Undoubtedly, a healthy home begins with clean air to breathe. When you are diligent about your HVAC maintenance, things like controlling airflow, vents, and humidity in the house are a breeze. However, have you ever considered how to improve the air quality in your garage?
Do you like to tinker away at projects in the garage?
Are your washer and dryer in the garage?
Is your office located in the garage?
Perhaps your home gym is conveniently located in the garage.
Maybe the kids like to play in the garage.
If any of these rings true, you may want to learn how to improve your garage’s air quality with Veterans AC and Heat.
Why Learn How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Garage?
Three main things contribute to poor air quality in garages. Humidity levels, poor ventilation, and pollutants clog the air and, thus, your lungs. Those issues can all be fixed. But did you know that if you are continuously breathing bad air, it can make you sick?
Humidity- Low humidity causes chapped lips and skin and eye irritation. On the other hand, excessive humidity levels can trigger respiratory problems, allergies, and irritated skin and eyes.
Carbon Monoxide- Yes, Carbon Monoxide can build up in your garage. And the air pressure in your home can pull these contaminants through cracks, doorways, and walls.
Dust and Dirt Accumulation- Dust is stirred up whenever the doors are opened and closed or you move anything in the garage. Dust can get trapped in the nose and, thus, the lungs.
Pest Droppings- Unfortunately, pests can enter a garage relatively quickly. When a person comes in contact with urine and feces from rodents, they can become very ill. Worse, you may not even be aware you have come in contact with disease-causing viruses associated with pest infestations.
Finally, if your garage is attached to the home, each time you go through the door, you are letting those pollutants into the house! Need we say more?
7 Ways to Improve Air Quality in Your Garage
Now that you are convinced you need good air to breathe even in the garage let the Veterans suggest a few helpful ways to do that.
1 | Make it a Non-smoking Zone
Never allow smoking in your garage. Again, the air pressure in your home can pull the smoke contaminates right into the house.
2 | Open the Garage Door
Opening the door for an extra 10 – 20 minutes or while working in the garage brings in the fresh air and allows bad air to escape.
3 | Storing Chemicals
Bottles and cans of various chemicals are often stored in our garages. These containers contain and leak dangerous fumes. For example:
- Spray paint
- Fertilizer
- Pesticides
- Gasoline
- Vehicles
- Oils
- Gas-powered tools
Be sure your garage has an appropriate place to store those chemicals, like inside cabinets. And be sure they are out of reach of children, too.
4 | Never Idle Your Car in the Garage
Finishing a text? Waiting on the slowest member of the family? Need to run into the house really quickly? Please do not forget to shut the car off first.
5 | Clean Garbage Cans Periodically
Dirty garbage cans can not only be smelly but also attract insects and harbor microbial growth and more. Clean them out periodically with a disinfecting solution and a powerful hose.
6 | Declutter the Garage
If you cannot pull your car into the garage or need additional space in the garage, it is time for the dreaded garage cleanout. That said, it is a big undertaking—but it is worth the effort.
Here are a few tips to get you started on cleaning out that cluttered garage.
- Plan a whole day to complete the job and ensure you have the proper supplies.
- Consider arranging for a junk removal service to take away all you remove.
- Designate areas for donations, garbage to sell, items to put away inside the home, and one for those items that will stay in the garage.
- Be honest with yourself. If you have had that project sitting for years, maybe it is time to move on.
- Clean the empty garage well.
- Install slat walls, overhead storage, sturdy cabinets, and low VOC flooring.
- Then put everything away!
7 | Have AC Ducts Sealed
Get your HVAC ductwork inspected and sealed as one way to keep poor air quality from seeping into the home.
An Extension of Your Indoor Living Space
Would you love to be able to think of your garage as another part of your indoor living space? Once you have completed the decluttering process, cleaned the garage, and aired it out… why not consider innovative garage systems like our friends at The Smarter Garage provide? Their helpful team will guide you to a cleaner and healthier garage you’ll be proud to show off.
Improve Air Quality in Your Garage and Home
Lastly, it is not only the garage that needs maintenance. Your HVAC system will work better and longer when it is properly maintained. Best practices for HVAC maintenance include things you can do and steps taken by a preventative maintenance technician.
What You Can Do:
- Clear dust and debris from indoor and outdoor components.
- Change the filters monthly.
- Clean any algae or microbial growth from the coils in the outdoor unit.
- Keep air vents open for optimal circulation throughout the home.
How We Can Help:
The experts at Veterans AC & Heat are more than happy to help you on the way to cleaner air inside and out. Begin with an all-point inspection of the system. Then schedule routine preventative maintenance with any one of your convenient plans.
Preventative maintenance keeps your cooling and heating system running smoothly and more.
- Maximizes efficiency
- Improve system performance
- Prolong the A/C system’s lifespan
- Maintain the current manufacturer’s warranty
- Prevent breakdowns and costly repairs
Call our office or contact us through this link to get on the schedule.
Start with Preventative Air Conditioning Maintenance for Better Air Quality in Your Garage
The Veterans have the right deal for your home. We offer Silver, Gold, and Platinum Maintenance packages to keep your cooling and heating system working efficiently all year round. A quality preventative maintenance plan achieves the following:
- Preventative care maximizes efficiency
- Improves system performance
- Prolongs your A/C system’s life
- Maintains the current manufacturer’s warranty in its place
- Helping to prevent any surprise breakdowns and costly repairs
Whether your system needs care occasionally or more frequently, the technicians here at Veterans HVAC are here for you and your ultimate comfort.
Contact Veterans AC and Heat today to improve the air you breathe inside and outside in the garage.
