Improve Indoor Air Quality

Last Updated on June 15, 2021 by Ellen Christian

When most people hear the words “air pollution”, they think of big businesses and car emissions and how they impact the quality of the air outside.  Air pollution isn’t all about outdoor air quality. There are ways that you can improve indoor air quality as well.  Their are indoor sources of contaminants that reduce the quality of the air in your home.   Just a few of these indoor sources are your pets, dust, or chemicals from fragrances or cleaners.  People with asthma, children, or the elderly are especially sensitive to indoor air quality.  Since both Sarah and I have asthma, learning how to improve indoor air quality is important to me.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Here are six simple ways that you can improve indoor air quality in your home.

1. Vacuum – Regularly removing pet hair, dust and contaminants that have been tracked in from outside will help improve indoor air quality.  Make sure that the vacuum you choose has a HEPA filter to catch as many of these pollutants as possible.
2. Second hand smoke – Encourage people to smoke outside your home. Since second hand smoke is a huge trigger for many asthmatics, we don’t allow smoking inside our home.
3. Natural fragrances – When choosing air fresheners and cleaners, choose products with natural fragrances instead of chemical fragrances.
4. Brush your pets regularly – Brushing your pet regularly to remove loose hair will help keep it off the floor and the furniture.
5. Houseplants – Houseplants like ferns, spider plants and aloe vera can help remove chemical pollutants.
6. Change your filter – Change your furnace filter regularly to make sure it is removing airborne dust, allergens, bacteria and viruses.

We have a forced hot air furnace that we use along with our wood stove. We use the Filtrete Odor Reduction Filter in our furnace.  It helps create a healthy home by capturing things in the air to improve indoor air quality.  The Odor Reduction Filter has a unique 2 sided design.  One side captures the large airborne particles and the second side removes household odors.  Unlike air fresheners, it doesn’t release volatile organic compounds into the air.  Filtrete Filters also help maintain airflow in heating and cooling systems, which may help prevent stress on the system and reduce the amount of energy needed to reach desired indoor air temperatures.  It actually removes the odors instead of masking them with a perfume smell. I definitely notice an improvement in the air quality when I use it.

Each filter lasts up to three months for odor removal and particle capture.  The suggested retail price for one Filtrete Odor Reduction Filter is $15.99.  You can purchase them from stores including Lowes, Target, Walmart, and Costco.  Many local hardware stores carry it as well.

To help you address indoor air quality, Filtrete Brand has partnered with Mike Holmes, renowned HGTV contractor, on the Filtrete Healthy Home Remodel Contest.  One grand prize winner, selected by Mike Holmes, will receive $30,000 worth of home inspections, repairs, and renovations by a Holmes Group approved contractor.  Four first prize winners will be awarded $5,000 cash to put towards home repairs. To enter through June 30, 2013:

• Visit Facebook.com/Filtrete and “like” the page.
• Explain in 1,000 words or less why your home deserves a healthier home remodel.
• Submit up to two photos to support your essay.
• For more details, see the official rules.

Connect with Filtrete on Twitter. Register to receive seasonal e-newsletters featuring special offers, filter change reminders, better home living tips and more by visiting www.Filtrete.com.

This post on how to improve indoor quality has been brought to you by Filtrete. I am a Filtrete Ambassador. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

Ellen Christian

Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.