While talking with a contractor today whose wife has breathing issues, I recommended he pay attention to the MERV rating on his air filters. He had never considered that this might help his wife or knew to watch for the rating on the package! He diligently took notes on his phone and we talked about his wife who has diabetes and had contracted Valley Fever after they moved to Phoenix. Given that conversation I decided it was time to write about indoor air quality and simple methods you can do to improve the air quality in your home.
It's worth noting that Valley Fever is an airborn dust issue in the Phoenix area and is caused by a fungus in the soil. For more information, visit this link.
Now more than ever, the public is aware of how indoor air quality can be compromised thanks to forest fires across the US. Indoor air quality is a huge issue for those with breathing issues such as asthma, COPD, cancer survivors, and a host of other maladies. How you address this in your home requires awareness and maintenance.
The most recent building codes have included indoor air quality specification for to protect homeowners. More news and reports suggest that your home indoor air quality can be a source of inflamation and health issues. and is oftentimes worse than outdoor air, except in the case of forest fires of course. For some guidance, check out the this report from Consumer Reports.
And products that you use regularly in your home can contribute to bad indoor air quality. The choices you make for cleaning products, appliances, furniture finishes, and building products can effect your indoor air quality. If you have an older home, it may have been built using toxic products with asbestos and lead..
These are some things to think about to improve the indoor air quality in your home:
- Use no VOC products in your home
- Eliminate carpeting
- Change your air filters regularly depending on the season and allergies
- Do not use Glade Plug-ins or fragrance creating products
- Use chemical free cleaners like baking soda and vinegar
- Install Carbon Monoxide monitors
- Always turn on a vent fan when cooking & showering
- Consider going all electric
- Install a whole home Energy Recovery Ventilation System
A very simple buying choice when replacing furnace filters is to be aware of the MERV rating on the packaging. I choose 5 or 6 because that level will remove common dust and lint and I don't have any pets. If you have pets, you'll want a different level of MERV; HOWEVER, the higher the number, the more static pressure it creates and your HVAC, AC or furnace will have to work harder as that higher level restricts air flow. So this is a topic that should be researched carefully. If you have an older HVAC, using a higher MERV filter can strain the unit enough to cause it to fail.
Even though the main photo looks like a serene bedroom photo, the carpet can retain pet dander, cleaning solvents from carpet shampooing and many other air quality nightmares! Our real estate photos are dead give aways for these culprits!
Indoor air quality is one topic included in the NAR GREEN designation. If you're interested an want to learn more, visit Green.Realtor!
