Click play to listen to How to Improve Indoor Air Quality For New And Existing Homes.

Does your home have Healthy Air?

While your environment may not have high concentrations of major pollutants, it can become unhealthy when a number of small, uncontrolled factors are combined.

Through a combination of AprilAire fresh air ventilation, air filtration, and humidity control that accommodate the size of your home, you can enjoy fresh, Healthy Air in every room.

If you want a deep-dive on all the sources of indoor air pollution in our homes, check out this extensive analysis from Nicola Twilley for The New Yorker.

Home Size

Homes come in all shapes and sizes, and both the layout and materials used will impact the capacity needs of your Indoor Air Quality systems. Talk with your homebuilder and consult an AprilAire Healthy Air Professional to get the sizing right for your home.

Renovated/Existing Homes

Older homes may have cooking appliances or heaters that use substances that cause indoor air pollution, including:

• Oil
• Gas
• Kerosene
• Wood pellets

Other areas of indoor air pollution to consider when buying an existing home include:

• Tobacco smoke
• Asbestos-containing insulation
• Wet or damp carpet and cabinetry or wooden furniture
• Outdated central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices

New Homes

While less likely to have unhealthy sources of heat or outdated materials, new structures can suffer from the following:

• Off-gassing from new building materials and furnishings
• Fumes from products for household cleaning and maintenance
• Formaldehyde from furniture made of certain pressed wood products
• Lack of natural ventilation due to tightly sealed construction

No matter the age of your home, everyday activities like cooking and cleaning can pollute your indoor air. You should also be aware of the presence of radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.

Air Quality Solutions

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends using a three-pronged approach to solving Indoor Air Quality issues in your home.

Source Control

Identify sources of air pollution in your home, like those listed above. Things like asbestos can be removed or sealed off, and certain appliances can be optimized to decrease emissions. Make sure to consult a professional when dealing with harmful substances.

Ventilation

Increase the amount of fresh air coming into your home from the outside, especially when cooking, cleaning, and painting. Fresh air will help dilute the unhealthy chemicals and particles. In addition to an AprilAire ventilation system, you can use open windows and fans to increase air renewal.

Air Purification

When bringing in air from the outdoors, it’s important to filter out pollution and allergens. AprilAire whole-home air purification is an efficient way to keep every room in your home fresh. You can also find room-size units for areas you spend the most time, like the bedroom or living room.