Creating a comfortable, clean home is as easy as taking a few proactive steps. Find out how installing a dehumidifier, using natural air fresheners and improving the ventilation in your living spaces can keep your home in Greensboro, North Carolina, smelling great.
Install a Dehumidifier
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ideal relative indoor humidity level should be between 30 and 50 percent. Too much humidity in your home’s air can encourage microbial growth. This can give your home a musty smell and degrade your home’s indoor air quality.
A dehumidifier can prove useful for removing extra moisture in problem areas of the home where mustiness and odors are present, such as the basement. Since dehumidifiers emit heat when they’re operating, they’re not recommended as a solution to whole-home humidity problems.
Use Natural Air Fresheners
Household odors can be divided into two groups: acid odors, such as cigarette smoke, and alkaline odors, such as fish. For persistent household odors, use natural air fresheners instead of commercial air fresheners. The latter usually contain toxic chemicals.
Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes both acidic and alkaline odors. Lemon slices simmered in a pan of water on the stove are effective at neutralizing alkaline odors.
Improve Ventilation
The most common signs of poor ventilation include:
- Condensation accumulations on walls or windows
- Stuffy air
- Dirt buildup on air conditioning and heating vents
- Microbial growth in areas such as bathrooms and the basement
One of the easiest ways to improve ventilation is to open facing and adjacent windows in your home at the same time.
To keep your home smelling fresh, we also recommend regular maintenance checks on your home’s HVAC system. When your HVAC system runs at peak performance, it’ll boost ventilation. To schedule a maintenance visit, contact Charlie’s Heating & Cooling at (336) 629-5453.
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