You may have heard that certain houseplants contain certain organic chemicals that essentially “clean” the air in your home.

A little background from weather.com states:

“Plants are notoriously adept at absorbing gases through pores on the surface of their leaves. It’s this skill that facilitates photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy and carbon dioxide into chemical energy to fuel growth.

But scientists studying the air-purification capacities of indoor plants have found that plants can absorb many other gases in addition to carbon dioxide, including a long list of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Benzene (found in some plastics, fabrics, pesticides and cigarette smoke) and formaldehyde (found in some cosmetics, dish detergent, fabric softener and carpet cleaner)  are examples of common indoor VOCs that plants help eliminate.

These VOCs and other indoor air pollutants (such as ozone) have been linked to numerous acute conditions, including asthma and nausea, as well as chronic diseases such as cancer and respiratory illnesses.

An indoor plant’s ability to remove these harmful compounds from the air is an example of phytoremediation, which is the use of any plant — indoors or out — to mitigate pollution in air, soil or water.

Indoor plants remove pollutants from the air by absorbing these gases through their leaves and roots. The microorganisms that live in the soil of potted plants also play an instrumental role in neutralizing VOCs and other pollutants.”

This is backed by research from a 1989 NASA study.

Current Myth on Air Quality Debunked

However, the idea that certain plants can clean the air has seemingly been debunked. While green spaces may in fact improve your mood, there really aren’t any definitive studies that show that having indoor plants can significantly increase the air quality in the home to improve health in a measurable way.

However, there are other ways to get cleaner air in your home without filling it with plants. An air duct cleaning is one of the top ways to rid your home of random debris and dust floating through the air.

There are many benefits gained from cleaning your ductwork, too. A few of them include:

• Breathing clean, healthy indoor air
• Decrease allergy and asthma triggers
• Improve heating and cooling efficiency
• Increase airflow at the vents
• More even temperatures throughout your home
• Reduced utility bills
• Reduce excessive amounts of dust inside your home or office
• Eliminate musty odors when operating the furnace/air conditioning

Do you know when it’s time to maintenance your home’s ductwork?

The key signals that an air duct cleaning is an order are:

• The surfaces of your ducts or other components of your heating and cooling system have a substantial amount of visible dust on them.
• Uneven temperatures throughout your home.
• Dusting more often.
• The ducts are clogged with dust and debris.
• Dust or debris is being released into your home through your system’s air supply registers.

If you notice any of these signs, then you need to call Air Duct Maintenance in Pittsburgh, PA today. Our mission is to treat your family like ours and we do that by keeping your home clean and healthy.

Breathe Easier in Your Home Today – Contact Air Duct Maintenance!

Areas we service include but are not limited to: Allegheny, Washington, Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Westmoreland, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Somerset, Greene, Fayette, Cambria, Clarion, Blair, Jefferson, Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson (Ohio), Brooke, Marshall, Wetzel, Monongalia, Preston, Ohio, Hancock, and Trumbull.

We can also clean your clothes dryer vent, bath exhaust fan, and sweep your chimney in addition to your air duct cleaning.

Call today for your free estimate!