside (such as pollen) to come inside through these airways?
- Cleaning filters is an easy task: Simply use warm water and mild detergent (like dish soap) on both sides of a reusable filter material like pleated paper or electrostatic cloth fiberglass mesh media by hand washing them under running water until clean before drying thoroughly outdoors away from direct sunlight or heat sources, so they don't get damaged due to over-drying.
Leave Shoes At The Door.
The next time you come home, kick off your shoes and leave them at the door.
- Keep shoes outside. If possible, store your shoes in a designated area outside of your home. If that's not possible, put them in a plastic bin or container on wheels to keep them easily accessible when needed but out of sight when they're not.
- Keep shoes off of carpets and floors. As much as possible, try not to wear shoes indoors—particularly if you have wood floors or carpeting! The oils and dust from our feet can cause stains on these surfaces over time if we're wearing any kind of non-barefoot footwear (even flip flops). This can lead to unsightly staining that may be difficult or impossible to remove from these types of floor coverings down the road (and could even potentially damage the subfloor underneath).
- Keep shoes off furniture or beds. You don't want to be tucked in by the bacteria and germs that can be found on the sidewalks outside.
It’s important to remember that the first step in improving your indoor air quality is recognizing that it needs improving. Sometimes, we can get so used to bad smells or dirty air that it doesn’t even register as a problem anymore. If this sounds like something you need to do, then take these tips and put them into practice! Remember: they might not be quick fixes, but they are effective ones nonetheless.
