With the shift towards virtual learning and remote work, people are spending more time at home. When you’re constantly breathing the air circulating inside your house, you want it to be safe. No matter if it’s just yourself at home, or if you have pets, family, or roommates, you want the air you breathe to be the best of quality. It’s important to make changes for the better, because if the air isn’t safe, it can cause permanent damage to your health.
Air quality is important to your health in a variety of ways. Poor air quality can cause long-term health issues, such as lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. For those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and COPD, air pollutants can make their symptoms life-threatening. While pollutants are released globally, there are still changes you can make to take charge of the air you breathe. Here are some steps you can take to reduce air contaminants, and increase your quality of life at home.
Plant Trees Outside Your Home
Trees are natural air purifiers, and also add curb appeal to your home. Being able to spruce up the exterior of your home is one of the best perks of homeownership. While you pick out your flowers and shrubs, don’t forget to order a tree planting kit to bring trees to your yard. If you’re in the home buying process, it’s a wise idea to consider a 30-year mortgage on your home to protect your investment of planting trees. Having a longer term mortgage helps reduce your monthly payments, which saves you money. With those savings, you can plant more trees or make other green upgrades to your home. Trees take years to mature, and you can grow your family right alongside them in your forever home. Planting trees outside will improve air quality within the home, as the purified air will come in through your windows and vents. If you live somewhere that experiences colder weather, even opening your windows for 5 minutes during the day can improve your indoor air quality.
Bring Plants Into Your Home
Another easy way to improve air quality within your home is to have indoor plants. Planting trees may not be an option for everyone, and by introducing indoor plants to your home, it directly improves indoor air quality. These plants and trees make the air you breathe healthier by converting CO2 into oxygen. Some air purifying plants include the English Ivy, Spider Plant, Peace Lily, and Rubber Tree, but there are many more to choose from. If you have pets, make sure that whatever plants you buy are non-toxic for them. Try having at least one plant in each room as a purifier. Plus, they bring character to any room and customize the interior design of the space.
Install Air Filters or Purifiers
If you don’t have a green thumb, but still want to prioritize your health, installing high quality air filters in your home may be the best fit for you. Cleaning the filters in your home is a chore that tends to get overlooked. The filters should be replaced or cleaned every three months, depending on whether they’re reusable. If you have multiple pets, or a member of your household has allergies, you should clean or replace them every month. Air purifiers can supplement your goal of good indoor air quality, or be a smart option if you’re renting with no control over the HVAC system. Air purifiers have a wide range of capabilities, so make sure you do your research before purchasing.
Use Green Cleaning Products
Another way to improve air quality and sustainability in the home is by using non-aerosol and biodegradable cleaning products. By using green cleaning products, in everything from bathroom sprays, all-purpose cleaners, to detergents, you’ll help your lung health by not breathing in harmful chemicals when you clean. These green products are also less damaging to the earth, and can make your day-to-day routines more sustainable, as non-biodegradable cleaners pollute the air and waters. For pet owners, this can also improve the health of your pets, who may have a direct health impact from using chemical cleaners.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the multitude of steps you can take to improve air quality at home. Even just small changes in your day-to-day routine can have a huge impact. Having healthy air not only helps you, but the family, friends, and pets in your home to live a cleaner, safer life. By taking sustainable actions, you’re making an impact that people across the world will benefit from. Planting trees and creating your own forest not only helps the earth, but combats air pollution and the devastating effects of deforestation. You don’t need to make radical changes to better the quality of your home’s air, but any steps in your day-to-day life such as using chemical-free products and planting trees will make all the difference to your personal community.
