Is Your Christmas Tree Ruining Your Home’s Air Quality?

Indoor air quality is an important part of maintaining optimal health, especially for those people who often experience asthma or allergies. The holiday season, however, can be a tough time for some people as dusty decorations are brought out and reused year after year. What many people don’t realize is that their Christmas tree can be ruining their indoor air quality. Whether your tree is live or artificial, both can carry issues that can affect indoor air and health. Read on to see what issues could arise from your festivities.

Live Christmas Trees

Christmas trees that have been cut down and brought indoors can carry pathogenic mold spores into your home. As they warm up inside they will quickly multiply. Studies have shown that within the second week of being inside the house, a Christmas tree can go from having 800 mold spores to 5,000 mold spores per cubic meter. An acceptable air quality rating only accounts for 600 mold spores per cubic meter.

Artificial Christmas Tree

While a fake tree can prevent a lot of the indoor air quality issues that a live tree brings, an artificial tree that has been used year after year can become very dusty and depending on the level of humidity in the home, mold can grow on the tree even if it is not real. Properly washing your artificial Christmas tree and letting it dry outside during the warmer months of the year can prevent indoor air quality issues.

Ornaments

The decorations that go on your tree each year can harbor mold, bacteria, and dust. Ideally, you should wipe off your ornaments when you pack them away and when you are putting them up on the tree as well. It may seem like a bit of work, but your indoor air quality will thank you.

Contact Energy Air

Energy Air is dedicated to helping clients improve and maintain a healthy indoor air quality, especially during the busy holiday season. Routine HVAC maintenance and service is imperative when it comes to air quality as well as the efficiency of your home. Contact our office or schedule an appointment online today.