Do you ever think about the air that you breathe? Your HVAC unit circulates this air throughout your home. The amount of clean air in your home determines your indoor air quality (IAQ). When it’s unclean, you subject your children to potentially harmful pollutants. Dirty air has allergens and dust mites that could impede the proper development of their lungs. How much should that thought concern you? Consider that people spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. The air in your home is most of what your kids will breathe over the next few years.
Fortunately, you have several steps to improve your IAQ. The obvious step is to have a professional perform maintenance on your HVAC unit. This person will identify any issues with the air in your home. The worker will also recommend ways to improve. This person will probably suggest that you add a whole-home air purifier. These devices capture dust, dander, and pollen, preventing such allergens from spreading through the air. Another likely suggestion is to use air filters that have a higher MERV rating. A filter with a higher rating allows fewer dust particles to pass through into the duct system.
You have other ways to protect your kids, too. Many home remedies offer health benefits that reduce allergy irritation. A teaspoon of raw honey or a cup of nettle tea should become part of your child’s daily routine. You should also mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into your child’s glass of water three times daily. For other suggestions to improve your child’s health, see the attached infographic.
