Mother’s Day is upon us, so it’s time to remember all that our mothers have done for us over the years, from changing our dirty diapers as babies to scolding us when we were sullen teenagers.
Motherhood has many blessings but it also is very stressful, as mothers are responsible for raising children to be happy, healthy, and skilled enough to survive in the world.
And lest we forget, our mothers always have and always will give us advice, and as it turns out, much of her advice regarding homes is actually really useful for HVAC systems.
No Playing with Fire
Growing up, you might have liked playing with flames or burning things for fun. If that’s something you still occasionally enjoy, STOP!
Burning things in your home, right outside your house, or on your property is very dangerous. If your mom told you not to play with fire, she was right.
Smoke contains carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. A small flame can turn into a big fire in less than 30 seconds. All it takes is a freak accident to start a home fire with dangerous fumes and catastrophic potential. It only takes one moment to get distracted.
In addition, burning outside still puts your home at risk due to the wind and other factors. Even your indoor fireplace can contribute to fine particles in your home.
Installing a HEPA air filtration system can help with smoke pollution in your home. However, if you burn a lot of stuff inside or outside your home, it could mean that you’re making your HVAC system work harder than you should, and you may even be damaging it.
Gentle Gardening for your HVAC
When you were growing up, your mom might have had different hobbies to help keep her occupied or to reduce stress. Perhaps she liked flowers or had a green thumb? Did you have plants in your home growing up?
If so, then your mom was onto something, because indoor plants can be very beneficial in your home and help your HVAC system. Some plants have a cooling effect, which could help you save on air conditioning costs.
Or, get this: a NASA study found that houseplants could help reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. Combining houseplants with your HVAC system could help ensure you have better indoor air quality! When it comes to indoor air pollution, you can never be too proactive.
Don’t Forget to Vacuum!
Growing up, one of your chores might have been vacuuming, and if you didn’t do it you might have gotten a good scolding!
If so, we sympathize, but Mom had good intentions. Vacuuming regularly is important to get rid of some of the excess dust and dust mites in your house, two causes of lung issues.
If we let dust run rampant in our homes, then our HVAC systems will need to work harder as well, and you might need to change your air filter more often. Vacuuming is also important to get rid of pet hair if you have an indoor pet, as hair can also get into an HVAC system.
We hope you found some of the above tips helpful, and that we might have even made you feel a little nostalgic. Most childhoods aren’t perfect but they are usually filled with a lot of good memories, and lessons that later in life are valuable.
If you learned some of the above tips from your mom, consider yourself very fortunate! This mother’s day be sure to hug your mom or someone who’s like a mom in your life because they were right about a lot of things!
