Home Upgrades And Renovations That Can Improve Indoor Air Quality

Environmental Blog

Indoor air quality is always important, and if you've been working from home recently, poor air quality can become even more noticeable. Here are some of the upgrades and renovations that can help improve the indoor air quality in your home.

HVAC System Upgrades

The HVAC system in your home cycles all your home's air through the system on a regular basis. So the quality and cleanliness of your system can affect the quality of the air. Some ways you can improve your air quality with HVAC include:

  • Adding ventilation such as exhaust fans to the system
  • Installing air cleaning additions inside HVAC ducts
  • Upgrading your HVAC filters
  • Installing a dehumidifier 
  • Having ducts cleaned regularly

Your indoor air quality expert can help you ascertain which of these services might be applicable to your current HVAC situation.

Paint Upgrades

Paint can have an effect on air quality as well. For instance, you can upgrade your indoor paint to one that's designed not to emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds). This can cut down on the amount of chemicals in your indoor air.

Or, you could upgrade to a type of paint that contains mold suppressants, to help you avoid mold problems that could contaminate your air. 

Window and Skylight Upgrades

Old or poor quality windows may be chilly, damp, drafty, and difficult to operate. So installing high-quality new windows can help you control indoor air quality in several ways. For instance:

  • High-quality windows will be airtight, letting you shut out the outdoor air when you need to
  • High-quality windows will be easy to operate when you need to ventilate your home
  • High-quality windows are well-insulated and don't encourage mold growth with excess condensation

If you're unsatisfied with your current windows, consider upgrading to new, high-quality windows and skylights that are well-insulated and easily operable. 

Building Envelope Upgrades

A final way that remodels can help you control your indoor air quality is by improving your building envelope. The term building envelope refers to the border that keeps indoor air and temperatures in and keeps the outdoors out. This includes your walls, windows, doors, and floor, for instance.

Any leaky windows and doors or poorly insulated, drafty walls drag the integrity of your building envelope down. An improved building envelope can help you with your indoor air quality by preventing the intrusion of contaminants from outdoors. For instance, if the outdoor air is dusty from nearby construction projects, a tighter envelope will help keep the dust out.

If you're unsure whether you have good air quality or if you suspect your air quality needs improvement, consider hiring a professional for indoor air quality assessment. Once you know more about the level of indoor air quality you have and any potential problems with the air quality, you can set about making any home improvements you need to solve the issue.

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20 January 2021

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