When the temperatures begin to increase after a long, cold winter, many of us begin to focus on cleaning our homes, vehicles, and appliances. It is easy to find things to clean whenever you can see that they are dirty, but what about the things that you cannot see, like the air inside of your home? This is also the time of the year when many experience allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, itchy eyes and more. Of course, many of the causes are present in the outdoor air and cannot be controlled, but some of them are inside of your home and can be controlled. While there are some visible signs that you may have poor indoor air quality, such as excessive dust, and dirty vents, many signs may not be visible. As you begin your spring cleaning, think about how you could have a positive effect on your indoor air quality.
Try taking the following steps to cleaner air and a cleaner home:
Replace Your Air Filters
Replacing your air filters is a routine step that a homeowner should take on a regular basis. If you haven’t done this in a while, the Spring can be a good time to start new routines! If you have a standard media filter, we recommend changing them every 2 to 3 months, and even every month if you have pets indoors. If you have a larger box filter, those often last longer, some can even last 6 months to one year. Not only does changing your air filters help to improve the quality of air in your home, but it can also improve the efficiency of your HVAC units by allowing better air flow throughout your home. If you notice anything unusual while changing your filters, or if you have any questions, an Infinity pro is here to help you!
Dust Ceiling Fan Blades
Many homeowners do not run their ceiling fans at all throughout the colder, Winter months. If that is you, Spring is a good time to clean them before you turn them on for the warmer weather. Even if you have had your fans on this winter, it is time to turn them off long enough to give them a thorough cleaning before turning them back on for the warmer weather. Starting with a light duster and finishing with a damp cloth can help to ensure that your ceiling fan will not be spreading those built up allergens throughout your room.
Clean Vent Covers and Grates
Vent covers on your ceilings, returns, and floors can accumulate dust, dirt, cobwebs, debris, and even mold. Spring is a good time to safely remove these vent covers, run them under warm water, clean with a damp cloth and mild soap, and dry them before returning them! This can improve the quality of air by preventing those particles from continuing to circulate, but it also can improve the appearance of your home!
Vacuum Hard-to-Reach Places
It has probably been a while since you vacuumed some of those harder-to-reach places in your home. Spring is the perfect time to do the dirty work to help your home stay cleaner! Some examples of hard-to-reach places may be underneath couches and furniture, in closets, and behind curtains and drapes. While you are at it, it is also a good idea to go ahead and vacuum those more common places as well, such as rugs, floors, and mattresses.
Change the Batteries in Your Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Having a routine for changing the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors is essential. It can ensure that they work efficiently all year to help you detect harmful air pollutants before they reach dangerous levels. Although some may alert you when the battery level is low, it is best to add this to your spring-cleaning routine, giving you peace of mind that they are protecting your family from some forms of dangerous pollutants, and preventing any delay of alerts.
Install an Indoor Air Purification Device in Your HVAC System
While there are many steps that you can take inside of your home to limit the number of allergens, germs, and other pollutants, having an air purification device, such as a Reme-Halo UV Light System, installed inside of your HVAC system is also an option. These are a great way to reduce those allergens 24/7 without you having to lift a finger! A device like this operates year-round to consistently clean the air that passes through your heating and cooling systems, and dramatically decreases the number of particles, germs, and allergens that pass throughout your home. This can reduce excess dust, along with reducing allergy symptoms and other health issues caused by germs. If you are interested in learning more about these devices, or if you are ready to have one of these installed to have fresh air in your home this Spring, give our team a call at 901-622-4822!
