05/11/2017
CLEAN AIR IS A KEY COMPONENT OF A HEALTHY HOME.......................................................................................................
- As part of your home heating and cooling solution, they can help reduce or even ELIMINATE many ALLERGENS and HARMFUL AIR POLLUTANTS – from DUST and PET DANDER to CHEMICAL FUMES and MOLD.
- CONTROLLED ROOM HUMIDITY.
- Frequent FILTERING.
- GOOD VENTILATION is important, as it will bring in fresh, clean air into your home.
- WEATHER PERMITTING, try to keep the windows open for a while every day, especially in CHILDREN’S bedrooms.........................................................................................................
CLEARING THE AIR
There are several steps we can take to improve our air quality. Generally, controlling or removing the sources of pollution is the most effective measure you can take. Have your stove and furnace serviced to reduce emissions. Keep your floors clean by vacuuming and mopping. Avoiding scented sprays, polishes, deodorants, soaps and detergents will also reduce the amount of chemicals in the air.
Good ventilation is important, as it will bring in fresh, clean air into your home. This is especially important when using any chemicals or cleaning supplies. However, it is very beneficial at other times as well. Weather permitting, try to keep the windows open for a while every day, especially in children’s bedrooms. It’s not only pleasant, but some of the bad air will literally be blown away.
Air filtration systems can be useful, but their effectiveness is based upon their size and the quality of the unit. Also, check and see what a filter will remove, as many do a good job of filtering dust and pollen, but do not remove hazardous gases.
For a simple and attractive option, did you know that houseplants actually filter many toxins from the air? Besides acting like miniature air purifiers, they are completely natural. NASA has actually been researching the effect plants have on the air for some time. While their goal is to find ways to keep the air in space stations habitable for long periods of time, we can easily apply their findings to our homes and offices.
NASA studies showed plants to be effective at removing harmful elements, like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethane, from the air. These elements are more common than you may think. For example, formaldehyde (which is a leading cause of asthma) is found in thousands of consumer products including textiles, cleaning products, construction materials, paper products, cosmetics, fertilizers, and plastics.
While it is likely that all houseplants purify the air to a certain extent, there are some that excel more than others. It would be ideal to have an assortment of different plants placed throughout the house.
Fortunately, the majority of the plants NASA tested were common household plants and should be easily available at your local nursery.
Some of the best plants for removing formaldehyde included: Bamboo Palms, Janet Craig Dracaenas, Mother-In-Law’s Tongues & Marginatas.
For removing benzene: Gerbera Daisies, Pot Mums, Peace Lilies, And Warneckei Dracaenas.
For removing trichloroethane: Gerbera Daisies, Marginatas, Peace Lilies, and Janet Craig Dracaenas.
Other good plants include: English ivy, Rubber plants, Weeping figs, and Boston ferns.
So pick up some plants and add some freshness to your air and to your décor as well.