We spend most of our lives at home, so don’t we deserve to have the cleanest and purest air where we live? We already inhale so many pollutants and contaminants while doing our daily errands outside, so we must take every measure to make the air quality in our homes the best that it can be.
If you’re concerned about using chemicals, then how about going natural? Here are earth-friendly solutions to make your home more breathable:
Eco-friendly building
The benefits of green walls go far beyond just beautifying your living space. If you live in Malaysia, having your very own green wall not only provides pollutant-free air but also helps in cooling and dehumidifying your place by absorbing less heat from the sun and evaporating the water in the air.
These natural and modular trellises also act as a sound reduction device, both through the construction materials used as well as the species of the plants affixed to them.
The power of plants
Outside your home, how your yards are landscaped can significantly contribute to this cause. A well-maintained lawn can trap about 12 million tons of pollutants annually. Even just maintaining a 50 square foot-lawn can produce clean air for a family of four.
Inside your home, you can introduce house plants that suck toxic elements in the air like formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon monoxide. Plus, they serve as great accent pieces. Some excellent options include spider plants, philodendrons, broad lady palms, and aloe vera.
Ventilation solution
With frequent use, air-conditioning units and electric heaters can be harmful; these mechanisms are forcing homes to be sealed more often, trapping air pollutants.
Expert green architects would say there’s a way to incorporate natural ventilation into your home through whole-house mechanical ventilation. One example of this is trickle ventilators. These are background ventilations built on top of windows and access points to let cool and clean air in. Another is cross ventilation, which achieves the same except warm air is forced out of a roof vent.
Art of aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a natural healing treatment with natural plant extracts to purify the air and induce a calming, breathable effect. It utilizes aromatic diffusers that spray the extract as a mist into the air. Sometimes, these diffusers double as a purifier and a humidifier as well, so the extract achieves its full effect.
Which extracts work best? Aromatherapy experts say that it depends on what you’re treating. If you want to clean the air, popular choices include oils of eucalyptus, chamomile, tea tree, and lemon or lime.
Break your bad habits
Regardless of what plants you bring in or what mechanisms you install, nothing beats the solution of discarding your bad habits. If you or anyone in the house smokes, stop immediately by seeking medical and psychological help.
Instead of using a fireplace, opt for solar or geothermal heating that uses geothermal pumps. Stop using solid fuels like coal or wood, as well as stoves that use propane and natural gas. Opt to choose Energy Star cookware and appliances.
Lastly, always clean your home. Unkempt garbage disposals and leaks can release methane or breed bacteria that sully the air.
While changes to your house’s architecture are hard to apply, changes to your routine aren’t. Commit to these small steps, and you’ll be breathing easier in no time.
