How to Improve Your Home's Indoor Air Quality For Better Health

Ian Susko
Jan 30
4 min read

Poor indoor air quality from daily contaminants can quickly take a toll on your health. Eliminate them by maintaining your home and HVAC system. You can also use an air purifier to remove finer particles.

The 2025 State of the Air Report says that over 46% of Americans, or 156.1 million people, live with unhealthy air. That's 25 million more than last year and more than any report in the last decade.

This makes it clear that focusing on air quality is important, but indoor air quality is perhaps the most essential aspect. According to the American Lung Association, Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Maintaining it means keeping the area where you spend most of your time clean and fresh.

What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

Poor indoor air quality can be caused by a range of indoor pollutants, including:

Cleaning products
Viruses
Allergens
Mold
Dust
Pet dander

Certain home activities can also create them. Anything involving heat could leave contaminants behind, such as smoking or burning fossil fuels. Even traditional cooking on a modern stove can leave more behind than you'd expect.

An inadequate ventilation system in your home also decreases air quality. Contaminants can't get filtered out and remain in the air instead.

What Are the Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality?

Poor air quality can lead to clear physical symptoms. The most common changes resemble typical cold and flu symptoms, such as:

Headaches
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Eye/nose/throat irritation

These symptoms can be deadly, especially for those who already have compromised respiratory symptoms.

According to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, over 30 million Americans have an asthma diagnosis. Poor air quality can aggravate the symptoms. It can also make allergies as irritating indoors as they are outdoors, if not more so.

One of the clearest indications of unhealthy indoor air is if your symptoms improve when you go outside. This is a clear sign that the problem is within your home.

How Do I Improve Indoor Air Quality?

There are several ways to easily reduce pollen and other causes of poor air quality symptoms. The best way is to fight them at the source, whether in your home or your HVAC systems. Air purifiers can also help create a healthy home environment.

Source Control

One of the most effective methods of improving indoor air quality is known as source control. In the simplest terms, this refers to eliminating the sources of contaminants to keep them from spreading into the air.

One of the simplest ways to do this is to keep up with a regular cleaning routine. Vacuum and clean sheets to remove dust and dirt. Clean up spills to prevent moisture buildup.

Control the humidity in every room of your home. Aim to keep it between 30-50% to prevent mold. Dehumidifiers can help. Put them in rooms that tend to hold moisture, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms.

Eliminating contaminants doesn't have to be all about getting down on your hands and knees, though. There are also plants that help reduce indoor pollutants, such as:

Peace lilies
Snake plants
Spider plants

Improving Ventilation

Ventilating your home helps push contaminants out and let in clean air.

Open windows and doors. Use fans or ceiling AC units.

This is especially important when doing activities that generate a lot of contaminants, such as:

Painting
Weather stripping
Cooking
Welding
Soldering
Sanding
Burning

If you can complete these tasks outside, it's the better option. If you can't, make sure your space is well-ventilated.

Keep Up With HVAC Maintenance

Your HVAC system also has a major impact on the quality of your indoor air because it's constantly cycling air throughout your home. That's why it's so important to maintain it.

Change your HVAC filters regularly. Don't forget to schedule a professional duct cleaning to remove contaminants in the ducts that you can't see.

Air Purifier

Try an air purifier for home air filtration. Make sure to get one with a HEPA or High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter.

Place it in a high-traffic room where you spend a lot of time. Keep it in an open space away from the furniture so it doesn't get blocked.

Don't forget to maintain it as well. Change its filter and keep it clean so it can continue doing its job.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Check the Air Quality In My House?

The first and easiest way to check the air quality in your house is with your five senses. Look for mold or dust buildup near vents. Smell for any unusual odors.

You should also pay attention to how you and your family are feeling. Pay attention to any symptoms of poor air quality.

There are physical ways to know about your home's air quality. You can buy DIY kits to test for:

Mold
Dust
VOCs or volatile organic compounds

Professional testing provides a more comprehensive report. They'll give you a full idea of your home's air quality.

Don't forget to check the outdoor air quality. If it dips, your indoor air quality is likely to suffer as well.

What Should Your Indoor Air Quality Be?

The IAQI, or Indoor Air Quality Index, is a helpful measure for indoor air quality. It incorporates factors such as:

Temperature
Humidity
Total VOCs
Particulate matter

All of this data is then used to create a score out of 100.

Excellent is anywhere from 93-100. Good is anywhere from 80-92. Fair is 60-79.

Anything below that is worth concern. Poor is 40-59. Inadequate is 20-39.

Get HVAC Service for Healthy Home Air Today

Indoor air quality is more important than ever as humans have retreated indoors. Maintaining it can save your family from experiencing dangerous symptoms. This means eliminating contaminants through cleaning, HVAC maintenance, and tools such as air purifiers.

Home Comfort Solutions has been serving HVAC and plumbing systems since 2005. We take the time to build a relationship with customers and understand their needs. That allows us to provide personalized service and give you the best possible results.