Your House Is Poisoning You This Winter (Stop Doing These 3 Things)

Your home's indoor air is 2-5X MORE polluted than outdoor air - and it gets even worse in winter. In this video, I'm exposing the 3 biggest mistakes homeowners make that are actually DESTROYING their indoor air quality (and one of them, you probably think is helping you).

After inspecting thousands of crawl spaces, basements, and homes, I've seen firsthand what's making families sick every winter. Most people have NO idea they're breathing in mold spores, VOCs, carbon monoxide, and dust mite feces all day long.

🚨 IN THIS VIDEO YOU'LL DISCOVER:
✅ Why house plants DON'T actually clean your air (and what to do instead)
✅ The "sealed home" mistake that's trapping toxic pollutants inside
✅ How to fix dangerous humidity levels (30-50% is the sweet spot)
✅ Space heater and fireplace dangers you need to know RIGHT NOW
✅ The truth about VOCs from cleaning products and candles
✅ Exactly what air purifiers and filters actually work

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Crawl Space Dehumidifier: https://supply.crawlspaceninja.com/products/crawl-space-ninja-dry-pro-70-pint-dehumidifier
HEPA Air Purifier: https://www.vollara.com/productdetail/ASPXL/?u=moldandodors
Carbon Monoxide Detector: https://amzn.to/4q84UKB
Safe Space heater: https://amzn.to/49N8Eeb
Green Cleaning Products: https://amzn.to/4sK6rJ3
Best HVAC Filters: https://amzn.to/4sV76HY
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**Contact Us:**
* Website: (https://CrawlSpaceNinja.com/)
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* DIY Store Phone: (865) 321-9314

**Disclaimer:** This information is for educational purposes only. Consult professionals for specific advice. Some links may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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Transcript

