Best Tips for Improving Basement Air Quality
It can be stressful to think that you and your loved ones are inhaling air that is unsafe to breathe. Your home’s basement may be riddled with contaminants from many sources. Breathing in air pollutants like dust, dander, and allergens can lead to mild to severe allergic reactions that range from sneezing to dizziness. In some scenarios, damp and humid basements accumulate fungi that can cause asthma. Luckily, our specialists have collected a few tips and tricks that will help guide you about how to ensure and maintain good air quality in your basement.
1. Dehumidification
Alabama’s climate can be a hot and humid place come summertime. This humidity can have drastic effects on the air quality of your basement. Not only are contaminants more likely to stick to the water droplets in the air, but dampness and humidity cause mold and mildew growth. Mold is known to cause a wide variety of health problems, including sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, eye and skin irritation, allergic reactions, or worse. That is why it is important to keep an eye on humidity levels in your basement. Mold requires moisture to grow and survive and dies without it. Try to always keep humidity levels below 50% in your basement. A dehumidifier is a perfect way to ensure that the humidity levels are adequate and thus stop the growth and survival of mold or mildew.
2. Air Purification
It is especially important to ensure that the air you’re breathing is fresh, clean, and free of contaminants like allergens. This will help you breathe more easily and avoid allergic reactions. Air purifiers are a great way to make sure that the air circulating your basement is safe to breathe and good for your overall health.
Air purifiers circulate air through a series of filters and eliminate the presence of substances like dust, pollen, dander, etc. It should be mentioned that not all air purifiers are the same. To guarantee that 99% of contaminants are eliminated in your air, your air purifier must feature elements such as a HEPA filter, Carbon filter, and Ultraviolet light. These features along with the right size air purifier will be sure to improve the air quality of your home.
3. Proper Ventilation
Many basements in homes are not properly ventilated, and thus experience a greater build-up of contaminants in the air. To improve air quality in your basement, you should consider installing a mechanical ventilation system to bring fresh outside air indoors. Fresh air that is purified will replace musty air that was previously locked indoors. Some of these systems can be expensive, and if they are out of budget for you then an air purifier in conjunction with a dehumidifier will work just as well!
4. Removing VOCs
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) include things like paint, gasoline, oil, lacquers, stains, and many more. These items are often stored in the basement and can release toxicity in the air. It is good practice to remove any old or unused VOCs, or simply store all of them in a shed or garage. Even if you don’t spend a great deal of time in your basement, toxic air from VOCs can waft to other areas of your home and pose a threat.
5. Sealing Cracks & Gaps
It is quite common for radon to seep into your basement through cracks, crevices, and gaps in your home’s foundation. Radon is an odorless gas that is formed from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. This gas has been known to cause lung cancer because of its inhalation, which leads to over 2,000 deaths a year. Mold and mildew are also known to grow through these cracks, and we’ve already discussed the drastic effects these fungi can have on homeowners. Contact a specialist to repair your home’s foundation. This is your best bet for fending off health hazards. Find a specialist near you today!
Does Your Foundation Need Maintenance?
AquaGuard Foundation Solutions specialists have been helping homeowners maintain the structural integrity of their homes and adequate air quality in their basements for over 20 years! When it comes to expertise, experience, and lending a helping hand to those in need, no one does it better than AquaGuard. Contact us today for your free inspection! Make your basement air quality concerns a thing of the past and remind yourself of what it’s like to have peace of mind in your home again.
