Once upon a time, Los Angeles’s air quality was among the worst in the nation. After numerous environmental regulations went into effect, Los Angeles’ air quality improved significantly; however, the air quality could still be better. Pair that with the fact that we live in an area where major fires are a very real risk, and that we are entering fire season, and quality of air because an even more salient issue. Luckily, the quality of air inside your home is something you, as a homeowner, can actually control. Here are a few tips to improve the quality of air inside your house.
- Create an Optimal Ventilation System
Your home has an HVAC system, or it should; but this does not guarantee that the ventilation is as good as it needs to be, or that it is functioning as it ought to. While spending money isn’t something most people relish, it is worth the expenditure to ensure that your ventilation system is functioning properly. A good indicator that your ventilation is not working properly is that pungent smells (say last night’s dinner) still linger (that’s an asinine point, but as humans we tend to get used to things like smell, and the lingering smell simply doesn’t register as significant to you). If you want to improve your air quality, install a few vents and exhaust fans throughout your house.
- Scrub Those Air Ducts
If you have discovered mold in your house, of if your air ducts have become clogged as a result of any number of factors, or if you have noticed rodents in your home… it’s time to get your air ducts cleaned; this comes straight from the EPA. The reason for this is that all this junk may be getting thrown into your household air (not rodents flying around in your room, but unhealthy things associated with their presence), ruining the quality of your air.
- Reduce the Impact of Your Furry Friends
Fido is great and all, but his dander is likely reducing the quality of air inside your home. There is a reason many people don’t let their dogs sit on furniture (this author is not one of those people), and it’s because of dander and dirt (which impacts quality of air). Taking it one step further, you may want to keep your pets out of the room where you sleep altogether (again, this author will take a reduced quality of air to cuddle with their dog at night). Assuming that’s a bit too much, it might be prudent to invest in low-pile carpeting or just remove carpets altogether, this will reduce the amount of dander that sticks around.
At the Chernov Team we know that knowledge is power, and the knowledge of how to make the air inside your home a little more breathable is powerful indeed. Ignoring the benefit to you, the owner, currently – people who aren’t used to your home will notice that lingering smell or the stuffy nature of the air in your home. In turn, this will likely cause them to view your house as less valuable than it could be; our job is to assist you in maximizing your return on the investment you made into your home in the first place. At the Chernov Team we understand that whoever comes to the table most prepared leaves with the most, and the Chernov Team always leaves the table with the most.