Clean Air for Kids – 6 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality

02/20/2018

Creating a safe, healthy home environment for children is of the utmost importance for their development and well-being. Parents employ numerous measures to make their homes safe, but they often overlook one of the most serious household problems – indoor air pollution.
Poor indoor air quality can cause serious allergic reactions, trigger asthma and cause other health problems, such as headache, nausea, airway infection, fatigue and many others. Young children have fragile immune systems that aren’t still strong enough to protect them from different diseases and allergies. Thus, it’s important that you, as a parent, enhance the indoor air quality in your home and ensure your children’s wellbeing.

1.      Eliminate sources of pollution

One of the most effective ways to enhance indoor air quality is to control and eliminate the sources of pollution. You need to detect different pollutants in your home and then apply different measures to eliminate them. Some of the most common household pollutants are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), organic chemicals found within different products, such as paint, cleaning products, furnishings and others, and combustion pollutants that include gases from gas stoves, dryers, space heaters, etc. Cigarette smoke, dust, mites, mould, pollen and pet dander are also some of the common hazards. Once you’ve identified different pollutants in your home, you should eliminate their sources. For example, if second-hand smoke is a major concern in your home, you should stop smoking or smoke outside.

2.      Introduce houseplants

Plants act as natural air purifiers that absorb harmful particles and emit oxygen, filling your home with fresh air. Some plants are more effective air purifiers than others and can lower the pollutant levels in your home significantly. Snake plant, Aloe Vera, money plant and others are lovely additions that will keep your home healthy and toxin-free. Typically, these plants require little watering, so make sure not to overwater them. Otherwise, humidity can help microorganisms grow, which can cause allergies in your children.

3.      Install air purifiers

To completely eliminate hazards that may affect your little ones’ health, you should also install air purifiers, especially in the children’s room, the living room and other areas where they spend a lot of time. It’s advisable that you choose an air purifier with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter that can eliminate even some of the smallest particles from the air. Furthermore, a high-quality air purifier can also mitigate allergies, asthma and even eczema, contributing to you children’s general wellbeing.

4.      Ventilate your home properly

Proper and regular ventilation is of the utmost importance for improving indoor air quality, especially after home renovations. Inadequate and irregular ventilation can actually contribute to indoor air pollution, especially if you live in a hot country, such as Australia. High temperature along with increased humidity levels can actually promote the growth of microorganisms and airborne pollutants. Therefore, you need to open your windows regularly in order to let the fresh air in. You should also install an effective air conditioner to keep your home and the children’s room fresh. Once you’ve installed a unit, make sure to maintain it and change the filters regularly. If you’re not sure how to do this properly, you can always seek help. For example, a reliable agency for air conditioning in Lane Cove provides their clients with regular repair and maintenance services to ensure the proper functioning of their units. This is crucial for your children’s health because after some time, a unit may become covered in mold which is then released into their air. Therefore, you should seek professional help or advice on how to properly take care of your air conditioner.

5.      Control humidity levels

As already mentioned, high humidity levels can increase indoor air pollution by keeping the air moist and helping certain pollutants, such as mold, grow and spread. You should estimate the humidity levels in your home using a humidity gauge. Anywhere between 30 and 50 percent is acceptable. If you need to increase or decrease humidity levels, you can use a humidifier or dehumidifier while also ventilating your home regularly.

6.      Get rid of carpeting

Carpets are home to numerous toxins, such as VOCs and other chemicals, as well as common allergens. This is a major concern because children spend a lot of time playing on the floors or crawling around. If possible, you should eliminate your carpets altogether. If not, make sure to choose low-pile area rugs and clean them regularly using a steam cleaner. You can also take them to professional carpet cleaners every once in a while to make sure they’re completely pollutant-free.

Creating a safe environment for your children is of the utmost importance and increasing the indoor air quality is one of the crucial steps towards a healthy home.