Who doesn’t love walking into a room that smells AMAZING? An inviting scent can help set the mood, mask unpleasant odors, and make your whole house feel cleaner. However, spraying an excessive amount of scented air fresheners can do more harm than good. 

Scented air fresheners are a form of indoor air pollution and release harmful chemicals into your home. Here are 3 ways to keep your home smelling fresh and clean without harmful toxins.

1. Simmer Pots

A simple and natural way to have your home smelling fabulous is to make a simmer pot! All you need is citrus, such as lemons and oranges, with several herbs, like rosemary and mint. The aromatic oils in the mixture will spread throughout your home as the pot simmers. Since fall is right around the corner, consider adding fresh apples and cinnamon sticks to your simmer pot. Your entire home will smell like freshly baked apple pie!

2. Fragrant Flowers

Not only do flowers fill your home with beauty and color, but they can also be a perfect alternative for aerosol air fresheners! With proper care, you can grow fragrant blooms in pots at any time of year. Fragrant houseplants include lavender, orchids, jasmine, and many more.

3. Essential Oil Spray

Homemade scent sprays are another way to make your home smell amazing without the harmful toxins that come with store-bought air fresheners. To make a homemade essential oil spray, fill a spray bottle with a cup of water, a pinch of baking soda, and 3-5 drops of essential oil of your choice. Light sprays are excellent for keeping fabrics and carpets smelling fresh. Consider using citrus oils, such as lemon and grapefruit, as they give off that squeaky-clean feel!

To learn more on how to improve your indoor air quality, take a look at our indoor air quality service & products! 

Did you know, according to the American Lung Association, most people spend 60-90% of their time indoors? This makes clean air important!

Since we spend so much time indoors, having clean air is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, your family, your home, and even your wallet! Why should you get your ducts cleaned? It’s simple — because they get dirty! Not only does dust and dirt accumulate in the ductwork, but other pollutants, such as pet hair/dander, smoke, cooking odors, and microbial growth, will cause the airflow to become contaminated! If you have someone in your home who is more sensitive to these contaminants and/or suffers from allergies or asthma, then getting your ducts cleaned should be a no-brainer!

How Does Duct Cleaning Work?

F.H. Furr uses NADCA’s certified cleaning process with two key components:

1. Break Contaminants Loose: 

Properly cleaning HVAC systems requires removing the sources of contamination. Source removal begins with the use of one or more agitation devices designed to loosen contaminants from the surface within the duct system.

2. Collect Contaminants:

The entire HVAC ductwork system is under continuous negative pressure (vacuum) to prevent the spread of contaminants. This allows very fine particles to be removed from the system as they become airborne, ensuring that these particles are not released into the living space when the system is turned on after the cleaning.

What Can I Do Between Cleanings? 

1. Change your filters every three months; if your filters seem to get dirtier quicker, you may want to change them more frequently. 
2. Dust and vacuum regularly.
3. When undergoing any type of construction that produces dust and debris, seal off the registers, and do not operate your HVAC system until after the dust and debris are cleaned up.

At F.H. Furr, your safety and comfort are important to us. Keeping your air ducts clean will protect your family from airborne allergens and harmful pollutants and will help keep your HVAC system working at peak efficiency, saving you money each month! Call on our expert duct cleaners today!

A dirty air filter can do more damage than you think! Here are 5 reasons why you should always have a clean filter in place:

You might not even realize your home is falling prey to excessive humidity! Take a look at these revealing signs of an overly humid home environment. 

Recognizing and controlling common indoor pollutants can help reduce your risk of health concerns. Here are 4 Indoor Air Quality Facts to help you better understand the indoor air you breathe. 

Are you thinking about scheduling a duct cleaning, but you’re not sure if your ducts are dirty again? This infographic breaks down the 5 factors that increase the need for a duct cleaning in your home! 

With so many viruses and germs in the air, our trainers are explaining the three types of UV light and their ability to kill germs!

UV A, B, and C are the three levels of UV light, and most people don’t realize the differences, or even the fact that there are multiple types of UV light. Here’s what each category means, and which packs the most punch when it comes to killing viruses and germs!

LEARN MORE ON WJLA NEWS!

Many find themselves with runny noses, itchy eyes, sore throats and incessant sneezing during the winter and they’re looking for a way to make things a little more tolerable! Here are a few suggestions! 

Most of us consider allergies to be a spring and fall problem, but for many who find themselves with runny noses, itchy eyes, sore throats and incessant sneezing during the winter…they’re looking for a way to make things a little more tolerable! 

Normal spring and fall allergies are a common response to outdoor allergens like ragweed and pollen, the difference between those seasonal allergies and winter allergies is that winter symptoms are triggered by substances INSIDE the home. Substances like mites, mold, pet dander or dust can make winter life miserable! While these issues are usually lurking year round, they affect you more during the winter due to the fact that you’re shut into the house with all of the windows closed and your furnace potentially circulating more than it does during more mild weather.

Fortunately, there are some simple ways to nip winter allergies in the bud! Follow these tips to breathe a litter easier this season!

1. Change Your Furnace Filter – Your heat is pumping at high, so if your filter is dirty, it’s allowing more pollutants into the air…not to mention it will raise your utility bills because it has to work double time to disperse properly heated air when the filter is clogged. Change your filter every three months or as recommended by your HVAC service technician.
2. Vacuum Regularly — While some people might be in the habit of doing this, a lot of us go days or weeks without realizing we haven’t vacuumed our carpets and floors. Fibers in the carpet cling onto pet dander, hair, and dust mites, so every time you walk into a room you’re sending pollutants into your air stream. Consider a vacuum that has a HEPA filter so that allergens are contained.
3. Get A Handle On Humidity — The humidity levels in your house can greatly improve or decrease your air quality. You can purchase dehumidifiers or humidifiers to try and reach the appropriate humidity levels in each room, but a whole home humidifier or dehumidifier is recommended. These systems allow the air to maintain the proper level of moisture for optimal home and homeowner health!
4. Change Bedding — Invest in dust-reducing covers and sheets for a better sleeping experience. Be sure to launder your bedding often, at least once a week to clear out any allergens that have settled into the fibers. 

For a true indoor air quality improvement, consider investing in duct cleaning or an EnviroAire IAQ UV Whole Home Purification System. These will help to truly keep your home clean and the air breathable all winter long! Have more questions about indoor air quality (IAQ)? Schedule an IAQ specialist from F.H. Furr to visit and help you determine the best air cleaning solution for you and your home!