Even if you don’t spend much time in your basement or attic, these parts of the home still need good air quality. If they don’t, the pollutants in the air can spread to other rooms in the house. This guide walks you through four must-know tips for achieving better air quality in basements and attics.
Seal Air Leaks Between Living Spaces and the Attic
Any time your attic door or ceiling light fixtures have gaps around them, they essentially act like open invitations for itchy insulation dust and musty air to infiltrate your living spaces. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to take care of these problems; just seal the gaps with caulking or weatherstripping. This keeps all of the dirty attic air and insulation dust in the attic where they belong. If you have a window in the attic, you can open it once every few weeks or after heavy rains to let some of the dirty air and moisture escape to the outside. The result is a much fresher attic space where you don’t mind storing seasonal decorations and other belongings.
Replace Contaminated Attic Insulation
The insulation in your attic needs to remain dry at all times. When it gets saturated with moisture, this greatly increases the risk of mold growth. Having a professional tear out the damaged or wet insulation is a smart move for creating a healthier indoor environment. They’ll replace it with clean, dry insulation, which is a massive win for your home’s air quality and heating and cooling efficiency.
Control Moisture to Prevent Mold Growth
Moisture and air quality problems aren’t just limited to attic spaces; they can also infiltrate basements. You may need commercial-grade dehumidifiers set up to extract excess moisture from the air. This is a common approach for improving indoor air quality in basements that have suffered a flooding event from a burst pipe or heavy rainfall. In some situations, professionals may also recommend sealing cracks in basement walls and floors to help prevent moisture from entering the space in the first place.
Schedule Professional Crawl Space Cleaning
When was the last time you had your crawlspace cleaned? If it’s been more than a few years, there’s a good chance this area is full of ambient moisture, pest droppings and microscopic wood-decay fungi, all of which harm the home’s indoor air quality. With professional crawlspace cleaning, you get an easy way to tackle these contaminants with specialized HEPA vacuums and sanitizing treatments. The result is a cleaner, drier foundation that helps keep your family’s lungs happy and healthy.
When your home struggles with poor indoor air quality, your basement and attic spaces may be the culprit. By sealing up air leaks, investing in crawlspace cleaning and replacing moisture-damaged insulation, you’ll enjoy cleaner air throughout the entire home. If you have concerns or require attic inspection services, contact Complete Detail Cleaning & Restoration in Troy, OH.
