3 Lessons on Indoor Air Quality from a Self-Taught Handyman

By Ryan McArdle, comfort controls manager at Resideo 

As a new homeowner, my wife and I are busy painting, cleaning and performing small home- improvement projects on our 1950s, one-story rambler. After multiple trips to the hardware store and lots of late nights, I am finally starting to see my wife’s Pinterest dreams come true.

When we were looking for houses, we each had our list of “must-haves.” She wanted a tile backsplash, stone countertops and hardwood floors, while I was more attentive to the mechanics of the home. She was focused on how the house looked, and I was focused on how the house worked. We tend to complement each other this way.

During the house-hunting process, I spent a lot of time exploring utility rooms in various homes, specifically looking at the home’s mechanical systems, which ensures the home is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, has hot water and clean air to breath. During my investigations, I was looking for well-maintained equipment that is vital in providing comfort and control of the indoor air quality for the home.

In addition to the temperature of your home, your home’s indoor air quality also contributes to your home’s comfort and health. I recently spoke with our Cheddar @ Home partners about the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) and how it can affect your family, and ways to better control the quality of the air we breathe within our homes. I also shared three ways to improve IAQ - or to have cleaner air - in your home.

1. Filtration Control

What you look for: Specks of dust or particles floating in the air or collected on horizontal surfaces within the home.

What you can do: Upgrade the filter or replace it every two to three months.

2. Humidification Control

What you experience: In the winter, dry, cracked skin, bloody noses, dry throat and static electricity, in the summer, dank, musty smells.

What your home experiences: Hardwood floors cracking or shrinking means you need more moisture in your home. A home with a musty basement may need less moisture in it.

What you can do: Get a humidifier that adds moisture to the air or a dehumidifier, which removes the moisture.

3. Ventilation Control

What you experience: Air that smells old, stagnant or stale, or high levels of carbon dioxide and VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Or moisture-control problems such as excess moisture on a window sill.

What you can do: Let your house breathe by bringing in fresh air through a variety of our solutions.

For some, a home’s IAQ may not seem all that important; but the way our home feels and smells is literally one of the first impressions your guests will have – not to mention the impact it will have on your family. If you’ve become “nose blind” to some of your IAQ issues, it’s worth it to get it checked out.

To learn more about IAQ, visit this website about clean-air solutions for your home. To schedule an IAQ check-up for your home, visit our Contact a Pro website to get connected with one of our HVAC partners near you.