3 Plants You Need In Your Home To Improve Indoor Air Quality

A large part of your time is spent indoors, whether it is at the office or at home. Because of this, maintaining healthy air quality is crucial. This is particularly true when you consider the fact that indoor air pollutants are among the leading environmental risks to your health. While you may not have a lot of say so as to what happens at the office (except for around your desk), you do have control over what you do at home. When it comes to indoor air quality, there are several standard houseplants that can help you achieve healthy indoor air. Some plants are able to effectively filter harmful pollutants and toxins from the air, including these three:

1. The Spider Plant.

Originating from Southern Africa, the spider plant is very resilient by nature, so it is a good plant for those who tend to have a brown thumb. The plant has the capabilities removing carbon monoxide from the air. In fact, it can remove up to 98 percent of CO in a smaller-sized room. Make sure that you never place the spider plant directly in the sun or it'll turn brown and will be unlikely to maintain healthy indoor air. Also, make sure you avoid moving it too much or its growth could slow down or come to a complete halt.

2. The Snake Plant

The snake plant, which is known to many as the Mother-in-Law's Tongue, is an excellent household plant for removing formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, benzene and trichloroethylene from the air. It is also an ideal plant for the bedroom since it absorbs carbon dioxide and converts it into oxygen at night, which is something that most plants do during the day.

3. The Peace Lily.

The Peace Lily is a beautiful indoor tropical plant that has the ability to break down and neutralize several toxic gases, including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene.  This plant does not like to be cold and it doesn't like direct sunlight. If you see it drooping, give it some water. The Peace Lily will not only improve the indoor air of your home, but it will also serve as a focal piece in any room when it is in full bloom. Keep in mind that if you have pets that like to nibble on your plants, the Peace Lily can cause negative side effects. Therefore, it is recommended to keep it out of reach of pets.

For more help improving your home's indoor air quality, consult with an HVAC company such as Winters Heating Cooling & Indoor Air Quality. In some instances, there may be an issue with your air conditioner or heating unit (such as the toxic release of carbon monoxide) that is causing problems with the health quality of your home's air.