The new year is a time for fresh starts, and making positive changes to refresh your home won’t just make you feel like you’re winning at life – it could also be good for your health.
Poor air quality and air circulation in our homes can have negative impacts, especially for people with allergies, asthma and other respiratory issues.
We spend so much time at home – living, working, sleeping – that it’s worth ensuring that our personal spaces aren’t making us sick.
There are many things that can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms, and Asthma Australia says these factors can even increase the risk of developing asthma.
Common triggers include:
indoor air pollution from gas or wood heating
indoor air pollution from cooking
mould and damp
pests such as mice, cockroaches and dust mites
A quarter of people surveyed by Asthma Australia said they’re not happy or are unsure about the air quality inside their homes, and only six in 10 people are confident making changes to improve air quality.
Not sure where to start? Here are our tips for creating a healthier home.
Whenever you cook, pollutants such as smoke are released into the air.
But gas cooking is particularly concerning because it produces harmful gases and particulates.
A good ducted rangehood is a good way to improve air quality when cooking.
“Gas cooktops contribute 12% of the childhood asthma burden, which is equivalent to tobacco smoke in the home,” says Asthma Australia CEO Michele Goldman.
And CHOICE experts say that induction cooktops on the whole are more efficient and easier to clean. But they’re not cheap: the models in our induction cooktops review range from $799 to more than $5000, plus you’ll have to pay for installation.
And if you’re renting, your landlord probably won’t be keen to splash all that cash on an induction cooktop.
If switching to induction isn’t an option, here are some other tips.
Buy a portable induction cooktop. They’re cheaper than a full induction cooktop – our experts have tested portable induction cooktops that perform well and cost from as little as $59. Keep in mind you’ll need to ensure your cookware is compatible, so you might need to buy new pots and pans.
Always use a rangehood when cooking. A good rangehood will divert the smoke from your kitchen, either venting it outside or filtering it. CHOICE experts recommend choosing a ducted rangehood, but if you can’t, make sure you change the filters regularly.
Reduce pests. Keep surfaces clean and don’t leave food out. Ants, spiders, mice and cockroaches can cause allergic reactions and trigger asthma flare-ups.
The way you cool and heat your home can have a dramatic impact on air quality.A reverse-cycle air conditioner is not only one of the most efficient ways to heat or cool your home, but it can also improve air quality.
CHOICE home cooling expert Chris Barnes says: “Air conditioner dust filters aren’t designed to remove smoke or germs from the air, but some models have air purification filters, which can help improve your indoor air quality”.
“Most of the air conditioners we’ve recommended have some form of air purification filter. And even collecting just some of the dust in the air can be helpful.”
The best way to filter out very fine particles such as smoke, mould spores, pollen and viruses is with a HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air filter), which are in many vacuum cleaners and most air purifier units, but not in air conditioners.
Whether you’re trying to stay warm or cool, here are some tips to improve your home’s air quality.
Shut doors and windows strategically. Close up your house on days with high pollen levels or smoke levels (from bushfires or controlled burning).
Maintain your air conditioner filters. Clean and replace them regularly to keep your air con running efficiently and maximising its air purifying capabilities. It’ll also keep your running costs down.
Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter. Although they can’t help with the temperature (unless you opt for an air purifier/fan/heater combo), they can help clear the air of dust, smoke, pollutants and allergens, as well as bacteria and viruses.
Use ceiling fans, pedestal fans or tower fans. Fans are a cost-effective way to keep you cool, and they can also help circulate fresh air. We’ve reviewed both ceiling fans and tower fans to help you buy the best.
Avoid gas or wood heaters. Not only are they less efficient than air conditioners, smoke from wood heaters and pollutants released from gas heaters can carry serious health risks.
Allergens such as dust mites, pet hair, pollen and mould may have accumulated over winter and spring, so now’s a good time for a thorough spring (or rather summer) clean.
Here are some cleaning tips for a healthier home:
Choose a vacuum with a HEPA filter. These filters are excellent at catching invisible irritants. The vacuum captures larger dust particles then blows the air back out into the room through the HEPA filter, which stops any fine particles escaping back into the air.
Clean and maintain your vacuum. This will help it work as efficiently as possible. Changing filters is especially important for households with allergies and respiratory issues.
Choose a bagged vacuum. They contain the dust so you won’t come into contact with it when you empty your vacuum. If you want a bagless vac, check our expert vacuum reviews for ones that are rated as easy to empty – they’ll reduce the amount of dust released. Some stick and robot vacs have a charging dock that empties the vacuum into a bag or bin for you, so you won’t need to empty it as often.
Stay on top of cleaning. Regularly clean bedding, curtains and throws that can attract dust and allergens such as pet hair. Reducing clutter will make dusting hard surfaces easier.
Get your carpets professionally cleaned. Doing this every 18 months is also helpful for keeping allergens at bay, but make sure they’re thoroughly dried afterwards to prevent mould growth.
Steam clean carpets and upholstery. This can also be helpful to keep dust mite numbers down, which are one of the biggest indoor irritants for asthmatics.
Choose a split-system air conditioner. They condense water from the indoor air and drain it outdoors, which will dry out the air in your home. Many have a ‘dry’ mode as well, which focuses more on dehumidification than cooling.
Avoid drying clothes indoors. It’ll add to the humidity in your home. If you just can’t avoid it, you can use a dehumidifier on ‘laundry’ mode or a condenser dryer.
Buy a condenser clothes dryer. Vented dryers pump humid air back out into the room, but condenser dryers contain the moisture and collect it in a reservoir. They’re more expensive to buy but can help minimise moisture.
Avoid unflued gas heaters. They release water vapour into the room, potentially adding to any dampness or mould problems.
Pru Engel is the Audience and Engagement editor at CHOICE. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at CHOICE.
She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaigns team on content covering issues such as grocery pricing, product safety and scams.
Prior to CHOICE, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Find Pru on LinkedIn.
Pru Engel is the Audience and Engagement editor at CHOICE. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at CHOICE.
She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaigns team on content covering issues such as grocery pricing, product safety and scams.
Prior to CHOICE, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.
Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
Find Pru on LinkedIn.
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