Tips to Improve the Air Quality in your Home

CLEVELAND - As we’re spending more time indoors during the winter, have you thought about the air quality inside your home? 

“It’s very important to pay attention to the air quality inside your house. You could start coughing if you don’t, and that’s often the first sign of air quality issues. You’re breathing in the particulate matter, which are very small particles that aren’t always visible to the eye,” explained Neha Solanki, MD, a pulmonologist with Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Solanki said smoke is a common source of indoor air pollution, especially this time of year with people cozying up to fireplaces and burning candles.

Other contributors to poor indoor air quality include gas stoves as well as allergens like mold, dust and pet dander.

To improve air quality inside the home, Dr. Solanki recommends limiting any sources of smoke and making sure gas stoves are well-ventilated.

She also encourages people to keep pets outside the bedroom, regularly change furnace filters and clean often to prevent the buildup of dust and mold. 

You want to put safeguards in place to alert you if the air inside your home becomes dangerous as well.

“It’s a good idea to have a carbon monoxide monitor, especially if you have gas appliances,” Dr. Solanki said. “Carbon monoxide is a gas you can’t smell, so a monitor is the only way to know it’s present – and it can be deadly if left undetected.”

Dr. Solanki added that once the weather warms up, it’s just as important to pay attention to any outdoor air quality alerts before heading outside.