The relative humidity of your home, usually just referred to as humidity, is a crucial factor in your home’s indoor air quality and comfort levels, which is why it is important to understand humidity and how it works. […]
Allergies are a complex condition; they can strike unexpectedly, or they can be something that plagues you from childhood. You can become sensitive to almost any substance in the environment, including, unfortunately, the pets in your home. Though getting rid of your dogs or cats is likely unthinkable, there are things you can do to address pet allergies. […]
Low humidity is a year-round fact of life in Phoenix, but indoor humidification is particularly relevant during winter. As low temperatures dip into the 40s, many residents turn on the furnace. Forced-air heating reduces indoor humidity and dries the environment below the norm, even for this climate. Humidity inside airtight, energy-efficient homes can fall into the single digits, spawning a variety of physical discomforts and even maintenance issues with the home’s structure. The goal of humidification is to continuously replenish that lost humidity to healthy, comfortable levels. Home humidifiers treat air on an individual, room-by-room basis or as whole-house units that humidify the entire air volume of the home. […]
In an area with a very dry climate, such as Phoenix, a constant fight with dust can seem inevitable. Unfortunately, many people suffer from allergies to dust mites and pet dander that can accumulate indoors if dust is not taken care of. Though this may seem like a losing battle in many Southwestern homes, there are a number of simple things that can be done to reduce household dust and alleviate allergy symptoms. […]
Most people are aware of familiar sources of indoor air pollution such as mold, dust and dander. But harmful air pollution comes from unfamiliar sources as well. Formaldehyde is one of these lesser-known pollutants. […]
Homeowners who blame our arid climate for poor indoor air quality may not realize that more than 90 percent of interior dust is comprised of miniscule fabric and skin particles. The slightest movement sends these tiny pollutants airborne. Because they waft about your home until they settle in secluded areas, your best defense is to allow your home’s forced-air cooling and heating system to catch them in the air. […]
Air pollution is often thought of as an outside issue. However, your indoor air could be as much as 10 times more polluted than the air just outside your front door. You likely know about asbestos, but there are a number of other industrial and construction byproducts that can be found in the indoor air of your Arizona home, as well as various naturally appearing airborne particulates. While energy-efficient air sealing can make it tough for these pollutants to be ventilated out of your house, an effective natural approach to improving your indoor air quality is using house plants. […]
Sometimes when humidity levels are high, the air can feel heavy and hard to breathe, especially if you have asthma. But did you know that very low humidity can be bad for your asthma, too? […]
