Air Quality Concerns You Should Know This Fall

Orlando allergy sufferers generally experience their worst problems in spring. In fall, allergies are usually less of an issue, at least when it comes to the allergens encountered outside your home.

Indoors, the story can be quite different, though. Here’s a rundown of indoor air quality concerns you may be encountering as you stay inside in cooler months:

Indoor Air Quality

The air in your home is much more likely to be polluted than the outdoor air, particularly in our area, where overall air quality tends to be good. Modern, airtight homes keep airborne pollutants indoors regardless of the season.

Typical pollutants found in most Orlando homes include:

• Mold
• Pet dander
• Pollen – from indoor plant and outdoor pollen brought in on clothes and pets
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – from household chemicals, pressed wood products, carpets
• Dust mites

Remedies for Poor Indoor Air QualityOne of the best things you can do to improve indoor air quality is to improve ventilation so that stale air is removed and fresh air gets in. The best way to do this is with a balanced ventilation system, but if you’re not able to make this upgrade, you might concentrate on removing moisture from the bathrooms and kitchen by installing exhaust ventilation to the outdoors. These systems are relatively inexpensive and do a good job reducing the humidity in a home.Otherwise, install a good quality, pleated air filter in your HVAC system, changing it frequently, particularly if you have pets and several occupants in your home.Additional tips:

• Control dust mites, pollen and pet dander by vacuuming with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, and by washing linens in hot water.
• Remove shoes at the door to keep dust out.
• Brush off or change clothes when you come in from the outside.
• Brush pets outdoors.
• Air out dry cleaning and pressed wood products before bringing them into the home.