Did you know that air in your home can be 5 times more polluted than the air outside? Perhaps, this sounds unbelievable, but our important tips will make you avoid all the risks that may impair your health, and you will instantly breathe easier!

Although you try to keep your home clean and safe on regular basis, there is a big threat to your well-being that isn’t visible to the naked eye. Pollution in your home can sometimes be 2-5 times higher than outdoors since the air in the house can be saturated with pollen, mold, pet dander, and pollutants from household cleaning products. During winter, the situation doesn’t get any better – weatherproofing combined with heated, dry air can boost indoor pollution levels even higher with airborne toxins, lowering levels of humidity. The combination of the two can cause severe allergies, asthma, respiratory difficulties and even heart attacks.

Since we spend 60% of our time in our homes, it’s time to clear the air and breathe freely!

1. Crack the window

Every time you think of the opened window when it’s cold outside, it makes your skin crawl! But you should know that sealing a house too tightly doesn’t allow the entry of fresh oxygen or the escape of carbon dioxide that you inhale. As a result, your body doesn’t get the amount of oxygen it needs and it’s no wonder if you feel constantly tired or lethargic.

Since oxygen levels can be especially low in a sealed bedroom after a night sleep, make sure that your bedroom windows be opened in the morning (at least 5-10 minutes), and again before you go to bed at night. This time will be enough to let the sufficient amount of oxygen in and carbon dioxide out and not to chill the rest of the house.

2. Turn off ventilation fans

Running powerful fans for an extended period of time can redirect exhaust gasses that may include carbon monoxide fumes back into the house, instead of up and out of flue.

Turn exhaust fans off when they’ve done their job or consider setting a manual switch with a timer to limit unnecessary use.

3. Change filters

Mold from damp basements and lingering spores in air-conditioning systems can become airborne, if the windows are closed. Mold can irritate your eyes, cause allergies and respiratory problems.

Replace filthy heating system filters regularly, recommend air quality experts from Ottawa, since filters lock pollutants that feed mold (human skin cells, pollen, pet dander…). Have your heating system checked annually, and if there are any problems, fix them before you need the heat.

4. Clean the basement / attic

All different stuff that you stack in the basement stirs up dust triggering allergy symptoms such as: sensitive eyes, wheezing or congestion.

Take the boxes outside to wipe the dust off them. Wash all the blankets, linen or clothes before you use them. It would be a good thing to put on a respiratory mask before you enter the attic or basement to protect yourself from airborne particles that cause irritations and allergies.

5. Forget about romantic candles

Scented candles that many people enjoy give off more than fragrance – studies show that they can inflame respiratory tract and aggravate asthma, especially if you don’t do the regular dusting. Dust simply loves to ride on particulates that candles give off and enter deep into the lungs to obstruct breathing.

Candles in large jars really look stunning, but it’s time to say good bye to them, since they tend to send even more particulates into the air than the regular ones. If you can’t imagine your home without the soft, candle light glow, choose unscented, taper candles and place them far from vents and other air sources.