How to breathe better at home when autumn arrives.

Autumn is a very beautiful time for many, evoking melancholy and beauty. The leaves of the trees begin to fall, the temperatures are mild, and we return to routine. However, it can also be a time of respiratory complications, as unexpected temperature changes along with pollution can promote the onset of infections, inflammation in the respiratory tract, and allergic reactions during autumn. And not only outside, but it is essential to breathe better indoors in autumn.

We spend most of our time indoors, at work or in closed spaces, so taking care of the air we breathe indoors is of utmost importance, even more than outdoors. And the quality of our breathing will have a lot to do with the cleanliness of our home environment.

Usually, there is much talk about the necessity of intensive cleaning in spring, but it is not the only time of year. Autumn is a great season to do a thorough cleaning from top to bottom in the house. It is an excellent way to face the new school year and prepare for the arrival of low temperatures.

Cleaning the air we have in our home is the first major step to breathe better at home in autumn. What can we implement?

• It is very necessary to clean the ventilation grills we have at home.
• Bathroom extractors and also kitchen hoods require us to remove the dust that accumulates.
• Cleaning mechanical ventilation systems is essential.
• Vents and especially air conditioning units need to be cleaned thoroughly.
/ul>rnThere are homes where the dust stored in air conditioning units is not removed, and that can lead to serious health problems. While not cleaning the filters of mechanical ventilation systems requires more power, in the case of air conditioning, poor cleaning means that you do not breathe properly.

All elements that the air passes through, such as those in air conditioning or mechanical ventilation, accumulate dust, dirt, allergens, and in more extreme cases, fungi. All of this can create health problems or develop allergies. And in autumn, when colds return with low temperatures, it can undoubtedly be a complication.

Maintenance of all systems in the home where the air passes is essential. Because the grills of the vents, or of the bathroom and kitchen extractors, contain dust but also grease. That is why extractor hoods have grills that we can clean in dishwashers.

However, cleaning these mechanisms is very simple. Normally, we can remove the grill by unscrewing it or through a slot. Cleaning the grills is best done outside and with a dry cloth to remove all the dust and dirt. If possible, we can soak the grill in hot water and use dish soap. Before placing it back, it must be completely dry.

Ventilating to breathe better in autumn

The main thing to be able to breathe better in autumn is to clean the air, and for that, a constant renewal is necessary. If the air remains in a room without being extracted, it may turn into stale air, which will be a source of diseases.

In autumn, when temperatures start to drop, some families opt to close the windows. However, ventilation is always something very necessary, and how to do it will depend on what type of home it is:

• In homes with mechanical ventilation, closing the windows and letting the air be extracted automatically is the best option. In this case, the most effective solution is double-flow mechanical ventilation, as it pushes air from the outside and previously filtered, while automatically extracting lower quality air from the interiors.
• In homes without ventilation systems - typically older ones - you must open the windows and consider a series of basic actions.
/ul>rnIt is not necessary for the windows to be always open if there is no mechanical ventilation, but at least they should be opened for a while each day. For example, half an hour in the morning and another half hour in the afternoon. In autumn, the time of day when ventilating doesn’t matter much, but it will always be necessary.

Although temperatures drop in autumn, it is crucial to open the windows when cooking or cleaning the home. To avoid the formation of stale air and learn how to breathe better at home in autumn, it is important that whenever we carry out these tasks, we always have the windows open. At least before starting to cook or clean and allowing for natural air renewal for half an hour after carrying out the tasks.