It’s cold outside, and it’s nice and toasty indoors. But what if that warm air is making you sick?
Air quality indoors is a serious issue year-round, and it only gets worse in the winter. With these winter air quality safety tips, you can be sure that your household will stay safe and healthy.
1. BE AWARE OF WOOD SMOKE.
In the winter, you’re more likely to use your wood-burning fireplace or stove than you are during the rest of the year, but if you’ve forgotten about yearly maintenance, you could end up pouring smoke into your home rather than out through the chimney. Make sure you have your chimney flue swept, and any creosote buildup removed, before you decide to relax by the fire.
2. PROTECT AGAINST CARBON MONOXIDE.
Wood smoke isn’t the only thing to worry about. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and invisible gas that can be harmful in brief exposures and fatal over time. Make sure your CO monitors have fresh batteries once a year, and if they’re more than 5 years old, replace them with new ones. CO is produced when you burn fuels, like wood or natural gas, and can build up in the winter due to restricted ventilation. And definitely don’t try to operate camp stoves, gas-powered generators, or vehicles indoors, as these can quickly produce enough CO to be lethal.
3. AVOID ORDINARY POLLUTANTS.
Standard home pollutants like mold, dust and pet dander don’t disappear in the winter, and there’s a good chance you’ll be spending more time around them. The warm air from your furnace is more humid than the air outside, and can provide an opportunity for mold to thrive. Standard furnace filters are good at trapping larger particles, but might not catch everything. HEPA-certified filters can help remove the smallest airborne particles, like spores, helping you breathe easier, and whole-home air cleaners can do an even better job.
4. DON’T BE EXPOSED TO ILLNESS.
It’s not the cold weather making you sick. In the winter, we’re all a bit closer together, and that means bacteria and viruses can spread more easily and stay in the air longer. Whole-home air cleaners kill bacteria in the air you breathe, and even just cleaning your house and washing your hands regularly can you from developing an illness.
Although these are some of the common causes of bad indoor air quality, others might be cause for serious concern. If your house develops an odd, musty odor, or something smells like it’s burning in your heating unit, call the professionals at Stallion Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. Our experts can diagnose and fix the problem before you even have time to sneeze. Call us at (215) 461-3635 or contactStallion online.
