How Replacement Windows can Improve Indoor Air Quality

A home should be a refuge, giving the occupants shelter from the elements and extreme temperatures. It should also create a comfortable environment where those who gather within feel safe and relaxed. But when it comes to health, your home has air pollutants can make it more hazardous. The air in your home comes directly from outside, and along with it any allergens out pollutants. But there are also indoor air pollutants from cleaning chemicals, aerosols, dust, carpets, and pet hair. They can be dangers as well and become a health hazard, especially for younger family members. Lucky replacement windows in Tigard, OR can help improve indoor air quality.

How Pollutants Affect Health

There are several ways indoor air quality can impact your health and wellbeing. The most common is allergies. There are all kinds of allergies, and many of them are triggered by harmful elements in the air. If you or a family has allergies or asthma this can make poor air quality even more dangerous. Pollutants can also aggravate respiratory problems, both short-term, and long-term. Poor airflow can also lead to higher humidity and mold growth in the home. The resulting spores can cause several health problems including wheezing, sneezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

There are a number of things you can use to combat poor indoor air quality. Here are a few common tips you can use to clear the air in your home:

Cleaning Routine

Start by regularly cleaning your home with safe products to eliminate dust and allergens. You also want to replace the air filters in your HVAC system every couple of months to improve circulation and cut down on pollutants. These may seem like simple steps, but they can have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing.

Natural Ventilation

A lack of airflow is the most common culprit behind poor indoor air. Even if you use the HVAC system it is only circulating the same air throughout your home. So one of the most basic ways to improve circulation and air quality is by opening your windows. It is something you should do for at least 5 minutes every day. This allows fresh air to flow inside and dilutes the pollutants. But not all windows provide the same amount of ventilation.

Choose the Right Window Styles

Certain window styles are better equipped to ventilate the home. Casement windows are good for airflow because you can open them just a crack or expose the entire window opening for more airflow. Double hung windows are another great option because they promote natural circulation. With these you can open both the top and bottom of the window, forcing the warm, stale air out the top and pulling cooler, fresh air in through the bottom.

Choose the Right Window Locations

Another thing to consider is window placement. A row of windows along one wall will not produce as much ventilation as windows on opposing sides of the room. This way you can open a window to catch the breeze and open a window that functions as an outlet where stale air can escape. You can also use box fans or exhaust fans to force stale air outside.

If your windows are not performing well and clearing your home of pollutants, it might be time for Tigard, OR replacement windows. Contact EnergyGuard Windows & Door today for more information on which windows to use in your home. Stop by our showroom at 516 E. 2nd St., Newberg, OR 97132 or call (503) 554-5500 to schedule a consultation.