3 Steps to Better Air Quality

When most people are asked to talk about the quality of the air within their home, they find themselves stumped. After all, indoor air quality is something we don’t often think about, and many of us are lucky enough to live in homes where air quality isn’t an issue. For some Cincinnati homeowners, however, indoor air quality is a real problem, and many don’t even realize they have an issue on their hands. What often gets mistaken for allergies, though, can sometimes be attributed to poor indoor air quality.

Sniffling, sneezing, headaches and other symptoms may mean it’s time to take a closer look at your home’s indoor air quality and determine how to improve it. Here are three ways to get you started.

1. Get Your Home Professionally Air-sealed

Air sealing is something that not everyone thinks about, yet the impact it can have on overall home performance and indoor air quality is astounding. Your home may be full of little cracks and leaks that aren’t necessarily noticeable without knowing what to look for, yet if they’re present, they’re letting conditioned air escape and unconditioned, dirty air from outside enter your living space. For those who live on busy city streets, poor air sealing can lead to horrible indoor air quality that will never improve on its own. Bringing in a professional to have your home properly air sealed can make a world of difference.

2. Schedule Maintenance for Your Air Conditioner and Furnace

When your home heating and cooling systems work correctly, they should be helping to promote good indoor air quality, filtering toxins in the process. Over time, however, filters can get dirty and systems can start breaking down, which can lead to all sorts of problems with the air you breathe. Just like a vehicle, these systems need to be properly maintained on a regular basis in order to experience longevity, and ignoring this important step will never do your home any favors. Plus, scheduled maintenance helps to ensure you’re saving on your energy bills as much as possible.

3. Schedule a Home Energy Audit

A home energy audit is like a yearly physical for your home. Just as you would never go years without going to your doctor, it’s essential that your home be evaluated for performance issues so that you know exactly what needs to be done to get things back on track. This is especially true if you or your family members have been experiencing symptoms of poor indoor air quality (stuffy nose, watery eyes, dizziness etc.).

Don’t let poor indoor air quality get you down. Contact National today to learn more and to schedule a home energy audit.