• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Start Here
  • Money Pit Podcast
  • Leave a Review
The Money Pit house logo

The Money Pit

Home Improvement Tips & Podcasts

  • Media Kit
  • Affiliates
  • Ask a Question
  • Spaces
    • Outdoor Living
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • Garages & Sheds
    • Basements & Crawlspaces
    • Home Exteriors
  • Reno/Repair
    • Air Conditioning
    • Windows
    • Floors
    • Roofs & Gutters
    • Insulation
    • Lighting & Wiring
  • Popular Topics
    • Storage & Organization
    • Painting & Decorating
    • Cleaning
    • Pests & Wildlife
    • Buying or Selling a Home
  • Features
    • Green Home
    • Pet Friendly
    • Kid Spaces
    • DIY
    • Quick Tips
  • Podcasts
    • The Money Pit Home Improvement Podcast
    • Money Pit Minute Podcast
    • Your Calls, Our Answers Podcast
    • Top Products Podcast
    • ProFiles Podcast
window repair

7 Ways to Step Up Air Quality

7 Ways to Step Up Air Quality

Air Quality
FacebookTweetPinLinkedInEmail
window repair
by Tom Kraeutler Leave a Comment

Home improvement endeavors involve all kinds of choices, from structure to technique to colors and textures. It might seem overwhelming to add one more consideration to the list, but the impact your project will have on air quality isn’t one to breeze over. Today’s well-sealed structures can end up accommodating all kinds of air pollutants, including those that make an entrance through building materials, finishes and furnishings, but there are easy ways to improve indoor air quality through green home remodeling.

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Paint and Wall Coverings
  • Flooring
  • Drywall
  • Countertops
  • Furnishings
  • HVAC add-ons
  • Natural accessories
  • Air quality testing kits

Bottom line; that “new” smell isn’t as great to be around as you might think, because it’s a signal that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are infiltrating the air you breathe. Depending on your sensitivity level, VOCs’ impact can range from irritation to illness, so keep the air clear from the start by selecting products and using techniques that are green and clean. In addition to ample ventilation while you work, here are some ways to minimize and altogether avoid the introduction of VOCs and improve indoor air quality during your next green remodeling project.

Paint and Wall Coverings

Paint fumes generated during and after application are among the more detectable VOCs, but several manufacturers now offer a palette of low- and no-VOC products for your consideration. If wallpaper is your finish of choice, steer away from vinyl-based papers that can contain phthalate-discharging PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which can increase respiratory problems.

Flooring

Avoid products that contain harmful amounts of formaldehyde or involve VOC-heavy adhesives. If carpeting is in your green home improvement remodeling plans, ask the dealer to unroll it and allow it to air for at least one day before it comes home. To cut down on dust during removal of the old carpet, vacuum it well before the installation crew arrives.

Drywall

If the paper in standard drywall products becomes damp, it can easily extend an invitation to another indoor air pollutant: mold. For any project where moisture is a threat, particularly in below-grade improvements, select a paperless drywall such as Georgia-Pacific’s DensArmor Plus.

Countertops

The earth-and air-friendly options in this category are expanding, from glass and ceramic tile to stainless steel to solid surfacing. Laminates incorporating formaldehyde-free substrates and nontoxic glues are available, and terrazzos making use of low-VOC binders can also be found.

Furnishings

Go for all-natural content in such traditionally synthetic items as mattresses and shower curtains, and when you bring home other new furnishings to complement improved spaces, give them a few days to air out before bringing them into the house.

HVAC add-ons

For improved air quality during and between green home improvement projects, augment your home’s HVAC system with a whole-house air cleaner and humidifier. The former traps and kills allergens and dangerous bacteria, while the latter maintains an environmental balance that protects your home’s structure and provides easy-breathing comfort for its inhabitants. Aprilaire offers a range of products that can help, and you can identify possible weaknesses in your current system with their interactive tool that shows indoor air quality challenges and solutions in action.

Natural accessories

For additional, natural air cleaning, add plants to your indoor décor. Boston ferns, dwarf date palms, phalaenopsis orchids and English ivy are among the bits of green that can collectively help to reduce levels of indoor contaminants and improve air quality.

Air quality testing kits

For further assurance on improving indoor air quality during your green remodeling projects, purchase one of the many inexpensive and easy-to-use testing kits or monitors which can measure for radon, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, water vapor and more.

Air Quality

Related Posts

Blue painted walls with ladder

Earth-Friendly Decor for Green Living

The Money Pit Tips & Tricks text logo with lightbulb

Improve Residential Indoor Air Quality

attic, ventilation, ridge vent vs, attic fan

Construction Dust Control: Asthma and Remodeling Ventilation

Green Home Improvement Tips and Advice

Man sneezing from allergies

10 Tips for Allergy Relief at Home

energy star

Hottest Eco-Friendly Remodels Trending Now

Related Podcasts

Indoor Air Quality

The Money Pit Podcast

How to Repair Cracks in Plaster Walls, Easy DIY Projects for Beginners, Improve Indoor Air Quality and more

Fast Start to a Healthy Green Lawn | State of the Pro Report | Deck Staining Tips | Ep #2203

The Money Pit Top Products Podcast

Certainteed SMARTBATT Insulation Offers Moisture Sensing Technology

Tulips in a field

Fastest Way to Get Bright Spring Blooms

Breathe Easy: Tips to Keep Air Clean in Your House #0417172

FacebookTweetPinLinkedInEmail

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sidebar

Trending Posts

Get Ready for the Game with The Money Pit’s $1,000 Tailgate Treasures Sweepstakes!

Attic flooring added to increase storage space

How to Floor Your Attic for Storage Without Wrecking Your Roof

Best Garage Floor: Tiles, Mat or Paint?

Garage Heater Dyna-Glo 30,000 BTU Natural Gas Blue Flame Vent Free Wall Heater, White

Best Heaters for a Garage: Forced Air, Infrared or Portable?

Stock your DIY liquor dispenser!

How To Make A Liquor Dispenser | Video

Ask Us Anything

Ask A Question

Favorite Posts

Attic flooring added to increase storage space

How to Floor Your Attic for Storage Without Wrecking Your Roof

How to Get Rid of Thousand-Leggers Without Getting Grossed Out

Get Ready for the Game with The Money Pit’s $1,000 Tailgate Treasures Sweepstakes!

Best Garage Floor: Tiles, Mat or Paint?

Popular Podcasts

Repair Crumbling Cinder Block

Electric Meter

Service Entry Cable and Electric Meter: Who is responsible for repair?

dirt to use around house foundation

Type of Dirt to Use Around House Foundation

What Smells Like Burning Rubber in My Home?

Newsletter

Get weekly updates with the latest tips and tricks to save money in your home.

As Us Anything

Ask A Question

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • About
  • Media Kit
  • Partners
  • Posts
  • Endorsement Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy & Solution
  • Radio Stations

Copyright © 2001–2023 · The Money Pit · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme

Ask A Question