There are some things that prudent people can do to raise the level of indoor air quality in their homes besides regular carpet cleaning, upholstery, drapery, and general cleaning and dusting.
One involves getting the breeding and multiplying of household pests under control. A comprehensive strategy includes:
- cleaning as mentioned above
- control of fleas carried in by pets (fleas are infested with mites)
- control of dust mite breeding grounds in mattresses and pillows
- filtration of forced air recirculated in your heater/air conditioning system
- purification of all indoor air by electronic purification technology
This type of strategy will not only bring infestation under control, but will also help with control of dust, pollen, pollution, or any other air contaminants to render your home a safe haven for your weary respiratory system.
In addition to carpet, furniture, and mattress cleaning, we can also sanitize as we clean. We can even spray on a residual disinfectant for ongoing protection from virus, bacteria, fungus, even fleas and other pests.
We recommend consulting your veteranarian for the most effective and safe approach for flea control for pets that go in and out. My vet recommends "Frontline" and "Advantage". I'm told these appilcations do not go into the animals' blood stream to threaten your pet's health. Your vet can also suggest strategies to minimize the threat of ongoing infestations by how you manage the pet's environment (beds, etc.)
We can also offer a flea-control application after carpet or furniture cleaning that's guaranteed to control fleas for up to one year.
We offer an economical alternative to regular decontamination of mattresses and pillows: Dust mite-proof covers for mattresses and pillows.
Unfortunately, settling for replacing forced-air heating and air conditioning system filters with the $.39 filter once per year is not a solution to indoor air quality control or to merciful treatment of your system. Although use of the micron filters that must be changed monthly, or now quarterly, can be an expensive approach, we now offer an inexpensive electro-static pre-filter that goes in front of the micron filter and extends its life. The electrostatic filter can be removed once per month and all of the scary stuff hosed out of it and be replaced over and over for years.
All of the above steps are so inexpensive compared to their benefits that they should definitely be done first to improve indoor air quality in your home and reduce the cost of over-the-counter and prescription medications to treat the symptoms they are constantly triggering.
The ultimate approach, what I do in addition to these basic housekeeping considerations, is the indoor air purifier. We offer a complete line of electronic air purification devices that you just plug in and turn on. We can purify the air in a small home with a musty basement and pet problems all the way up to welding shops full of smoke and beauty shops with nasty chemical odors using the same technology used by restoration experts to remove smoke smell and kill mold and mildew after a fire. Give us a call for information regarding any of these approaches to achieving clean, safe, indoor air.
Canton and Macomb 647-6316
Galesburg 344-6316
Peoria 671-8999
