The air quality inside your home should be better than the quality of the air outside. However, it's up to you to ensure this goal is accomplished. Learn some things you can do now to improve the air quality in your home.

Upgrade the Filter

Consider upgrading your filter to a HEPA-rated screen. HEPA filters are designed to extract smaller pollutant particles from the air than traditional filters can. If you have an allergy sufferer in your home, the upgrade is especially helpful. To get the most use from the filter, ensure you change it as recommended. 

Turn the Ventilation Fans On

You should have ventilation fans in your bathroom and kitchen. Make sure you turn these fans on. Whenever you cook, you should turn your kitchen fan on and whenever you shower or take a bath, turn the bathroom fan on. These fans help remove moisture from the air. The extra moisture in the air that arises when you cook or take a shower can settle in these rooms and promote mold and mildew growth, which will lower the quality of air in your home.

Don't Neglect Maintenance

Keep maintenance for your heating and cooling system a top priority. Take an issue like a refrigerant leak, for example. Even a small amount of refrigerant in the air in your home is not a good thing as it does serve as a pollutant. A refrigerant leak can also cause your air conditioner to work harder, which will increase your home's cooling costs. Regular maintenance can help you spot issues like this and address them before they cause more problems. 

Vacuum Regularly

Make cleaning a priority. Carpets can harbor all sorts of pollutants, including dust and pet dander. More importantly, the less often you vacuum, the more of these particles that collect in the fibers of the carpet. Regularly vacuuming your carpets is an excellent way to remove these pollutants before they disturb the air quality in your home.

Have the Ducts Cleaned

Have an HVAC professional inspect and clean your ducts. Whatever is in the air in your home will settle inside the ducts. Each time you turn the air conditioning or heat on, some of these particles will make their way through the vents and back into the air inside your home. Duct cleaning can remove these particles and help improve your air quality. Routine duct cleaning can also improve your heating and cooling systems efficiency. 

Speak with an HVAC specialist if you have concerns about the air quality in your home. An AC maintenance technician will be able to inspect your system and help you make any important updates.