4 Daily Habits That Contribute to Poor Indoor Air Quality

“Walking into a modern building can be compared to placing your head inside a plastic bag filled with toxic fumes.” Yikes! And that’s straight from a report published by the CDC! Does your home make you feel that way, too? At Dust Doctors, we’re committed to helping Twin Cities homeowners breathe clean indoor air because we know what a difference pure air can make in everyone’s health.

If you’re like most homeowners, it probably isn’t your fault your home’s air is dirty — after all, no one warns against the hazardous everyday habits that contribute to indoor pollution. Fortunately for you, today, we’re bringing those hazardous habits to light. If you’re guilty of these four practices, it’s time to start changing your ways!  

Burning Candles

What?! Burning candles isn’t great for the air you breathe?! Sadly, it’s true — many commercially available candles contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that disperse into your home’s air as they burn. In fact, candles that contain the petroleum derivative, paraffin — which encompasses most candles on the market — actually emit many of the same toxins that diesel fuel gives off as it burns! Yikes. Even candles that don’t contain paraffin can be hazardous to your respiratory system due to the scent ingredients they contain.

If you’re set on burning candles indoors, here’s how to cut down on their negative effects on your indoor air quality:

●        Trim the wick. Avoid burning candles with wicks that are longer than ¼ inch.

●        Ventilate. Always burn candles in well-ventilated areas, but avoid placing them directly in the path of indoor drafts.

●        Limit burning time. Try to keep your candles burning for one hour or less. Allow your candles to cool fully before relighting the wicks.

●        Avoid petroleum derivatives. Opt for candles that use a soy or beeswax base. These candles release far fewer VOCs while burning than their paraffin-based cousins. 

Using Harsh Cleaning Products

Anti-bacterial cleaning sprays, bleach, and air disinfectants wreak absolute havoc on your indoor air quality because they contain laundry lists of ingredients that are terrible for your respiratory health. Like paraffin-based candles, many household cleaning products release dangerous VOCs into your home’s air, including compounds like:

●        Formaldehyde

●        Chlorine

●        Fluorine

●        Bromine

●        Benzene

●        And many more...

Unfortunately, each time you use these products, you not only breathe in those compounds directly, but you also expose other members of your household to them. To reduce you and your family’s risk of respiratory complications, opt for natural household cleaners, such as vinegar, baking soda, and the good old fashioned standby, dish soap.

Neglecting Adequate Ventilation

If your home isn’t well ventilated, pollutants and indoor air contaminants have no outlet to exit your home. Adequate ventilation helps funnel these compounds outdoors rather than inside your lungs, so be sure to periodically open windows to allow indoor-outdoor air exchange. To keep air flowing freely throughout your home, you should also make sure to keep your ceiling fans running and take advantage of the exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathrooms.

Neglecting Your Air Filters

If you’re prone to forgetting about your air filters, you’re not doing your indoor air quality any favors. HVAC filters are designed to trap a specific quantity of dust and grime from your air ducts, and when they’ve filled to capacity, they begin pushing dust and other particles into your home’s ambient air.

To keep your indoor as pure as possible, be sure to change your system’s filters according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule, which typically means every six months. If you have pets or allergies, you may need to replace them more frequently, perhaps at two- to three-month intervals. And, to further protect yourself and your loved ones from respiratory distress, consider implementing an air purification system along with routine filter changes.

Whether you’ve got mysterious allergy symptoms or you’re dealing with strange indoor odors, our Dust Doctors team is here to help you tackle them. It’s our mission to help Twin Cities homeowners achieve the best indoor air quality possible, and that means you (yes, you), too! Using a combination of advanced air purification systems, professional duct cleaning, furnace cleaning, and A/C cleaning, we’ll help you improve your indoor air, so you can breathe easy once again. To learn more about our services or to schedule your appointment, give our team a call at 651-319-9777 or reach out to us on our contact page. For your convenience, you can also request your free quote online.