Get Your Home Ready Before Poor Indoor Air Quality Arrives
Photo source: openverse, Jakub Zerdzicki
Spring is a lovely time in New Zealand, but it is also a smart moment to look at the air inside your home. Poor indoor air quality can build up quietly, and seniors are often more affected because older lungs and hearts can be more sensitive to pollutants. The good news is that a few simple habits can help you breathe easier all year round.
What causes poor indoor air quality?
Several everyday things contribute. Damp and mould are common in New Zealand homes, especially in bathrooms, laundries and rooms that rarely get sunlight. Cooking fumes, unflued gas heaters, wood burners and cleaning products can also release particles and gases into the air. Dust, pet hair and pollen drifting through open windows add to the mix.
Let fresh air in
Open windows for ten to fifteen minutes each day, even in cooler weather, to move stale air out. Choose the sunniest part of the day, and open windows on opposite sides of the home if you can. Always use the extractor fan or open a window when cooking and showering.
Keep moisture under control
Damp is a major trigger for poor indoor air quality. Wipe condensation off windows each morning, dry laundry outside when the weather allows, and keep furniture a little away from walls so air can circulate. A dehumidifier can help in damp rooms. For mould, clean small patches with a suitable mould cleaner, and ask a family member or professional to help with larger areas.
Heat your home safely
Warm, dry homes are healthier homes. Try to avoid unflued gas heaters, which release moisture and fumes indoors. Heat pumps, fixed heaters and well maintained wood burners are better choices. Have chimneys and flues checked regularly, and consider a carbon monoxide alarm.
Clean smartly
Vacuum with a HEPA filter if possible, dust with a damp cloth, and wash bedding regularly. Choose fragrance-free cleaning products and avoid aerosol sprays. Replace heat pump and range hood filters as recommended.
Know the signs
Frequent coughing, itchy eyes, headaches, a musty smell or worsening breathlessness at home may point to poor indoor air quality. Speak to your GP or practice nurse if symptoms continue.
