Improve your home's indoor air quality during the summer months

Do you find yourself retreating to the indoors to cool off during the summer months? The indoors can be harmful to your health, especially if you’re an allergy sufferer. Although it’s common to hear allergy sufferers complain about difficulty breathing outdoors when it’s hot and humid, your indoor air quality may not be any better, says Tony Muscat of Inch By Inch Healthy Homes.

eieihome.com spoke to the indoor air quality and mould inspection expert who works in the GTA about what you can do to improve your home’s indoor air quality all year long.

Change furnace filters regularly

A lack of fresh air circulating in your home can cause a number of health problems and can make allergies worse. Muscat recommends changing furnace filters according to manufacturers’ specifications, typically every one to three months. When deciding which air filter to use, check its Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating.

“Every furnace filter has a MERV rating which measures who efficient the filter captures the particles of specific sizes as they pass through it,” says Muscat. A MERV rating of one is the lowest and number 16 is the most efficient.

Muscat says anything 13 or over is a good filter.

This video will show you how to change the air filter in your A/C unit:

Do an air test

“If you think there’s a problem in your home; if you’re having some breathing issues or health issues, you should arrange to test your indoor air quality,” says Muscat. An air test can determine if there’s mould or other contaminants in your air. This test can cost around $150.

There’s a laundry list of pollutants that’s compromising your home’s indoor air quality.

Reduce indoor air contaminants

Avoid using aerosols, plug-in air fresheners or painting with paint containing VOCs. These have particles that could trigger asthma and contaminate your home’s air.

Here’s how you can start improving your home’s air quality:

Follow this guide for a healthier home.

Install an air filtration system

Create a healthier indoor environment with an air filtration system. These help to purify the air that you breathe, capturing air pollutants and microorganisms that may trigger allergies, asthma and other respiratory illnesses and help to neutralize unpleasant odours.

Want to learn more about Inch By Inch Healthy Homes? Take a look at this video:

Improve your home’s indoor air quality with Inch By Inch Healthy Homes. Visit their profile on our website for more information, or call 416-826-7172.

Absolute Mold Removal is a GTA-based company that removes mould to keep your home healthy. Contact them for a home inspection at 905-301-1383, or visit Absolute Mold Removal online for more information.