Indoor air quality is incredibly important, especially during the fall. At a minimum, you spend hours each day in your home sleeping and continuously breathing in your home’s air. People who spend more time at home, such as remote workers, are even more influenced by indoor air quality.
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So, why is indoor air quality even more important in the fall in Florida? Is there anything you can do to improve it? Keep reading, and you’ll discover the answers.
What Affects Indoor Air Quality?
Indoor air quality is influenced by a mix of many factors. Everything that has the potential to pollute the air is worse indoors because the air is recirculated so often. This leaves these pollutants with nowhere to go. So, any pollutant in the indoor air affects indoor air quality.
7 Reasons Why Indoor Air Quality Worsens in the Fall
One of the most significant changes in Florida indoor air quality occurs in the shift from summer to fall. Fall indoor air quality is known for being noticeably worse than summer indoor air quality. This is because of a variety of changes to indoor air quality factors all take place in the fall.
Dust
Dust is everywhere, particularly indoors. It slowly accumulates over time as a collection of things like dirt, dead skin, dander, and other small materials. Then, as you spend more time indoors during the fall, you are exposed to the buildup of dust that has been taking place all year.
Allergies
Fall indoor allergies are floating through the air constantly. These include:
- Pollen: Pollen is shed all around outside. There, it latches onto clothing and is brought inside, where it circulates through the indoor air.
- Mold: In Florida, fall is still relatively warm but sees more moisture. This is the perfect recipe for mold to form.
- Nature: Plants like ragweed and elm flourish in the fall, producing even more allergies that find their way inside.
Illnesses
Fall is cold and flu season. This means more pathogens and germs are always floating around in the air.
Organic Compounds
Many objects emit volatile organic compounds on a regular basis. These indoor air pollutants are unhealthy for humans and can be found in many things, from furniture to household cleaners. They are particularly bad indoors, where they have nowhere to go and are mostly just recirculated by the HVAC system.
Humidity
Both high and low humidity lead to worse air quality. Unfortunately, in Florida, both of these extremes are often seen in the fall.
Mold
The increased moisture but still warm weather of fall in Florida gives mold a chance to thrive. Where mold exists, mold spores are released into the air, reducing air quality.
Cooking
Fall usually sees more cooking indoors. If the cooking area isn’t properly ventilated or the ventilation system isn’t run, this impacts the indoor air quality.
How Can You Improve Your Indoor Air Quality?
It is possible to improve your indoor air quality. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection even suggests some best practices when it comes to dealing with Florida indoor air quality.
Besides these, you can also use other methods. These include:
- Humidifiers: If your home is too humid or dry, it leads to worse air quality. With a whole-house humidifier or a whole-house dehumidifier, you can combat either issue effectively.
- Change filters: You should change the filters in your HVAC system every three months. Doing so allows the HVAC system to filter out dust, allergens, and other problems.
- Thorough cleaning: Some air quality issues need to be addressed by cleaning. Dusting your home regularly and vacuuming goes a long way in catching problematic elements and removing them from the equation entirely.
- HVAC maintenance: Your HVAC system should filter your air. However, if it isn’t properly maintained, it won’t accomplish this goal.
- Open windows: Luckily, in Florida, many fall days are still warm enough to open the windows. Doing so gives an opportunity for the problematic elements inside to be blown outside instead.
Why Choose Fenwick for Air Quality Services
If you want to get serious about improving the air quality of your home, you need to take advantage of professional services. The indoor air quality services provided by Fenwick Home Services are the best choice in this regard.
At Fenwick, we can improve your indoor air quality through HEPA air purifier systems, electrostatic air filters, and ultraviolet light air filtration systems. We can also inspect your HVAC system to ensure it is effectively filtering your home’s air. By the time we’re done, you will breathe better in your own home. Contact us today!
Conclusion
Air quality tends to drop in the fall in a way that can negatively impact your health. However, you can fight this problem. Whether you have a central air cleaner professionally installed or just stay on top of cleaning, you can get better indoor air.