Indoor Air Quality in Aspen, CO Can Get Worse in the Winter

During the winter months, you’re going to understandably be focused on keeping cold air out of your house. This means keeping your windows closed, sealing up cracks and making sure your home is effectively insulated.

However, there is a drawback to keeping your home sealed up and spending a lot of time indoors during the winter. It becomes more likely that you’ll be dealing with poor air quality conditions inside, which means you and your family could be at risk of respiratory illnesses. Therefore, in addition to keeping your home sealed up and insulated, you should make sure your winter indoor air quality in Aspen, CO is also a priority for you during the coming months.

Here’s what you should know about improving your air quality this winter when the weather is cold.

What to know about indoor air quality

There are a variety of potential pollutants and contaminants that can result in illness or allergy symptoms. Some of the most common ones you’re likely to find in your HVAC system include mold spores, pet dander, dust, dirt, dust mites, asbestos and various chemicals from cleaning products, paint, wood finish and air fresheners.

Any of those contaminants listed above can result in irritation to your respiratory system and worsen symptoms you already have if you suffer from asthma or allergies. This is what makes it so important to take the proper precautions to protect yourself and maintain good air quality during the winter months, when you’re bound to have less ventilation and fresh air flowing through your home.

One of the simplest steps you can take is to open up windows whenever it’s reasonable to do so. Not every day is going to chill you to the bone—there are going to be some mild winter days when you can open up a couple windows and let some fresh air flow through. You’d be amazed at what even just a couple hours of fresh air can do to freshen up a room. Old air and pollutants can then escape through the windows and get replaced by fresh air from outdoors. If you’re sick of walking into your home and feeling and smelling stale air, this is a great way to remedy the problem.

Another simple step you can take is to make sure you stay on top of furnace filter changes. You ideally should be changing your furnace filter once per season or so, which will help prevent dust and contaminants from getting forced back through your air ducts. The more debris you have built up in your filters, the more likely it is that you’re going to have issues with dirty air flowing through your home. Plus, clean filters help your HVAC system operate more efficiently.

Finally, make sure you pay attention to areas in your home that are susceptible to mold, such as kitchens, bathrooms, basements and laundry rooms. If you notice mold or mildew forming, address the problem immediately.

For more information about maintaining good winter indoor air quality in Aspen, CO, contact the team at HealthSafe Inspections Inc. today.

Categorised in: Indoor Air Quality

This post was written by Writer