Breathe Wasatch Clean Air By Doing This (10 Tips)

Though the gorgeous Wasatch Mountains give Utah residents many awesome opportunities to hike, ski, and enjoy the outdoors, the mountains also tend to trap air pollution in their valleys. If you live in Salt Lake City or on the Wasatch Front, you know that air quality in our area can be quite polluted! This pollution affects not only outdoor air quality, but also the air in our homes. Thankfully, breathing Wasatch clean air IS possible!

Here are our top ten tips to Utahns on how to ensure your home has Wasatch clean air…

A fireplace in a Utah home on the Wasatch Front. Photo by Jessica Johnston on Unsplash

1.) Don’t burn!

Smoke from burning wood is one of the top ways Wasatch clean air is polluted. In fact, smoke can contribute to up to 15% of pollutant matter during a temperature inversion in the winter. So, it’s important to limit how much smoke you create in your home to ensure your family is breathing safe, healthy air. Burning your fireplace, wood stove or oven, or even candles can cause a significant drop in indoor air quality if done on a regular basis.

2.) Vacuum your home

Vacuuming your home is one the most effective ways to increase the air quality you’re breathing. Carpets, rugs, mattresses, and furniture should all be vacuumed regularly to get rid of things like pollen, dander, and dust mites that could be triggering health issues such as allergies or asthma attacks.

3.) In-home air duct cleaning is a key to having Wasatch clean air

Air ducts are one of the main places that pollutants and irritants accumulate in homes in the Salt Lake City-Orem-Provo area. Particles of dust, dust mites, mold, fungus, pollen, dander, construction debris (and more) tend to get trapped in air vents over time. This means that, if your air ducts haven’t been cleaned recently, all of these pollutant particles are being distributed throughout your home whenever you run your heating or air conditioning system. Having your air ducts cleaned will ensure that you and your family are breathing Wasatch clean air. Contact Crystal Clean Vents today to schedule your free air duct inspection.

An purifier that will help Utah residents to breathe Wasatch clean air in their homes. Photo by Jessica Johnston on Unsplash

4.) Clean the air in your Utah home with an air purifier

Utah’s air pollution problems don’t just affect outdoor air quality. Polluted air seeps into buildings as well, meaning that outdoor pollution decreases air quality in our homes, too. Even if you don’t have your windows open often, these microscopic pollutant particles can still make their way into your home.

As an experienced Utah air duct cleaning company that focuses on improving air quality in Utah homes, we recommend having an air purifier for your house. Doing so, along with regular air duct cleanings, makes a huge difference in achieving Wasatch clean air! A recent study from Intermountain Medical Center found the air purifiers that use HEPA filters significantly decrease the amount of harmful particulate matter in Utah homes.

5.) Get a houseplant or two

Having houseplants in your home can increase the likelihood that you’ll be breathing Wasatch clean air, too. Plants are a cute addition to your home decor, and certain ones can also double as natural air purifiers, such as Pot Mums, Peace Lilies and English Ivy. So, go buy yourself a pretty and useful plant!

6.) Don’t store harsh chemicals in main living spaces

Where do you store your household cleaning supplies? How about those leftover cans of paint from your last home improvement project? If possible, try to store these harsh chemicals away from the main living spaces in your home. A garage or outdoor shed (both places where you don’t spend much time) are the best storage options for household supplies with toxic chemicals in them. Keeping them inside your home allows dangerous fumes to waft throughout your house, meaning you and your family will be breathing them in on a daily basis.

Bedding on a bed in a Utah home that needs to be washed to increase air quality in the house. Photo by Jenna Christina on Unsplash

7.) Stay on top of your laundry

In your everyday life, it is very likely that you’re still bringing germs and other pollutants into your Utah home from the outdoors. Bedding and blankets can be a magnet for these sources of indoor air pollution to latch onto, similar to how dust and other irritants tend to accumulate on carpet and furniture. Especially if you have an indoor pet that sheds, you’ll want to stay on top of washing all bedding and blankets in your home often. To really make sure you have the best shot at breathing Wasatch clean air in your home, wash your laundry in hot water to kill all pollutants. If possible, wash fabric items like drapes, curtains, and shower curtains, too!

8.) Wasatch clean air is made possible by dusting

This may seem obvious, but we have to say: dust, dust, dust your home! Dust build-up in Salt Lake City, Orem, and Provo homes is inevitable and is one of the most common irritants to Utah residents. Make regular dusting a part of your weekly routine, and spend extra time once a month really getting into every hidden nook and cranny in your house. You’ll be breathing Wasatch clean air in no time!

9.) Use your kitchen’s exhaust fan when cooking

Many houses located in the Wasatch Front have gas stoves. When a gas stove is on, it emits fumes into the air that can be toxic to breathe. To help mitigate any risk from these toxins, make sure to turn your kitchen’s exhaust fan on when cooking. A good exhaust fan will suck out the more polluted air in your kitchen and allow fresh air to come in.

10.) Air it out

Our final tip on how to ensure your home has Wasatch clean air is to air out any chemical-laden projects or items in your home in a well ventilated area. For example, whenever you paint a room in your home, make sure you ventilate the room well as the paint dries and for several days after your project. This will help get rid of any lingering, dangerous fumes from the paint.

Foam pillows, mattresses, and mattress toppers are very popular household items. However, they often need to be aired out in a well ventilated area before use as they can also carry intense chemical fumes. Other types of new furniture, even if not made out of foam, may also need to be aired out depending on what type of flame retardants they have been treated with. Whenever you buy a new foam product or furniture item for your Utah home, make sure you read its instructions carefully to see what is recommended.

The bottom line: improve the air quality in your Utah home

There you have it! These tips will improve the air quality in your home so that you and your family can breathe Wasatch clean air. If you have any questions or concerns about indoor air pollution, give us a call to schedule a free air duct inspection to assess the air quality in your home!