Do Plants Help Indoor Air Quality

It makes sense that having plants in your home should improve its air quality. After all, we know how important trees are for helping clean the air outside. There have been studies devoted to measuring how well plants clean the air in our homes, including a NASA study. But you need to remember that such testing is done in a controlled environment that is not realistic to your home environment. Yes, plants help improve indoor air quality, but they cannot do the entire job alone.

Plants Do Help a Little

Plants do help brighten up your home by bringing a little of the outdoors inside, but the American Lung Association has estimated it would take at least 680 plants or more to remove pollutants from the air in your home fully. You would also need to lean toward plants that have a significant surface area on their leaves because that is where the magic of filtering the air happens.

Some plants to consider are:

  • Snake plants
  • Spider plants
  • Aloe Vera
  • Dracaena (Corn Plant)
  • Rubber Plant
  • Elephant Ear Philodendron
  • English Ivy

HVAC Solutions to Efficiently Improve Indoor Air Quality

A more efficient way to improve the air quality in your home is to choose an HVAC solution that requires very little maintenance. One of the simplest things you can do is upgrade the type of air filters you use in your heating and cooling system. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter will do with removing contaminants from the air. Just be sure to discuss what MERV rating is best for your system with experienced technicians because you do not want to risk impeding airflow.

Adding an air cleaner is also a great way to improve air quality in your home. Air cleaners can reduce up to 99% of surface microorganisms, like bacteria and mold, and greatly reduce the number of allergens and airborne contaminants in your home.

Let Us Help You Make Your Home Healthier

In the Houston area, Custom Comfort Air is the team to trust. As a Lennox Premier Dealer, we have the expertise to help you make your home healthier with superior products and services. We can handle repairs and installations of air cleaners, furnaces, and air conditioning units. Contact us today to book an appointment.