Smart homeowners know that home maintenance is very important to the longevity and upkeep of your home. However, many homeowners forget to include indoor air quality as part of regular home maintenance. Maura Stevens spoke with home inspector, Scott Biller, of Biller & Associates about improving indoor air quality. Scott identified some a few easy steps you can take to improve the air quality in your home.
1. Clean and Maintain Your Kitchen Exhaust Fan
Every kitchen has an exhaust fan over the stove. It absorbs the smells, steam and smoke from cooking, so it gets dirty quickly. Regularly cleaning the vent and changing out the filter will help clear the air in the kitchen and keep this fan functioning.
2. Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat
Another great way to improve the air quality in your home is by getting a programmable thermostat. Older thermostats may not efficiently communicate with your HVAC system which can reduce the overall effectiveness of your system’s filtering ability and result in poor air quality.
3. Change Your Air Filters Regularly
It is a good idea to change out the air filters in your home every 45-60 days. This will really help improve the air quality in your home
4. Circulate Fresh Air
One easy thing to do to improve the indoor air quality of your home is to circulate fresh air into the house. Depending on the weather, it is a good idea to open your windows daily to allow circulation. Opening doors and windows to allow for cross-currents to move through the home will help get the stale air out of the house. Check the Virginia DEQ to make sure there are no issues with the outdoor air quality in your area.
5. Make Sure Your House is Airtight
Another easy but important way to improve the air quality in your home is to make sure that your home is properly sealed to prevent the possibility of mold. Inspect both doors and windows by looking for cracks from the indoors, checking for daylight that is visible around door frames and door thresholds. If you see daylight add/adjust door weatherstrips to seal gaps that allow air penetration.
Ensure windows are locked to ensure a tight seal. From the outside, inspect the caulking at the windows and door frames to be sure that it is not cracked or deteriorated. If needed, repair caulking to ensure a weatherproof seal.
If you would like to get more information on how to improve the air quality in your home, please reach out to Scott Biller, he’ll be happy to help.
Scott Biller, Biller and Associates
scott@billerandassociates.com
Phone: 571-528-6817