3 Ways to Increase Airflow in Your Home
Do you feel like the air in your home is thick and stuffy? Do you wish there were more circulation but don’t have the resources to remodel your living space? Improving circulation doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to drive up your electric bills. With just a few small changes and a couple of smart investments, you can breathe easier and feel more comfortable inside.
Find Times to Open Your Windows
Image via Flickr by fsse8info
If you haven’t opened your windows in years, it may take a little muscle and elbow grease to get them open, but the results will pay off. Even letting air in from one window can quickly start circulating your air and pushing the stale air out. If possible, look for opportunities to create cross-channels with multiple windows so air goes in one way and out the other.
It can be hard to open the windows during the hot summer months or during winter freezes, but you only have to open them for 10-15 minutes once or twice a day to notice a difference in your air. In the summer, try to do that at night when it’s cool or during a summer rain shower so your home doesn’t get too hot.
If you do open your windows for 10-15 minute intervals, make sure you turn off your heating and cooling system; otherwise, you’re just paying to heat or cool the outdoors.
Get Your HVAC System Cleaned
Do you find yourself huddling by the air vents trying to get cool or constantly checking to make sure air is pumping out? The problem could be your dirty HVAC system. When dirt and dust build up, your system has to work harder to push air through. As a side effect, your system starts pushing dusty air all throughout your vents and into different rooms.
If you haven’t had your HVAC system cleaned in the past year, now is the time to schedule a maintenance appointment. Your local AC repair team will check to make sure everything is operating smoothly for maximum airflow in your home.
Invest in Ceiling or Plug-in Fans
Investing in any fan will help improve your indoor air quality and circulate air around your space, but the type of fan you buy will depend on your living situation. If you’re renting your home and can’t install major changes, then consider looking for plug-in fans that move the air and can be placed in different locations.
If you can install a ceiling fan in your home, make sure you can switch the fan’s direction. Setting your fan counterclockwise in the summer can make you feel up to eight degrees cooler because it pushes cool air down. Setting it clockwise in the winter will circulate the air without cooling you because it pulls cool air upward, which pushes warm air down.
Improving circulation in your home doesn’t have to be an expensive project. In fact, you can see noticeable results just by changing your fan rotations and opening your windows a few times a day. Soon, you will feel more comfortable and be able to enjoy the fresh air that comes with good home circulation. You can reduce the amount you spend on your electricity bill and your environmental impact with these easy energy-saving tips. Confused by technical terms? Find out more at the heat pump glossary.