Stuck in your home or office all day? Worried about air quality, not just for you but also for your family and colleagues?
Don’t panic! With a little preventative maintenance and some basic knowledge, you can take immediate steps to improve your indoor air quality.
It’s more common than you think. Air pollutants range from outdoor contaminants to mould build-up in your kitchens and bathrooms. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean the contaminants are not there.
Yes, sure, if there’s a mouldy smell in the bathroom then that’s a clear sign. But the signs might not always be so obvious. Here’s 6 things you can do right away to improve the air quality in your home:
1. Open the windows
It sounds obvious but if you can, open your doors and windows! Poor ventilation is a major cause of bad air quality. Let’s say it together: good air flow is the beginning and end of a better path to ventilation.
2. Change your AC filter
Air-conditioning systems are always working to give your home that perfect temperature. But while they’re cycling through all that air, they’re filtering out some of those common air pollutants. Eventually, their air filters fill up and stop doing their job. Get your AC cleaned by a professional company.
3. Don’t forget about other air filters
Your AC filter isn’t the only thing working to keep the air clean in your home. If you really want to improve the air quality in your home, be sure to check the filters in your other household appliances. Your vacuum cleaner, clothes dryer and kitchen vents should all be inspected and maintained periodically. It’s recommended to clean or replace these common household filters every few months.
4. Check your air ducts
Air ducts are responsible for distributing air throughout your home, providing a comfortable climate in every room. But ducts that are not installed properly or maintained can distribute contaminants from one room to another. Over time, dust, dirt and even mould can accumulate in your ducts, reducing the overall air quality. Hire a professional to make sure your ducts are circulating fresh, clean air.
5. Sanitise your home for Covid
A clean home/office is essential for good air quality. Engage a professional sanitization company to undertake a deep clean of your entire house, office or apartment. Some sanitization and duct cleaning firms – like Duct Doctors – offer a free consultation and assessment of your living and working spaces.
6. Control humidity in your home
Humid and moist conditions breed mould and mildew that can trigger respiratory issues like allergies and asthma. Depending on your location, the hot summer months can bring about especially humid conditions. Reduce the amount of moisture in the air and curb the growth of irritating moulds with a few well-placed dehumidifiers. There are a variety of humidifier options that will help maintain consistent humidity levels and create comfortable living/working conditions in your home or office.
Need help?
Keeping the air in your home/office pure and breathable requires diligence and preventative maintenance. Now that you’ve learned a few simple steps you can do yourself to reduce indoor air pollution, consider setting up an appointment for a free duct health check with a professional.
Duct Doctors Pte Ltd specialise in improving the quality of air we breathe both at home and at work by cleaning the ducts through which it travels. With that complete the company focuses on deep cleaning and sanitisation to ensure bacteria has nowhere to hide in the spaces we occupy.
www.ductdoctors.com.sg
Tel: +65 63636383
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DuctDoctorsSG
Duct Doctors are offering free Duct Health Checks for anyone who suspects that their home or office might require a deep clean, they also recently made a 3-part video series highlighting their services. Check out their videos at www.facebook.com/DuctDoctorsSG
Take charge of better indoor air quality in the New Normal
Office workers are being urged to check with their employers if they suspect poor ventilation systems are putting them at risk of Covid-19 transmission. Leading air quality experts Duct Doctors say mask-wearing, flexible working arrangements and social distancing measures might not be enough to keep us safe at work.
“It is essential that air-conditioning and ventilation systems are properly inspected and maintained in the workplace,” said Mr. Chuan Cheng, Marketing Director at Duct Doctors Pte Ltd. “Often this task falls through the cracks between owners, occupiers and management companies who argue over who should cover the cost,” he added, “Ignoring it could lead to a potentially disastrous outcome.”
Central air condition systems in closed offices pose the biggest danger.
“The ducting systems that carry the air we breathe at work are often subject to large temperature and humidity changes. These conditions inevitably produce moisture and undesirable particulate build-ups,” said Cheng. “They are a breeding ground for bacteria and have the ability to help transmit the virus.”
Filtration systems provide some protection but it is equally as important that air ducts are regularly cleaned and sanitised, he added.
So how do you know if your office ventilation systems are safe and working properly?
One of the easiest ways to spot a problem is by a mouldy or musty odour, which can indicate unmaintained air flow systems. Or simply an unpleasant smell when aircons are turned on.
Other less obvious signs might be throat irritation, a runny nose or allergy-like symptoms, such as sneezing. These can be signs of Sick Building Syndrome, which is a transmission ‘red flag’ for Covid-19.
“Other symptoms of SBS might also include headaches, forgetfulness or an inability to concentrate,” said Cheng. “All these should be warnings to you that your office is not hygienic.”
Covid-19 has catapulted indoor air quality and space sanitization to the top of Singapore’s safety concerns and highlighted the need for building owners to ensure safe working and living environments for tenants and employees.
Duct Doctors specialise in improving the quality of air we breathe both at home and at work by cleaning the ducts through which it travels.
With that complete the company focuses on deep cleaning and sanitisation to ensure the virus has nowhere to hide in the spaces we occupy.
Their efforts to help in the fight against the Covid-19 virus are backed by decades of experience in improving air quality.
Duct Doctors is also a leading producer of ducting systems that carry air in Singapore’s office buildings.
