By: Anne Freeman
In the winter months, when we spend so much time indoors, air quality is a concern. We need to get clean, fresh air into the house on a regular basis. You can of course, open the windows, which means a loss of heat. Some newer furnaces have a fresh air intake, but that alone may not be enough to give you the quality you would like. You can have a HEPA filter installed into your furnace or air conditioning system which will keep the air clean in your whole home, keeping the dust down as well.
If that?s not an option for you, here are some other things you can do: Invest in a good portable HEPA filter. Look for one that will trap very small particles of 2 microns or less. A portable cannot handle more than one room, so the best place to keep it is in your bedroom. If you work at home you may need a second filter, or move the one you have to your work space. HEPA filters are usually very quiet, but check it out in the store before you buy.
Dust mites and mould spores are also a problem, contributing to allergies and asthma. Your HEPA filter should be able to handle most of this. However, it will greatly increase your comfort level if you vacuum your mattress and box spring as well as your pillows. Slip covers which seal out these particles are available to do the job. Look for them in the bedding section of a better department store.
Have your furnace ducts professionally cleaned every 2 or 3 years.
Clean bathroom tiles, grouting, window frames and sills with a mould inhibitor such as Lysol, Tilex or mild solution of Javex.
If you home or apartment block is heated with gas, be sure to get a carbon monoxide detector installed. This is an electronic, wall plug-in device which you can buy in most hardware stores. They are not expensive and it may save your life. Carbon monoxide is an odourless, silent killer.