As you gear up for the spring buying and selling season, you’re probably looking for some valuable content to catch the attention of clients and prospects.
 
Improving indoor air quality and family health might be a great topic. The American Lung Association says indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, especially in winter. 

After months of being cooped up at home this winter, clients may seek relief from poor indoor air quality symptoms. 

Share some DIY tips for improving air quality—it doesn’t need to be an exhaustive list—and invite clients’ IAQ questions. You could even consider offering a home visit to address specific risks.

Even better, they may ask for your take on market dynamics. 

HERE ARE 9 TIPS:
 
1. Recognize IAQ’s impact on health. Poor IAQ can result in coughing, a stuffy nose, sore throat, and headaches. The effects could be more acute for those with breathing problems or asthma. 

2. Understand poor IAQ causes. Learn about indoor pollutants and tour an online demo house to understand the sources and impact of poor IAQ.

3. Eliminate air pollutants. Indoor pollutants include tobacco smoke, mold, pollen, smoke from fireplaces and woodstoves, formaldehyde in building materials, textiles, furniture, toxins from cleaning products, bug sprays, solvents, and paint. 

4. Check the HVAC. Change your furnace filter and make an appointment for an HVAC tune-up. 

5. Improve ventilation. Bring as much fresh air into your home as possible. Open windows, use air filters, and turn on fans. 

6. Control mold. Keep humidity levels no higher than 50%, use exhaust fans that vent outside in the kitchen and bathroom, and be sure the clothes dryer vents outside your home. Also, fix roof, walls, or plumbing leaks so mold doesn’t have moisture to grow. 

7. Clean regularly. Clean with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter, wet mop the floors, dust regularly, and clean curtains, bedding, and blankets to eliminate dust mites, pollen, and pet dander.

8. Test for carbon monoxide. Fireplaces and leaking chimneys are sources of carbon monoxide, says the EPA. Ventilate rooms with fireplaces, ensure the flue damper is operational and fully open, and ensure the chimney is sealed correctly.

9. Transition to clean energy. Understand the risk of fuel-burning systems and appliances—stoves, furnaces, and water heaters—that can create emissions that harm health and the environment. Choose efficient electric alternatives like heat pump heating and cooling, heat pump water heaters, and induction cooktops. Such changes can reduce your environmental footprint, improve air quality and comfort, and lower your home’s operating costs.