The air quality inside your Des Peres home is important. It can have a major effect on the health and well-being of everyone in your household. Maintaining high energy efficiency inside your home is also important. As a result, unfortunately, your home is likely insulated and air-sealed to the greatest extent possible. That means you likely get less ventilation, and the air inside your home can grow stale and contaminated. One of the ways to mitigate that is to add an array of beneficial indoor plants to your home. According to research, there are a variety of plants that excel at removing an array of household air contaminants. While they won’t fix every indoor air quality problem, they will likely be able to help. Here are ten of the best indoor plants you can get to improve your home’s indoor air quality.
1. English Ivy
English ivy plants make an excellent addition to your home that will cleanse its air and a bit of classic beauty. They grow in long, trailing vines and work well when placed on shelves or bookcases. In laboratory studies, English ivy plants demonstrated an ability to reduce the levels of chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene in the air. Those are all commonly found in homes as a result of off-gassing from paper products, inks, and household cleaners. Plus, English ivy plants thrive in indirect sunlight, so you can put them almost anywhere in your home.
2. Peace Lilies
Peace lilies are among the most effective plants you can get if you want to improve your indoor air quality. In studies conducted by NASA, peace lily plants excelled at removing trichloroethylene from the air. In a sealed-chamber test, it removed about 1.04% of the substance per hour from the surrounding air. It’s also another plant that will tolerate a variety of lighting conditions. However, it does like its soil to stay moist, so it requires frequent watering.
3. Snake Plants
Snake plants are another effective air cleaner you can add to your home. They work especially well in bedrooms since they tend to absorb CO2 and emit oxygen primarily at night. This means they can help improve your sleep quality while they improve your air quality. They’re also very simple to care for, requiring only infrequent watering and indirect sunlight. They also grow quite tall, so they will stand out as a part of your home’s décor.
4. Golden Pothos
The Golden Pothos plant is best known for its long, trailing vines and broad leaves. It’s also all but impossible to kill, which is why it’s also called the Devil’s Ivy plant. It excels at removing substances like carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air. The Golden Pothos grows fast and requires little in the way of care. For that reason, it makes a great option for those who typically don’t have success with houseplants. You can put it virtually anywhere, and it will be just fine, even if you forget to water it occasionally.
5. Bamboo Palm
The bamboo palm is perfect for improving indoor air quality while adding a bit of tropical flair to your home. Plus, it works well as a floor-standing plant, growing up to eight feet tall with proper care. It’s also perfect for dimly-lit corners of your home since it requires very little sunlight. In exchange, you’ll get a plant that removes substances like benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from the air. All you need to do is water it periodically whenever its soil surface gets dry.
6. Chinese Evergreen
Also known as aglaonema, the Chinese evergreen is an easy-to-care-for plant that grows to about two feet tall. It features bright, broad leaves, and it can cut the levels of formaldehyde and benzene in the air. Plus, it’s considered a lucky plant throughout Asia, so it certainly can’t hurt to have a few in your home. It works well in low to medium light conditions, so it will work well in shadowy spots in your home.
7. Corn Plants
Although they’re not the edible variety, corn plants make an excellent addition to your air quality arsenal. For one thing, they’re virtually indestructible. They will thrive in any lighting condition and require very little upkeep. They’re also effective at removing a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. While they do grow slowly, they can also reach a height of up to six feet if you’re willing to wait. That makes them an excellent option for the corners of rooms or as a focal point near a sliding glass door.
8. Rubber Plant
Rubber plants offer an excellent option for those who like darker-colored foliage. They can grow up to ten feet tall when grown indoors and feature lush, dark leaves. Rubber plants also excel at removing carbon monoxide, benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde from the air. You can expect one to grow approximately two feet per growing season. That means it doesn’t take long for one to reach its full height if you’re willing to invest some time.
9. Flamingo Lily
If you want an air-cleaning plant with bright, colorful flowers, the flamingo lily is for you. It boasts bright red flowers and broad, shiny green leaves. That means it works just as well as an addition to your décor as it does as an air purifier. Plus, the flamingo lily removes some substances that most other plants don’t. It will remove xylene, toluene, and ammonium, which are commonly found in paints and household products. It will require frequent watering and plenty of bright light, however, limiting where you can keep one.
10. Spider Plant
Finally, spider plants are one of the most versatile air-cleaning plants you can have in your home. It requires very little maintenance and readily removes carbon monoxide and VOCs from the air. Plus, it propagates easily. That means you can buy just one and split it into multiple plants soon after. If you’re looking for a way to scale up your home’s greenery in a hurry, a spider plant is an excellent choice. They also only need watering roughly once per week, so they’re quite easy to care for.
Your Local Indoor Air Quality Specialists
If you’re concerned about the indoor air quality in your Des Peres home, Level 9 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing can help. We offer complete indoor air quality solutions, as well as comprehensive HVAC services. We even handle residential plumbing and commercial HVAC, too. We’ve served the local community since 1975, establishing a reputation for quality service in that time. We’re also Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating. Plus, we offer 24/7 emergency service, so you can always count on us to be there for you. We even offer financing options on approved credit to help you pay for larger comfort improvements. So, for indoor air quality solutions and more in Des Peres, call Level 9 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing today!
