This fall, seal the deal on indoor air quality
With lower temperatures and humidity, autumn is a wonderful time to do chores that will help your home successfully weather the winter ahead.
While you’re cleaning gutters and sealing windows and doors, don’t forget to get smart about indoor air quality. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside your home can be two to five times worse than the air outside.
Since the 1970s, houses and other buildings have been built “tighter” to save energy. This means there is less exchange between the outdoor and inside air. Pollutants may become trapped in the indoor air you breathe.
There are many kinds of airborne particles, including pollen, mold spores, bacteria, pet dander, lint, household dust and dust mite debris. Some particles can carry viruses, and many everyday activities – including dusting, vacuuming and cooking – can increase concentrations of these particles.
What can you do to help improve your indoor air quality?
Make your heating system safer, cleaner and more efficient. Consider a professional inspection of your heating system to help make sure it’s running in peak condition. And make use of advanced filtration technologies designed to protect your system – and improve your indoor air quality by attracting and capturing allergy-aggravating microparticles from the air passing through the filter.
A Filtrete® High Performance Filter from 3M with a microparticle rating of 1700, for example, will capture up to 93% of large airborne particles from the air as it passes through the filter.
Check gutters and downspouts. Make sure they’re clear of leaves and other autumn debris. According to the EPA, damp walls, windows, basements and other surfaces can lead to mold spores in the air, and keeping moisture away from your home’s walls and foundation can help.
De-clutter. Autumn is also the perfect time to move indoors and take on home organization projects. Command™ adhesive strips and organizing products from 3M can help you cut down on clutter – which can help keep dust at bay.
