Outside air pollution consists of smoke, ozone and haze, especially during Georgia’s hot and sticky summer months. However, did you know that the inside of your home can actually contain more pollution than outside?

Fire retardants, dust mites, radon, chemicals, formaldehyde, lead and pet dander are among the many pollutants that can contaminate your home. Read the following tips to help reduce these annoying allergens.

• Vacuum and mop regularly. Use a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to ensure that dust and smoke won’t get blown back out in the exhaust. Mopping also helps to get rid of the allergens that vacuuming leaves behind.

• Maintain a healthy level of humidity. Keep the humidity level of your home below 50% to help reduce the moisture that dust mites love.

• Bathe and groom pets regularly. While you may not be able to see it, pet dander is everywhere. It’s necessary to keep pets clean by bathing them often and washing their bedding.

• Don’t smoke indoors. Make your home a non-smoking zone. This may upset friends or family members, but they will thank you later when you’ve helped to keep thousands of contaminants out of the home.

• Change filters regularly. Air filters are the first line of defense against allergens as the air in your home circulates. You may want to consider buying a filter that has a high MERV value and specifically helps eliminate allergens.

Central air systems help to control the quality of air in your home. Read “Managing Allergens for Better Indoor Air Quality” in our knowledge center for more information.