With the shift to social distancing, many of us are now working from home. While workplaces are designed for employee productivity, most home offices lack the same characteristics. Among the most important aspects of a healthy and comfortable home office space is optimized home’s air quality.
According to a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and SUNY, individuals who work in better air quality have higher cognitive functioning scores – compared to those working in airtight environments with poorer air quality. Most homeowners are surprised to learn that indoor air can be polluted by lead, formaldehyde, fire retardants, radon and even volatile chemicals used in common cleaners. Some of these pollutants are tracked into a home, while others appear with the addition of a new mattress, furniture, paint or carpet cleaning. Then, there’s the additional issue of dust mites, mold, pet dander and other indoor pollutants.
The key to improving indoor air quality is taking a multi-pronged approach to minimizing pollutants and optimizing humidity.
Vacuum
Allergens and chemicals accumulate over time, impacting air quality. One of the best front-line defenses against this is vacuuming carpets and floors which can reduce toxins and allergens. Choose a vacuum cleaner with strong suction, rotating brushes and a HEPA filter. For optimal results, vacuum two or more times each week and regularly clean the filter.
Mop
Mopping is also beneficial by picking up additional dust that the vacuum has left behind on floors. Use plain water, rather than soaps and cleaners and a microfiber mop which can capture the most dust and dirt.
Use Door Mats
Place a large floor mat at every door to catch chemicals and dirt on shoes before they are tracked through the house.
Maintain a Comfortable Humidity Level
By keeping humidity around 30 to 50 percent, you can minimize the growth of dust mites and mold while preventing air from becoming too dry. With our desert air, a humidifier may be beneficial in a home office to ensure a consistent humidity level.
Don’t Smoke
Making your home a no smoking zone is essential for good indoor air quality. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals and is linked to higher rates of respiratory disease, cancer, heart attacks and stroke. And in this time of a pandemic, avoiding smoke is more important than ever.
Call Cool Blew
At Cool Blew, we’re experts in indoor air quality management and recommend the Air Scrubber Plus – a new system designed to help eliminate indoor air quality risks by reducing air pollutants, VOCs, cigarette smoke, dust, pollen, mold, odor-causing bacteria and odors from pets and cooking. Call us today to learn more about this system and how it can enable you to breathe easier as you work from home.
