Maintaining good indoor air quality is essential to minimising bacterial growth and ensuring a healthy and happy home in Queensland, where we are known for our warm and humid climate.
Let’s take a look at how things like electrical services and repairs can help you maximise your Brisbane home’s air quality.
Install a High-Quality Air Conditioning System
Modern air conditioning units are capable of much more than regulating the temperature of your home. When you install an air conditioning system, it can also play a major role in helping remove pollutants by filtering the air and managing humidity levels.
Advanced air conditioning systems are often fitted with built-in high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which are extremely effective at trapping contaminants like dust, pollen, and pet dander. This helps keep your air clean and minimises the chance of allergies.
New air conditioning models may also include things like UV lights and electrostatic filters, which can reduce the presence of bacteria and mould in your home.
By ensuring that you have installed the correct size system for your home, you can achieve effective air circulation without overworking the unit.
Invest in a Whole-Home Ventilation System
Individual air conditioning units are effective at recirculating indoor air. But having a whole-home ventilation system as well can introduce fresh outdoor air into the home.
Without this fresh air supply, indoor pollutants are more likely to accumulate, resulting in suboptimal air quality.
You could consider options like heat or energy recovery ventilators, which swap out stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air without compromising temperature or humidity.
If your home is tightly sealed to retain cool air, a proper air exchange system is an ideal solution that doesn’t compromise your home’s energy efficiency.
Use Quality Air Filters
The air filters in your air conditioning system need to be of the right standard. Not all air filters are created equal—some air conditioning units come with standard or even substandard filters. Upgrading these to HEPA filters can make a significant difference in improving your indoor air quality.
These high-efficiency filters are capable of capturing nearly 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including smoke and fine dust. Allergens also stand little chance of getting through.
In addition to having the right quality air filters installed, you should change your air filters at least every three months. If you have pets or live near dusty or smoky environments, like construction sites, you may need to change the filters more often.
Use Ceiling Fans for Better Circulation
In addition to having a good-quality air conditioner installed, you could consider ceiling fan installation to help circulate the air. This can improve overall indoor air quality by preventing stagnant air pockets from forming.
While ceiling fans aid in moving the air around, they cannot, on their own, remove pollutants. For this reason, they work best in tandem with a high-quality air conditioning system to purify the air. When combined, these two systems complement air circulation, and the ceiling fan helps reduce reliance on the AC unit alone, potentially reducing your energy reliance.
It is important, however, to regularly clean the fan blades, as dust often accumulates on them—especially in Brisbane’s subtropical climate.
Control Indoor Humidity Levels
Humidity plays a key role in managing indoor air quality. Brisbane’s climate is particularly prone to high humidity, which carries many pollutants, encourages mould growth and provides ideal conditions for bacteria and dust mites to thrive.
A well-maintained air conditioning unit will naturally reduce indoor humidity. In some cases, dehumidifiers in certain rooms can also play a beneficial role, particularly in areas prone to moisture, such as bathrooms and kitchens.
Aim to keep indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50% to minimise bacterial growth.
Keep Your Air Conditioning Unit Clean
A clean air conditioning unit will do a much better job of ensuring optimal air quality than a dirty one. Dust and dirt quickly accumulate in the filters, along the coils, and in the ducts, which can reduce the air conditioner’s efficiency and allow pollutants to circulate back into your home.
To maintain good air quality, you should clean the entire system out thoroughly at least once a year.
It’s also advisable to engage a professional air conditioning technician for an annual electrical service to ensure the system in your Brisbane home is running at peak efficiency.
Use Indoor Plants
To further enhance the quality of your indoor air, consider keeping certain houseplants in pots inside your home to help filter toxins from the air the natural way.
Popular choices include the peace lily, spider plant, and snake plant. These plants are highly effective at absorbing harmful gases like carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde while releasing fresh oxygen into the space.
Of course, you should be cautious and do your research if you have allergies, as overly fragrant plants or those that shed a lot of pollen can cause irritation.
Limit Indoor Pollutants
To improve your indoor air quality, you should reduce indoor pollutants as much as possible. Adopt simple habits like using eco-friendly cleaning products, avoiding indoor smoking or vaping, and limiting the use of strong chemical-based products inside like paints and varnishes.
This will contribute to keeping the air cleaner. When cooking, ensure thorough ventilation by using extractor fans and opening doors and windows to remove smoke, fumes, and other particles from the indoor space.
Install an Air Purifier
If you struggle with allergies or have pets indoors, investing in an air purifier can provide an extra layer of protection. Various types and models are available on the market, some of which can be installed into your air conditioning unit, while others are standalone systems.
These devices are effective at targeting pollutants like dust, pollen, pet dander, and volatile organic compounds. Air purifiers with HEPA filters are the best option, with some models including activated carbon to capture odours and chemicals.
Keep the Space Clean
One of the best ways to ensure good indoor air quality is to keep carpets and fabric surfaces clean. These surfaces trap dust, allergens, and other airborne particles. Regular vacuuming with a high-powered vacuum cleaner is essential.
For the best results, clean high-traffic areas at least once a week, and consider professional deep cleaning twice a year. If you have carpets throughout the house, you might even consider replacing them with hard flooring, which is easier to keep free of dust.
If you’re looking for a professional, reputable company to carry out electrical services or repairs in your Brisbane home, Sorted Electrical has got it covered. Contact us today to get started.
