Staying home with only members of your household is the best way to keep SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) particles out of your home. However, if a visitor needs to be in your home (following the local restrictions), improving ventilation can help prevent bacteria particles from accumulating in the air. Good ventilation, along with other preventive actions, like staying 6 feet apart and wearing masks, can help prevent you from getting and spreading COVID-19.

Below are ways you can improve ventilation in your home. Use as many ways as you can such as open windows, use air filters, and turn on fans to help clear out any bacteria in your home, faster.

Get as much fresh air into your home as possible.

• If it’s safe to do so, open doors and windows as much as you can to bring in fresh, outdoor air. While it’s better to open them wide, even having a window slightly open can help.
• If you can, open multiple doors and windows to allow more fresh air to move inside.
• Do not open windows and doors if doing so is unsafe for you or others (for example, presence of young children and pets, risk of falling, triggering asthma symptoms, high levels of outdoor pollution).
• If opening windows or doors is unsafe, consider other approaches such as using air filtration and bathroom and stove exhaust fans.

Filtering the air

If you have central heating, ventilation and air conditioning system that has a filter, do the following to help trap virus particles:

• In homes where the HVAC fan operation can be controlled by a thermostat, set the fan to the “on” position instead of “auto” when you have visitors. This allows the fan to run continuously, even if heating or air conditioning is not on.
• Use pleated filters, they are more efficient than ordinary furnace filters and can be found in hardware stores. They should be installed initially within the HVAC system by a professional, if possible.
• Change your filter every three months or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Ideally, have the ventilation system inspected and adjusted by a professional every year to make sure it is operating efficiently.

Consider using a portable air cleaner

If you don’t have an HVAC system or just want extra filtration, consider using a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaner. They are the most efficient filters on the market for trapping particles that people exhale when breathing or talking.

When choosing a HEPA cleaner, select one that is the right size for the room. One way to do this is to select a HEPA fan system with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) that meets or exceeds the square footage of the room in which it will be used. The larger the CADR, the faster it will clean the air.

Turn on the exhaust fan in your bathroom and kitchen.

Exhaust fans above your stovetop and in your bathroom that vent outdoors can help move air outside.  Although some stove exhaust fans don’t send the air to the outside, they can still improve airflow and keep virus particles from being concentrated in one place.

• Keep the exhaust fan turned on over your stovetop and in your bathroom if you have visitors in your home.
• Keep the exhaust fans turned on for an hour after your visitors leave to help remove virus particles that might be in the air.

Enhanced Cleaning and Sanitation

Perform regular cleaning of high touchpoints such as door handles, kitchen counters, study and work desks, etc. Using a certified disinfectant is recommended, however, you may contact us for a professional disinfection service to keep you and your family completely safe during such challenging times.