Breathe Better Air At Home

When you get home at the end of a busy day, it feels good to take a nice deep breath in anticipation of a quiet evening indoors. That is what home is supposed to be; a refuge from the hectic world outside. But when you take that nice deep breath, do you ever stop to consider the quality of the air in your home?

What Is “Air”?

Air is a mixture of gases that make up Earth’s atmosphere. The part of the atmosphere that contains the right mixture of gases to support life contains nitrogen and oxygen, as well as trace amounts of argon, carbon dioxide, helium, neon and other gases. Air also contains variable amounts of water vapor. We refer to the amount of suspend- ed water vapor as humidity. Humidity plays an important role in indoor air quality. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air- conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends maintaining indoor relative humidity levels between 30% and 50% for human health and comfort.

Why Is Excessive Humidity A Problem?

Excessive humidity can create an environment where microbes can flourish and create unsanitary conditions. In addition, higher humidity can result in condensation of water on surfaces. This can hold soils and organic matter, creating a perfect incubator for mold, which can exacerbate asthma and allergies.

What You Can Do To Keep The Air In Your Home Clean

Air suspends particles Most airborne particles are harmless. However, others can cause problems, particularly for those with asthma, allergies or immune disorders. There are four keys to keeping your indoor air clean and healthy: exclude, capture, clean and control.

Exclude – Keep contaminants out. Keeping contaminants out of the home can be challenging because most airborne particles are tiny and can be everywhere. Pollen, carbon, mold spores, organic matter, insect matter, pollution, and plain old dirt enter the home, transported on air currents, clothing and shoes. By keeping doors and windows closed, removing shoes when entering and immediately changing your clothing after dusty activities like yard work, you can reduce the entry of pollutants. There are other contaminants that originate from within the home. Pet and human dander, food particles, dust mites, cooking gases, sprays, chemicals, cleaning agents and many other particulates combine to reduce overall indoor air quality. That’s why exclusion is only part of the solution.

Capture – filter and contain that which enters. When airborne particles enter your home, they remain suspend- ed for a period of time. Those that are larger or denser drop out of the air and settle on surfaces. Smaller, lighter particles remain suspended longer, and are best removed by air filtration devices and the filter on your home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system. Use high quality pleated filters designed for your HVAC.

Clean – remove pollutants from surfaces. Eventually, particles settle on surfaces such as floors, furniture, counters, windowsills, shelves and walls. Vacuuming and dusting remove most of the particles, but make sure that your vacuum cleaner has good filtration also. Hard surfaces can be cleaned with electrostatic dusters or dust cloths that attract and hold particles, or by wiping hard surfaces with a damp cloth and wet mopping floors. Other surfaces such as carpet, area rugs and upholstery will require periodic professional cleaning to remove accumulated soils and pollutants.

Control – maintain equipment, humidity levels and filters. Proper maintenance is important. Ensure your vacuum, HVAC system, range hood, bathroom exhaust fans and so forth are working optimally. Clean or replace filters regularly.

Speaking of filters, carpeting is the largest air filter in most homes because of it’s capacity to capture and hold large amounts of soils and pollutants. Keeping your carpet and upholstery clean is one of the best ways to clear the air in your home. Call Clean Pro for more information or to schedule your next service.

For further information about carpet, floor and rug cleaning as well as restoration services, call Clean Pro

on the Southshore at (504) 443-0009; on the Northshore at (985) 674-7778; on the Westbank at (504) 394-1116; in Baton Rouge at (225) 389-0202; or toll-free at (800) 377-9597. Email inquiries to service@cleanprocarpet.com.