Your Guide to Comfort and Efficiency

While the air outside might be cold and frigid, the air inside your homes during winter could be worse. To keep the cold out and energy costs down, we’ve made homes increasingly airtight. But reducing the amount of warm air escaping to the outdoors and the amount of cold outside air getting in means you are breathing a greater amount of recirculated – not fresh – air.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor air can be two to five times worse than the air outside. Maintaining indoor air quality is challenging during winter. Since windows and doors are closed for months at a time, bacteria and viruses can get trapped within our homes and cause health issues like cold and flu.

According to the EPA, Americans on average spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Growing scientific evidence states that the concentrations of some indoor pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. These pollutants can come from increased use of synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.

The air inside homes, offices, and other buildings can sometimes be more polluted than the air outside. Children, people with asthma, and the elderly may be sensitive to these indoor pollutants. Here are some easy ways to improve the air quality inside your home:

Installing UV lights in your HVAC system is one key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially in winter. Indoor air quality can significantly affect your health. If the indoor air in your residence or home business is clean, you can expect to breathe more easily. This means you will be able to exercise better and be less prone to colds. If the air inside your home is contaminated or lacks enough oxygen, you can expect to breathe poorly, be overwhelmed by pet dander and dust. You'll also be more likely to get sick.