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Winter in Orange County means more time indoors with windows closed and heating systems running constantly. While we're staying warm inside, the air we breathe can become stale and filled with pollutants that affect our health. Understanding how winter impacts your home's air quality can help you take steps to breathe easier all season long.
Don't let poor air quality affect your family's health this winter. Contact Lewis Air Services today at (949) 430-7403 or through our online contact form to schedule an indoor air quality assessment.
Why Indoor Air Quality Drops During Winter
When temperatures cool down, we naturally seal up our homes to keep warm air inside. This makes our heating systems work more efficiently, but it also traps indoor air pollutants. Without fresh air circulation, contaminants build up to levels that can irritate your respiratory system and trigger allergies. Your HVAC system recirculates the same air repeatedly, and if that air contains dust, pet dander, mold spores, or other particles, you're breathing them in over and over.
Winter air is also much drier than summer air, especially indoors. When your heater runs, it removes moisture from the air, creating an environment where airborne particles stay suspended longer. Dry air also dries out your nasal passages and throat, making you more vulnerable to respiratory infections and making existing conditions like asthma worse.
Common Winter Indoor Air Pollutants
Your home can harbor several types of air contaminants during the colder months. Being aware of these pollutants helps you understand what you're up against:
- Dust and dust mites: These microscopic particles accumulate in carpets, bedding, and upholstery, and heating systems can blow them throughout your home
- Pet dander: Flakes of skin from cats, dogs, and other pets become more concentrated when windows stay closed
- Mold and mildew: These grow in damp areas like bathrooms, basements, and around windows where condensation forms
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): These chemicals come from cleaning products, air fresheners, paints, and furniture, and they off-gas more in warm indoor environments
- Carbon monoxide: This odorless, colorless gas can leak from gas furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces if they're not properly maintained
Each of these pollutants can cause symptoms ranging from mild irritation to serious health problems. Headaches, fatigue, eye irritation, and respiratory issues are all signs that your indoor air quality needs attention.
Health Effects of Poor Indoor Air Quality
The air inside your home directly impacts how you feel every day. When air quality declines, your body responds in ways you might not immediately connect to the air you're breathing. Some people experience allergy-like symptoms even when they don't have seasonal allergies. Sneezing, coughing, congestion, and itchy eyes can all result from breathing polluted indoor air.
Poor air quality puts extra stress on your respiratory system. If someone in your household has asthma, COPD, or other breathing conditions, contaminated air can trigger attacks or make symptoms worse. Even healthy individuals may notice they're getting sick more often during winter, partly because poor air quality weakens the immune system's ability to fight off viruses and bacteria.
Children and elderly family members are particularly vulnerable to indoor air pollutants. Their immune systems are either still developing or naturally weaker, making them more susceptible to respiratory infections and allergic reactions. Protecting their health means making indoor air quality a priority.
How to Improve Your Home's Air Quality This Winter
Taking action to improve your indoor air doesn't require a complete home renovation. Several practical steps can make a significant difference in the air your family breathes.
Regular HVAC Maintenance and Filter Changes
Your heating system is your first line of defense against poor air quality. Changing your air filter every one to three months keeps your system from recirculating dirty air. A clogged filter forces your HVAC system to work harder and allows particles to bypass the filter entirely.
Consider upgrading to high-efficiency filters that capture smaller particles, including bacteria and viruses. HEPA filters or filters with a MERV rating between 8 and 13 can trap more contaminants than standard filters. Professional duct cleaning removes accumulated dust, debris, and allergens from your ductwork, preventing them from being blown into your living spaces.
Control Humidity Levels
Maintaining the right humidity level in your home helps with both comfort and air quality. Winter air is naturally dry, but indoor humidity that's too low can cause respiratory irritation and allow airborne particles to circulate more easily. Humidity that's too high encourages mold growth and dust mites.
The ideal indoor humidity level ranges between 30% and 50%. Installing a whole-home humidifier integrated with your HVAC system maintains consistent moisture levels throughout your house. Unlike portable humidifiers that only affect one room, a whole-home system ensures every space has properly humidified air. This helps your nasal passages stay moist and better able to filter out particles naturally.
Increase Ventilation
Even in winter, your home needs fresh air. Opening windows for just 10 to 15 minutes a few times a week can help dilute indoor air pollutants. If outdoor temperatures are too cold, try opening windows in rooms you're not using or during the warmest part of the day.
Exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens should run during and after showers and cooking. These fans remove moisture and pollutants at the source before they spread throughout your home. Make sure these fans vent to the outside, not into your attic or crawl space.
Use Air Purifiers and UV Lights
Air purification systems remove particles that your HVAC filter might miss. Portable air purifiers work well in individual rooms, especially bedrooms where you spend many hours sleeping. Whole-home air purification systems integrate with your HVAC and treat all the air circulating through your house.
UV light systems installed in your ductwork kill bacteria, viruses, and mold spores as air passes through. These systems are particularly effective at reducing biological contaminants that can make you sick. Combined with filtration, UV lights provide comprehensive indoor air quality protection.
Keep Your Home Clean
Regular cleaning reduces the amount of dust and allergens in your home. Vacuum carpets and rugs at least twice a week using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Dust surfaces with a damp cloth rather than a dry duster, which just moves particles around. Wash bedding in hot water weekly to kill dust mites.
Reduce clutter where dust can accumulate, and keep pets groomed to minimize dander. If anyone in your household has allergies, consider removing carpeting in favor of hard flooring, which is easier to keep free of allergens.
Professional Indoor Air Quality Solutions
While DIY approaches help, professional assessment and solutions often provide the most effective results. HVAC professionals have tools to measure your air quality and identify specific problems. They can test for particle counts, humidity levels, and even carbon monoxide to give you a complete picture of your indoor environment.
Professional-grade air purification systems, ventilation improvements, and properly sized humidification equipment can transform your home's air quality. These systems are designed to work with your existing HVAC setup and provide continuous protection without requiring constant attention.
Take Action for Healthier Indoor Air This Winter
You don't have to accept poor air quality as a winter inevitability. With the right combination of maintenance, equipment upgrades, and daily habits, you can create a healthier indoor environment for your family. The investment in better air quality pays dividends in fewer sick days, better sleep, and improved overall comfort.
Ready to breathe easier this winter? Lewis Air Services specializes in indoor air quality solutions for Orange County homes. Our team can assess your current air quality and recommend solutions tailored to your needs.
Call us at (949) 430-7403 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your consultation.