Is it stuffy inside your home or apartment? Feeling like the air could be a bit fresher? Well, there’s good news even if the...
How to Properly (and Accurately) Measure Indoor Air Quality
The last thing you want – or anyone wants, really – is to breathe poor air in your own home. Indoor air quality is important for you, your kids, and your pets, but not many people know how to properly measure it.
Measuring indoor air quality is quite simple! The benefits of knowing how good your indoor air is are numerous, not including a general peace of mind that all is well. In this blog, your friends at Uncle Mike’s Home Service will unpack indoor air quality, why it’s so important, and a few easy methods to measure it yourself.
Indoor air quality is important for a variety of reasons
It probably goes without saying that bad air is bad for you. Poor indoor air is filled with bacteria, particles, and pollutants that can cause congestion, have allergic reactions or side effects, and is generally less healthy to breathe. We’ve covered a lot of ground in the air conditioning space, and one main contributor to air quality is filtration within your AC system.
We recommend changing the filters in your AC unit every three months. So that your system can efficiently filter out bad air and bring clean air in.
Some people also prefer in-home air purifiers, which work in addition to your AC system and can be purchased directly from most home goods retailers or Amazon. If you’re going to buy online, though, we recommend doing some research (and reading reviews).
Back to the importance of air quality. Almost everything we do within the home – eating, sleeping, breathing, cooking, relaxing, and even cleaning – releases particles into the air. If your AC isn’t working properly or you have poor filtration, that dirty air has nowhere to go.
No one wants to catch a cold or seasonal illness because their indoor air isn’t good. We’re pretty sure you might be surprised at the quality of your indoor air once you measure it, so let’s discuss how to do that.
3 methods to measure air quality within your home
As we mentioned, it’s not difficult to determine the quality of indoor air in your home. You can get a general idea with your senses – and a legitimate reading in a matter of seconds.
Indoor air quality monitor
These are widely available and you can find them at most home improvement stores or online. An indoor air quality monitor will detect certain molecules or compounds in the air and based on the reading, you can adjust your air purifier (if you have one) or make a plan for how to address the problem.
Humidity monitors
Also readily available online or in stores, a humidity meter or monitor detects levels of humidity in your home’s indoor air. In addition to these devices. Most smart thermostats will also give you a humidity reading on the heads-up display (HUD) or “home base” panel.
The higher the humidity levels in your indoor air, the more likely it is that bacteria, mold, and other pollutants can develop.
The “eyes and nose” test
Sometimes, the natural way is the best way (or it may be the only way). It’s important to always be looking for dust and buildup, particularly mold and mildew, on surfaces throughout the home as this can negatively impact your indoor air quality.
If the air doesn’t smell right, it’s probably not good air. Check your ventilation regularly and have your AC system maintenance conducted on schedule so everything is working efficiently. Did you know Uncle Mike’s Home Service will schedule your AC maintenance for you? Give us a call and we can set something up.
Uncle Mike’s Home Service is standing by and ready to help YOU!
Indoor air quality is nothing to mess around with. From vents to ducts to AC systems (and everything in between), every component matters and if working properly, will positively contribute to healthier indoor air. With Uncle Mike’s Home Service, you can schedule appointments in advance. Take care of these important items of business once or twice per year, and have peace of mind that you’ll have great indoor air all year long.
If your AC hasn’t received service recently, it’s time to give Uncle Mike’s Home Service a call. You can call us at 844-900-MIKE, or fill out our online contact form to request a free estimate or schedule an appointment.