Spring is here and with spring weather comes allergies. Spring is one of my favorite times because I get to do many fun indoor and outdoor activities with my kids. However, allergies can get in the way of us enjoying our time. I recently read that certain parts of Virginia have the worst pollen count. For several years, when considering spring allergies, I only focused on the pollen outside. However, I’ve realized that indoor air quality is just as important for allergies. This season, I’ve made several improvements with my indoor air quality. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from Southern Goodman: Richmond HVAC Services. They also came to my home and completed a full HVAC service. I’ve seen a lot of improvements in our ventilation and indoor air quality after their visit. So, here are 6 ways to improve the air quality in your home.
1. Change your AC filters
When I became a homeowner, I didn’t know much about the importance of changing our home’s AC filters. Air conditioning systems cycle through the air and filter out common air pollutants. However, if you’re not changing your AC filters in the appropriate amount of time, then you won’t have good indoor air quality. And this is very important especially if you are allergy prone. Southern Goodman did a full service of my AC unit to make sure it didn’t need any repairs and they also educated me on how often to change the filters in my home.
2. Check Air Ducts
During the spring months, clean and fresh air in my home is so important. Air ducts are responsible for distributing hot and cold air throughout your home. However, if the ducts are not properly installed or maintained this can cause dust or even mold. When we bought our home it was newly built and I didn’t know much about air ducts. So, it was very helpful when Southern Goodman evaluated our air ducts to make sure we had clean and fresh air circulating throughout our home.
3. Air Purifiers
Our family has a small dog so of course the dog is outside often. There’s no getting around keeping dust and/or pollen that is brought in from the family pet. So we invested in an air purifier. We have an open concept home so we added the air purifier to our family living room. Air purifiers help to remove harmful particles from spaces. Also, if you have a basement, it might be good to consider a dehumidifier to help prevent the growth of mold.
4. Cleaning Routine
I typically use non-toxic cleaning products in my home because those products are better for our overall health and allergies. Also, I’ve created a weekly schedule where each day I focus on a different room in my home. My daily cleaning routine only takes about 30 minutes. Here’s a couple helpful cleaning tips
- Buy Ruggable rugs because you can easily wash those rugs
- Use non-toxic cleaning products
- Declutter your home because clutter traps dust
- Wash bedding, blankets, and throws weekly in hot water
5. Full HVAC Evaluation
As I previously stated, I didn’t know much about the importance of HVAC services especially when it relates to allergies. Southern Goodman, did a full HVAC evaluation and service. I felt very comfortable knowing that our HVAC is in good condition. I highly encourage you to regularly get your HVAC maintenanced.
6.Try Non-Toxic Candles
I love when my home is clean and smells good. However, my pretty-scented candles were causing my family to have intense allergies. So, I simply made a switch to non-toxic candles and/or soy based candles. I immediately noticed a reduction in my family sneezing. So when you are shopping for candles, be sure to check out the label and see what the candle is made out of.
I hope this was helpful as you get through allergy season. Having a full HVAC service with Southern Goodman was one of the best things I’ve done for my family and they have helped us with understanding the importance of good air quality! Spring is here, so be sure to check out 6 Organizational Tips for Busy Moms.
XO,
Ashley
