Clean your air ducts.
Healthy HouseTM CleanAir Tip
Consider having your air ducts cleaned to improve indoor air quality. Air ducts can harbor all kinds of dust and debris. Ducts and HVAC systems are common breeding grounds for mold and bacteria.
You should ideally have your ducts cleaned every five years. If air ducts are not cleaned in a proper manner, new health problems can arise.
Air ducts should be visually inspected prior to cleaning with a camera scope. If there is an accumulation of visible mold is found, proper remediation techniques should be conducted prior to cleaning. This may include the use of air scrubbers, negative air pressure and the possible removal of portions of the air ducts.
Air ducts should be cleaned by a reputable company that uses a truck-mounted cleaning unit. This will help prevent your house from becoming cross-contaminated, since the air is pulled straight to the outdoors before being filtered and expelled.
Many air duct cleaning crews include vacuuming as part of the service to clean up before around vents and registers. Opt to use your own vacuum since their equipment may be contaminated with mold. It is best to vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Biocides are commonly used to kill mold and/or bacteria. Chemically-based biocides are toxic. Request that biocides are avoided in your house.
Many crews use rotating brush attachments to clean the inside of your duct work. Request the cleaning crew to do a thorough cleaning of the attachments using non-toxic cleaners prior to servicing your house.
If you have a whole house air conditioning system, it is also recommended to have your evaporator coil inspected an cleaned. Humidifier pads should also be inspected and replaced if needed. Replace your furnace filter right after your air ducts are cleaned.