An Attached Garage is Convenient, But Also Filled With Potential Pollutants
When your home’s indoor air quality is poor, it will affect the everyday life of all who live in the home. Air impurities can cause headaches, fatigue, dizziness and nausea, as well as aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms. More serious health complications, such as respiratory problems, can occur from long-term exposure.
If your home features an attached garage, you could be breathing in dangerous fumes and toxins from the items stored in your garage. Fortunately, you can increase the indoor air quality of your home by simply cleaning out your attached garage.
When cleaning your garage, make sure to keep the garage door open at all times and the door to your home closed. This will prevent the dust and fumes from entering the home while cleaning. In addition, wear a dust mask and chemical-resistant rubber gloves to lower your chance of exposure during the cleaning process. If using a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the garage, make sure the sweeper has a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter, which traps the impurities inside the filter.
Many homeowners have an excessive amount of old paint cans stored in their garage. These types of products can continue to release dangerous fumes, lowering your indoor air quality. You can prevent this from happening by getting rid of the paint. Contact your local waste management professionals to find out their recommended disposal methods. If you plan to use the paint in the future, seal them with plastic wrap and pound the lid on the can with a hammer. The cling wrap forms a barrier underneath the lid and will help prevent the fumes from escaping.
Another way to improve the indoor air quality of your garage and your home is not to let your vehicle run while inside the garage. Instead of warming your vehicle up inside the garage, pull the vehicle out of the garage, and let it warm up in the driveway instead.
For more information on how to improve the indoor air quality of your home and help protect your family’s health, contact T.F. O’Brien Cooling & Heating.
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Clean Air Symbol via Shutterstock.