Best Practices for Indoor Air Quality While Renovating Your Home

12 Mar 2022

Remodelling can revamp the architectural appearance of an old home in an attractive way. A big part of the renovating home is focusing on how it will look like after the completion. But while your home is being renovated, harmful particles may build up all over the place.

The makeover of occupied buildings creates several possible opportunities of having exposure to harmful pollutants. You never know what lies underneath the floors, damp walls, ceilings, and others. It can potentially provide exposure to mold, asbestos, lead, bird waste, radon, formaldehyde and other respiratory irritants that may lead to respiratory problems.    

These injurious ultrafine particles add tiny fibers and irritant chemicals to the indoor air when you start remodelling. The health problems that are usually linked to these pollutants include lung cancer, asthma, skin rashes, irritation to eyes, fatigue, continued headache, difficulty breathing, and others.

Some of these health issues can become chronic if you don’t address the root causes of indoor air pollutants. Therefore, you need to take some precautionary steps to make sure the potential air pollutants don’t lurk inside your home.

Below are some useful ideas on how to keep the indoor air quality healthy and fresh during and after remodelling your home.

Ventilate the Space Properly:

Exhaust ventilation is an effective way of removing the concentration of dust particles and other pollutants. It also prevents the ultrafine particles from spreading all across the space during the renovation work. For a healthy indoor environment, it is necessary to keep using an exhaust ventilation even after applying finishes and installing new floors. Generally, a proper ventilation post renovation is recommended for no less than 72 hours.

Use a Fully-Loaded Air Purification System to Trap Ultrafine Particles:

The issue with airborne pollutants is that they are not visible to bare eyes. Smoke and other ultrafine particles remain in the indoor air for long, and can lead to some chronic diseases if inhaled for a long term.

An air purification system can efficiently capture all types of pollutants from homes while providing fresh and healthy air. Some common respiratory problems like allergies and asthma are often cause by the high concentration of allergens and pollens inside home. An air purification system includes a combination of high-end HEPA filter, pre-filter, and activated carbon filter to provide a clean and comfortable environment.

PetriMed CA APS 400 is a fully-loaded air purification system, which is unique in itself. It is mechanically efficient to trap and remove 99.999% of indoor air pollutants, which is technically higher than any other HEPA air purifiers for allergies available as of now. It is a smart way of addressing the root cause of indoor air pollutants.                         

Reduce the Exposure to Mold Spores and Bacteria

Potential health effects associated with the exposure to mold and bacteria are allergic reactions, asthma and other breathing problems. The most effective measure to reduce the growth of mold spores is to dry the damp areas within 24-48 hours.

An air purification system can also be effective in reducing the impact of bacterial species on indoor air quality. Engineered with an activated carbon filter and other filtration technologies, an advanced HEPA air purifier for home captures harmful pollutants.  

People who are immunosuppressed are at the risk of getting infected from mold spores. Ingesting contaminants that molds release can lead to chronic health problems in case of continued exposure to the high concentrations of microbes. 

Reduce the Use of Chemical-Based Products That Emit VOCs

Organic chemicals are largely used as key building materials during the remodelling process. Paints, varnishes, sealants and adhesives, which all contain organic solvents, can be harmful for the persons who are constantly exposed to.   

Minimizing the use of chemical-based building products can help you reduce the concentrations of indoor air pollutants caused by formaldehyde or other VOCs. Some other factors like pressed wood products, new pieces of furniture, new carpets, and others can off-gas over time—you should consider using "exterior-grade" pressed wood products that emit the low level of VOCs.

Once again, an air purification system can be much more effective in reducing the concentration of VOCs and uncomfortable odours. PetriMed CA APS 400 can be an ideal choice if you want to maintain the indoor air quality in your home while renovating it.