The Hidden Air Quality Risks of Keeping Your Home Closed Up All Summer
When summer temperatures climb, most of us do the same thing: shut the doors and windows, turn on the air conditioning, and keep the cool air inside.
It may be great for comfort, but what happens to the air trapped inside your home?
Your AC Is Cooling the Air—But It’s Also Recirculating It
Most residential heating and cooling systems largely recirculate the air already inside your home. During the summer, when doors and windows may stay closed for weeks at a time, there can be fewer opportunities for fresh outdoor air to enter.
Meanwhile, everyday contaminants from dust, pets, cooking, cleaning products and other household activities can continue circulating throughout your living space.
And there's another part of your home you shouldn't overlook: your air ducts.
What Could Be Hiding in Your Air Ducts?
Your HVAC system moves conditioned air through your ductwork and into rooms throughout your home. Over time, dust and debris can accumulate inside the system. If moisture is also present, certain conditions can support microbial growth.
When your air conditioner is working overtime during the summer, your HVAC system may be circulating air throughout your home for hours every day.
According to the EPA, duct cleaning may be appropriate when there is substantial visible mold growth inside hard-surface ducts or other HVAC components, when ducts are infested with vermin, or when excessive dust and debris are actually being released into the home from the ducts.
Having your HVAC system and ductwork professionally inspected can help determine whether cleaning is needed.
Professional air duct cleaning, when warranted, should address the HVAC system as a whole—not simply the visible vents. Keeping the system clean and properly maintained can also help it operate as intended during the hottest months of the year.
Summer Moisture Can Create Another Problem
Humidity is another important part of indoor air quality.
Moisture from showers, cooking, laundry, leaks and outdoor humidity can accumulate indoors. Keeping indoor humidity under control is especially important because excessive moisture can encourage mold growth.
Pay attention to bathrooms, basements, laundry areas, HVAC equipment and other places where condensation or moisture may develop.
Give Your Indoor Air a Summer Checkup
You don't have to open your windows when it's 100 degrees outside to start improving your home's indoor environment. Instead, make indoor air quality part of your regular summer home maintenance.
Change HVAC filters regularly, use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans that vent outdoors, control humidity, repair water leaks promptly, and have your HVAC system professionally maintained.
And if it's been a while since your ductwork was inspected, consider having a professional take a look. If cleaning is recommended based on the condition of the system, professional air duct cleaning can become another important part of your overall indoor air-quality plan.
Add Kanberra Gel to Your Summer Air-Care Routine
Kanberra Gel is an easy addition to your everyday air-care routine, particularly during the months when your home stays closed up and the AC runs constantly.
Made with Australian Tea Tree Oil, Kanberra Gel is designed for continuous use in indoor spaces without relying on heavy perfumes or artificial fragrances to simply cover up unwanted odors.
Place Kanberra Gel in living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms and other spaces where air can become stale during the long, closed-up days of summer.
Because clean indoor air shouldn't have a scent.
This summer, don't just think about how cool your home feels. Think about the air that's circulating through it.
Keep it cool. Keep it clean. Breathe better.