Improve Your Home's Indoor Air Quality

You can improve indoor air quality by changing filters on time, keeping your heating and cooling equipment maintained, sealing and cleaning ducts as needed, controlling humidity, and adding filtration or ventilation equipment where it makes sense. Start with the basics before spending on anything more elaborate.

In the Tri-Cities, the air outside brings its own challenges: fine dust from dry, windy days, pollen in spring, and smoke that drifts in during late-summer wildfire season. Your HVAC system moves all of your indoor air through it, which makes it the best place to make a difference.

Start with the filter

The filter is the first line of defense. A 1 inch filter typically needs replacing every one to three months, and sooner during dusty or smoky periods. A clogged filter not only traps less, it restricts airflow and stresses the equipment. Higher rated filters catch smaller particles, but the system must be able to handle the added resistance, so ask a technician which type suits your equipment.

Keep the equipment clean and maintained

Dust and debris build up on coils, blower wheels and inside the cabinet, and moist coils can encourage mold if drainage is not right. A professional tune-up cleans and inspects those parts. Air-Tech's AT Advantage Program maintenance plans include two visits a year, which lines up well with dusty summers and heating season.

Do you need an air filtration system?

Not everyone does. If you have allergies, asthma sufferers in the home, pets, or you live near smoke-prone areas, a whole-home filtration option may be worth exploring. Options include upgraded media filters, electronic air cleaners and ultraviolet lights designed for HVAC systems. Each has strengths and limits, so a good contractor will explain what each does and does not do rather than promising everything.

Be cautious about any device that claims to cure health problems. Filtration reduces particles in the air; it is not a medical treatment.

Look after your ducts

Leaky ducts can pull dusty air from attics and crawlspaces into the airflow, while blocked or dirty ducts hurt circulation. Have ducts inspected if you notice heavy dust returning soon after cleaning, visible debris at vents, or rooms with poor airflow. Duct cleaning is not always needed, but sealing leaks often pays off.

Manage humidity and fresh air

Our climate is dry, and very low humidity can irritate throats and skin in winter, while excess moisture in bathrooms or basements encourages mold. Use bath and kitchen exhaust fans, fix leaks promptly and consider a humidifier if the air is uncomfortably dry. Tight, well-built homes also need planned ventilation, since sealing keeps out drafts but can trap pollutants.

During heavy smoke days, keep windows closed, run the system with a clean filter and avoid activities that add particles, such as frying or burning candles.

A short list is enough to get started:

• Mark filter changes on your calendar
• Schedule spring and fall maintenance
• Keep vents and returns clear and dust them regularly
• Ask a technician about filtration if smoke or allergies are a concern

Build it into the house from the start

If you are building, air quality is easier to get right at the beginning. Air-Tech installs AeroBarrier air sealing in new construction, which reduces uncontrolled leakage through the walls and ceiling and helps keep attic dust and outdoor air from slipping in. A tighter house works best with planned ventilation and good filtration, so it is worth talking through the whole approach with your builder and your HVAC contractor together rather than treating each piece separately.

If you want a professional opinion on the air in your home, call Air-Tech at (509) 392-2021. The family-owned Pasco company can look at your system and suggest changes that fit your house and household.