After a long day at work, there’s nothing better than returning to a welcoming home. Make sure your Baltimore, Maryland, home has a fresh smell and clean feeling every day by properly caring for your HVAC system and air quality. These quick tips will help you create the ideal home space so you’ll always look forward to the feeling of walking in the door.
Stay on Top of Home Maintenance
Regular home maintenance can go a long way toward helping you keep a fresh, clean house. Though you’re likely focused on daily and weekly cleaning tasks, you shouldn’t overlook the importance of those that are more infrequent. Some things you want to stay on top of for a fresh home include:
- Scheduling HVAC maintenance once a year for each system (i.e., air conditioner and furnace).
- Cleaning your ceiling fan blades when they get dusty.
- Inspecting weather stripping around doors and windows seasonally and replacing as needed.
- Checking for cracks around doors and windows annually and sealing as needed.
These tasks will help you create a well-sealed envelope in your home that keeps dust, pollen, and other irritants out. They will also equip your HVAC system to do the best possible job of filtering pollutants out of the air and keeping things clean and breathable in your home.
Change Your Air Filters Regularly
Inspect the air filter in your HVAC system once a month. Put this on your calendar to make sure you don’t forget this easily overlooked task. If the filter isn’t visibly dirty, you can usually leave it for another month. You should change your filter every month or two, but that could be affected by factors such as pets, smoking, current pollen levels, heavy foot traffic, or family members with asthma or allergies.
Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat
If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, you’re missing out on several valuable benefits. Not only will a programmable thermostat help you manage your energy efficiency, but it will also make it easier to keep your home feeling fresh. Set the thermostat back while you’re out of the house, so you’re not heating and cooling the space unnecessarily. Adjust the settings so your thermostat will return the home to a more comfortable temperature just before you return. This lets you walk into your preferred temperature without paying a premium to maintain those settings all day.
Install a Mechanical Ventilator
A mechanical ventilator purposefully vents stale air to the outside while pulling fresh clean air into the home. This is an important installation for a well-sealed living space. The ventilator will filter incoming air so you don’t have to deal with the hazards of outside air, such as pollen and exhaust. It will also free you from the stale, stuffy feeling your home tends to get if the same air circulates in a limited space for too long.
You can incorporate a mechanical ventilation system directly into your existing HVAC system. Combine this with a powerful filtration system for the best effect.
Update Your Evening Routine
The right evening routine will help you keep your home in top shape so you can come home to a clean welcoming space at the end of the next day. As often as possible, go through a quick routine to eliminate key causes of odor and mustiness. This includes:
- Vacuuming, preferably with a HEPA filter.
- Wiping down flat surfaces with a dust cloth.
While you’re vacuuming and dusting, you can enhance your cleaning efforts by running the fan on your HVAC system. This circulates the air, pulling airborne irritants out and capturing them as soon as you stir them up. Just make sure to turn the fan setting back to auto when you’re finished so you don’t use more energy than necessary.
If your HVAC system isn’t delivering the fresh air that you’re after, we can help. Contact us Griffith Energy Services at 888-474-3391 for the maintenance and air quality services you need to keep your house feeling fresh. We have smart solutions for any home situation.
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