If you’ve noticed more dust, funny odors or particles in your home lately, you may have an indoor air quality problem. A typical home has two to five times more indoor air pollution than the outdoor air. You may have heard that bringing some houseplants into your living space could improve your home’s air quality. Before you do that, here’s what you need to know about how indoor plants affect the quality of your Huntsville, TX, home’s air.
Indoor Plants Release Oxygen
Plants respire differently than animals. They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This could give a slight boost to the amount of oxygen in your home’s air. However, it would take about one plant for every five-square feet of living space to make a big impact on your home’s oxygen level.
Removal of Air Pollutants
Houseplants don’t remove pollution from your home’s air. Their cells can’t absorb particles, such as dust or dander. However, under strictly controlled laboratory conditions, a few studies have found that English ivy, bamboo palm and spider plants may remove tiny amounts of benzene and formaldehyde from the air. Benzene and formaldehyde are volatile organic compounds and known carcinogens that off-gas from plastics, sealants, varnishes, particleboard and some paints and adhesives.
Look Out for Mold
If you overwater house plants, you could make the air quality in your home worse. Mold can grow on soggy plant soil. If you choose to bring plants into your home, wipe their leaves to remove spores, and be careful with proper watering.
At Beckham and Jones Heating & Air Conditioning, we’re proud to be the trusted source of efficient indoor air quality solutions in Huntsville. You can also count on us for affordable heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair, replacement and installation services. If you’re a local business owner, take advantage of our reliable commercial heating and cooling services. For additional details about the ways houseplants affect your home’s indoor air quality, get in touch with us at Beckham and Jones Heating & Air Conditioning any time.