Why Winter Air Feels Worse

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey Michael Church, Crawl Space Ninja, and right now your indoor air quality is probably making you sick and you don't even know it. In fact, most homeowners are doing three things this winter that are actually making their air quality worse, not better. And what are those things? Stay tuned. If you're new to Crawlspace Ninja, we talk about everything related to basement waterproofing, crawl space encapsulation, indoor air quality, mold remediation, and attic insulation. So if all those things are important to you, I suggest you subscribe to our channel and ring that notification bell. So here's what's happening right now in your home. It's winter, it's cold outside, and you've got your house sealed up tight to keep that heat in and save money on your energy bills. Makes sense, right? But here's the problem with that. The EPA has found that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside. And in the winter, that number gets even worse because we're trapping all those pollutants inside our home with nowhere for them to go. Now I've been in thousands of crawl spaces, basements, and attics over the years, and I can tell you from field experience, most homeowners have no idea what's floating around in the air they're breathing every single day. We're talking about mold spores, dust mites, volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs, carbon monoxide, and a whole bunch of other stuff that's irritating your lungs, triggering your allergies, and making you feel like garbage all winter long. So let me share with you the biggest mistakes I see homeowners making, and more importantly, what you should be doing instead. Mistake number one, thinking house plants clean your air. Okay, so you've probably seen all those videos and articles telling you to buy snake plants, spider plants, and peace lilies because they're going to purify your indoor air and solve all your problems, right? Here's the truth that most people won't tell you houseplants don't actually clean the air quickly enough to have any major impact on your home's air quality. Now, don't get me wrong, plants are great for mental health, they look nice, they make you feel good, but if you're buying them thinking they're going to filter out pollutants and allergens, you're wasting your money. The research shows that you would need somewhere between 10 to 1,000 plants for every three square feet of floor space to compete with what a basic air filtration system can do. That's not exactly realistic for most homes. So what should you be doing instead? First, invest in a quality air purifier with a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for high efficient particulate air, and these filters can capture 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. That includes dust, pollen, mold spores, and even some bacteria and viruses. By the way, if you're looking for a great air purifier, check the description. Second, make sure you're changing the air filter and your heating and air system at least every three months. A lot of homeowners forget about this, and when that filter gets clogged up, your HVAC system is just recirculating dirty air throughout your entire house. I personally have my calendar remind me when I'm supposed to change my air filter. By the way, quick tip if you want the air filter to work better, use painter's tape around the edge where the cardboard meets the frame of the HVAC return, and that'll prevent bypass of particles around the filter. Mistake number two, keeping your house completely sealed up. Now here's the thing. I get it, you want to keep your house warm and your heating bills low. But when you seal up your house completely and never let fresh air in, you're creating what we call a tight building syndrome. All those pollutants I mentioned earlier, the VOCs from your cleaning products, the carbon monoxide from your gas stove or space heater, the moisture that's building up and creating mold, they've got nowhere to go. You're basically living in a sealed box, breathing the same contaminated air over and over and over again. Here's what you need to do, and this is going to sound super counterproductive, but trust me on this. According to experts, you need to open your windows for at least five to ten minutes every single day, even in the winter. I know, I know, you're thinking, Michael, I'm not going to heat the outdoors. But here's the deal that fresh outdoor air is going to dilute all those indoor pollutants and give you a much healthier environment. The small amount of heat you lose is worth it for the air quality improvement you're going to get in return. Now, if you live in a high polluted area where the outdoor air quality is really bad, or if it's just too cold to open the windows, then you need to make sure you're running those exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen. When you're cooking, turn on that range hood. When you're taking a shower, run that bathroom fan during your shower and for at least 30 minutes after. And here's something most people don't know. If you've got a newer home that's really well sealed for energy efficiency, you might want to consider installing a heat recovery ventilator, HRV, or an energy recovery ventilator, ERV. These systems bring in fresh outdoor air while recovering the heat from the outgoing air so you're not wasting energy. And let's be honest, you're probably not going to open your windows for five to ten minutes every day. Mistake number three, ignoring your humidity levels. Alright, this is the big one, and it's something I see all the time in the field. Homeowners either have too much humidity or not enough, and both situations are creating serious air quality problems. When your indoor humidity drops below 30%, which happens a lot in the winter when you're running the heat, you're going to experience dry skin, irritated airways, bloody noses, and you're actually more susceptible to catching viruses. That dry air pulls moisture right out of your nasal passages, and those nasal passages need the moisture to trap viruses and bacteria before they can make you sick. But on the flip side, when the humidity gets above 50%, you're creating the perfect environment for dust mites, and when the humidity gets above 60%, you're creating the perfect environment for mold. And let me tell you, mold and dust mites are two of the biggest triggers for allergies and asthma that we deal with. So here's what you need to know get yourself a hygrometer. That's just a fancy word for a humidity reader. You can pick one up for 10 to 15 bucks. Your goal is to keep your indoor humidity between 40 and 50%. If your humidity is too low, you might need to run a humidifier. But, and this is important, you've got to keep that humidifier clean. Empty it and dry it every single day and clean it thoroughly at least every three days. A dirty humidifier is just going to spread mold and bacteria into your air, which defeats the whole purpose. If your humidity is too high, you need to figure out where the moisture is coming from. A lot of times it's coming from your crawl space or basement. If you've got a dirt crawl space, that exposed soil is releasing thousands of gallons of water vapor into your home every single year. That's where crawl space encapsulation comes in. We install a vapor barrier to seal off the moisture at its source. You might also need to run a dehumidifier in damp areas like your crawl space, basement, or even your bathroom to keep those moisture levels under control and prevent mold growth. Now let me share a couple more quick things that are really important for winter air quality. Number one, be really careful with space heaters and fireplaces. Anytime you're burning something, whether it's natural gas, kerosene, or wood, you're creating combustion byproducts like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. These are toxic gases that can make you sick or even kill you at high levels. If you're using a wood-burning fireplace or stove, make sure it's properly vented to the outside and have it serviced annually. Only burn seasoned firewood's been dried for at least six months. And honestly, unless it's your primary heat source, it's best not to use it at all. For space heaters, stick with electric models. If you absolutely have to use a kerosene or gas heater, make sure you've got a carbon monoxide detector installed and working. Number two, watch out for those VOCs, volatile organic compounds. These come from cleaning products, air fresheners, scented candles, and even new carpets or furniture. In the winter, when we're not ventilating as much, these VOC levels can really build up. Switch to safer, less toxic cleaning products when you can. Skip the scented candles and air fresheners. And if you're doing any home renovations, try to wait until spring when you can keep your windows open for extended periods of time. Alright, so let me summarize this for you real quick. Number one, house plants don't clean your air. Invest in a HEPA air purifier and change your HVAC filters regularly. Number two, open your windows for five to ten minutes every day to bring fresh air in, even in the winter. Number three, monitor your humidity levels and keep it between 40 and 50%. And watch out for those combustion sources and VOCs that are polluting your indoor air. Hopefully this information was very helpful. If you want more tips on improving your indoor air quality, make sure you check out our other videos on crawl space encapsulation and basement waterproofing. My name is Michael Church with Crawlspace Ninja, and I hope you make it a happy and blessed day, and we'll see you later.