How Your Carpet Affects Indoor Air Quality

Modern dehumidifier on the floor

The air you breathe plays a big role in your immune system and overall health. For Ontarians, our air quality can be impacted by a variety of factors, including the materials in our homes and businesses. 

At Air Treatment ClimateCare, we receive a lot of questions about the impact of air quality from carpet and other flooring materials. Here, we will shed some light on the importance of HEPA filters, the best carpet for indoor air quality, and how air purification can help you live a healthier life. 

The Role of Carpets in Indoor Air Quality 

Believe it or not, carpet and indoor air quality are inexplicably linked. The dust and debris we track in on shoes, our pets’ dander and fur, and even things like old skin and hair follicles, fall into our carpets and get trapped among the fibres. This is problematic for both homes and businesses, as the debris gets kicked up every time someone crosses the carpet and swirls about in the air we breathe. 

Tips to Clear the Air in Your Home and Keep Your Carpets Clean 

Switching from carpet to hardwood or another flooring material is a good way to avoid carpet-inspired air pollution. However, there are ways to keep your carpet and still live with minimal air debris. Here are some tips: 

  • Clean your carpet regularly: Vacuuming daily is important, especially if you have pets or a lot of indoor and outdoor activity which may trek dirt into your home. It is also useful to deep clean carpets via a shampooer once every 6-months or so. 
  • Check for mold and mildew: Carpets, especially those near doors and windows, take on a lot of additional moisture in the way of rain or wet/muddy feet. When water isn’t properly dried from the carpet, the material will collect bacteria, grow mold, and deposit mildew into your air supply. 
  • Check air quality: Some carpets look pristine but may still impact the air you breathe. To test the air quality in your home, you should have a professional air treatment service come in once a year to ensure your carpets are not impacting your air negatively. A specialist can also provide air purification services, and talk to you about HEPA filters. 
  • Keep your shoes off: If you wear outdoor shoes indoors, you are more likely to spread bacteria throughout your home and pollute your air supply. If you love wearing shoes inside, consider an indoor and outdoor pair, of slippers to stop the spread of debris in your home. 

If your carpets are older, you may want to consider the impact it has on your air quality. Updating your carpet can help improve air quality and minimize the amount of debris kicked up throughout your home each day. 

Are you looking to get your indoor air quality inspected by a professional? Look no furthercall the experts at Air Treatment ClimateCare to schedule your appointment today. 

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Young woman vaccuuming the carpet in house.

How HEPA Filters Help 

HEPA filters, or High-Efficiency Particulate Air, is a filter that works mechanically to trap pollutants, including animal fur, dust, and other household debris. These are often used in air purifiers to filter out negative particles floating throughout your home or business. 

HEPA filters can also help in environments where cigarette smoke is a concern. Your air treatment specialist can help you get the right filter for your purifier. 

Contact Air Treatment ClimateCare for More Information 

Working with families across Toronto, Air Treatment ClimateCare strives to provide our friends and neighbors with safe, healthy air in their homes and businesses. 

Are you concerned about how flooring is affecting indoor air quality in your home or workplace? Contact our team at Air Treatment ClimateCare today to schedule an inspection. 

SOURCES: 

https://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-home/indoor-air-quality/tips/is-your-carpet-the-culprit.aspx 

http://www.drcarpet.ca/blog/28-does-carpeting-affect-indoor-air-quality.html 

https://www.cleanlink.com/sm/article/Is-Carpeting-Detrimental-to-Indoor-Air-Quality–488 

https://hawkenvironmental.com/flooring-air-quality/ 

https://www.kent.co.in/blog/how-does-air-pollution-affect-our-immune-system/#:~:text=A%20strong%20immune%20system%20is,functioning%20of%20a%20healthy%20body.&text=Air%20pollution%20disrupts%20the%20functioning,adaptive%20immune%20responses%20and%20lymphocytes