The West Coast of the United States is generally known for especially hot summers, but that hasn’t prepared residents of cities like Sacramento for the record crushing heat of 2021. Heat domes started appearing in the state of California early this June and quickly reached high temperatures that would be unusual, even for August. The heat domes have also had an incredible reach, from the Great Plains all the way to the coastal cities. Sacramento hit a new daily record of 109 degrees, and even Plains cities like Omaha have hit 105 degrees.
Incredible heat already comes with plenty of health risks, including heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. The last thing you need is to combine these high temperatures with poor indoor air quality. Overexposure to moisture and pollutants (pollen, dander, allergens, etc.) in your indoor air can lead to additional health problems like sinus attacks or even respiratory failure. You may think you’re indoor air can’t be that big of a deal because you figure it has to be safer than polluted outdoor air, but this is the wrong impression. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), your indoor air quality is often lower than the quality of outdoor air.
This can be for a variety of reasons, including how easy it is to track in pollen and other outdoor pollutants. A buildup of moisture in the bathroom or other areas of the house can also lead to mold growth, which lowers your air quality. It’s possible that you’re even having trouble removing particles from your home because too many belongings or furnishings make it difficult to clean. Here are just a few ways you can maintain healthy air during the extreme heat.
Keep up with HVAC maintenance
Your climate control system is one of the most important in your home, especially when temperatures start reaching life-threatening levels. The last thing you need is for your HVAC system to fail as the climate continues to get more dangerous. Ventilation isn’t just about keeping your home cool, either. Three benefits of home ventilation include comfortable temperatures, reduced moisture, and better air quality.
In some seasons, you can open windows to let in the fresh air and help with ventilation, but it’s unlikely to be a comfortable option during the summer. Instead of relying on natural ventilation, you really need your mechanical ventilation to be on point to filter polluted air and bring in fresh outdoor air. Make sure you always clean your air filters each month and call the professionals at the first sign of trouble.
Invest in an indoor air filter
Your HVAC system may not be enough on its own to clean your indoor air. A product like a HEPA air purifier is the best way to get rid of contaminants and possibly even lower your humidity. With multiple filtration levels, you can have peace of mind knowing that these air cleaners can boost your air quality without you even having to think about it. Best of all, these devices have low noise modes, so you can run them in your sleep without disturbance. This is perfect for pet owners, who may have animals that stay in the bedroom.
Store unused furnishings and appliances
Looking for storages in Sacramento may seem like an odd way to clean up your air quality, but homeowners frequently keep items they don’t really need, and these can block your air vents or collect dust and other contaminants. The more unused belongings you have in your house, the more likely you are to have difficulty with pollutants. Head up to the attic or any other room that acts as storage in your home, and take inventory of all the things that you don’t use. The sooner they’re either given away or moved into a storage unit, the sooner you can start giving your home a proper deep clean to boost your air quality.