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Improve Life at Home with these Air Quality Tips for Your Next Home Renovation

Home Remodel

 

Just like plant pollen, pet dander, and the chemicals from household cleaners, the fumes and dust from a home renovation can be very challenging for those who suffer from allergies. If your HVAC air filters are not changed often enough, all of these allergens can build up and simply be recycled again and again through your home.

This lack of healthy air quality is especially harmful and cause all kinds of issues for people with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as allergies, asthma, and COPD. However, you can prevent this from happening by taking a few strategic measures to reduce the likelihood of being exposed to toxins from home renovations.

Reduce Allergies Caused By Home Renovations

PlanThere are several types of allergens that can be produced by home renovations, and one of them is an invasion of mold spores after a wall has been knocked down or floors have been lifted.

Mildew is another concern because along with toxic black mold it likes to hide behind wall tiles and floor tiles. If you do discover black mold in your home, it is best to have the situation examined and then removed by the professional mold-removal company.

If this is the case, you may also be asked to vacate your home until the premises are clean. The dust and dirt that is roused up through such activities as knocking out walls and ripping out cupboards or even just using a power drill can also cause sneezing, watery eyes, and asthma.

It is important to have this type of construction area tented off with plastic sheets whenever possible. Contractors also have low-dust renovation techniques, which involve misting the area to be knocked down with, water first. This weighs the construction dust down and prevents it from floating away in the air. Fumes from varnishing floors and painting walls are also a concern and can cause real havoc with immune systems.

Those with chemical sensitivities should be removed from the premises entirely when this type of work is going on. It is a good idea to keep your HVAC system off while work is going on to prevent fumes and dust from being spread through your home’s vents and ducts. Once you turn the HVAC system back on, be sure to frequently change the filters to catch any allergens or dust particles that may still be floating in the air.

Save Money and Protect Your Health by Changing Air Filters

Air FilterOne of the best ways to protect your health is to change the air filters on your HVAC system, furnace or air conditioner as often as possible.

This prevents the dust, microbes, and allergens that have been stirred up from your home renovation from reentering the air and causing people to feel unwell.

Changing the air filters on your HVAC system can also prevent Bellevue, WA residents from having frequent furnace or air conditioning breakdowns.

In fact, if you are renovating your home, you might want to consider upgrading your HVAC system as well. The more up-to-date your system is, the more efficiently it is going to run, and this means that your air ducts will stay cleaner for a longer period. You can also save up to 15% on your energy bills if you change the air filters more frequently than the usual recommended twice-a-year maintenance schedule.