​5 ways to improve air quality in your Minnesota home​

Improving indoor air quality

1. Maintain proper ventilation

If outdoor air quality is acceptable, consider introducing fresh air into your home. To a certain degree, this happens passively in every home as air seeps through cracks and joints throughout the home, in a process called infiltration. But to increase air exchange, you need to use either natural ventilation or mechanical means​. 

Natural ventilation is as easy as opening windows and doors. You may want to switch off your air conditioner before going this route, as running it with open doors and windows wastes energy and could overstress your unit. If you have window screens and/or a storm door with a screen, you can enjoy the outdoor air without the risk of letting in pests. 

The other ventilation option is to use heat recovery ventilators (HRVs), kitchen range hoods, bathroom exhaust fans and other devices–ideally in combination with open doors and windows– to cycle poor air out and fresh air in. To discourage mold growth, bathroom fans should be used every time someone in your home takes a shower, and vent hoods should be used whenever cooking with gas to remove the heat, odors, CO2 and moisture generated from the air.  

2. Schedule regular maintenance

Another way to improve your indoor air quality while extending the life of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is to have a professional technician inspect your HVAC equipment once to twice per year, preferably before the advent of the heating and cooling seasons. 

An HVAC checkup may include refilling fluid levels, checking electrical connections, cleaning drain lines and inspecting exhaust outlets.

Although your annual or semi-annual checkup will include it, you can and should be continually monitoring the HVAC filter yourself. Your HVAC system’s air filter pulls pollutants such as dirt, dust, mold, pollen, animal fur, and even bacteria out of the air that is being circulated around your home. As it does this, it begins to clog and needs to be cleaned (if it’s washable) or replaced periodically. Ideally, it should be replaced at least every four months, with the changing of the seasons. 

3. Use air purifiers

Air conditioners don’t purify air completely; for that, you may need a dedicated air purifier. Mechanical purifiers such as HEPA purifiers utilize a fiberglass filter that traps particles smaller than 0.1 μm as they pass through. 

Some HEPA models also feature UV purification, which uses a process called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to eradicate airborne microorganisms instead of nonliving particulates. Standalone UV purifiers are also an option, as are adsorbent purifiers that utilize activated charcoal.

For an HVAC-compatible solution, HSP has an offering of air cleaners that connect directly to your furnace and remove larger particles such as pet dander and chemical fumes.

4. Control the humidity level

Humid air encourages the growth of mold and mildew, while trapping and concentrating airborne pollutants. But humidity that is too low can worsen respiratory problems such as asthma. To get the right level, you can incorporate dehumidifiers in the summer and humidifiers in the winter.  

Humidifiers like the Aprilaire™ model carried by HSP can provide relief from dry skin, sore throats and other wintertime maladies. 

5. Consider an air duct cleaning​

Cleaning air ducts–the steel or aluminum conduits that carry warm or cool air around the home–can be a helpful part of HVAC maintenance, and like filter replacement it can help extend the life of your system. 

HSP’s air duct cleaning service includes cleaning of dirty cooling coils, furnace blower assembly, registers and more that can improve heating and cooling efficiency. We use high pressure cleaning with compressed air to dislodge dust, dirt, pollen, lint and other irritants from the ductwork. ​

HSP is a breath of fresh air