Do Plants Help Indoor Air Quality?

There has been some debate over the years about whether having plants inside your home improves the air quality. An earlier study by NASA indicated that this is the case, but later studies have partially contradicted that conclusion, especially concerning the quantity of plants people would need to have in their homes.

NASA Study

NASA’s study was released in 1989. The goal of the research was to find out how to clean the air inside space stations. The study found that plants could clean the air in a closed, restricted environment. The experiment took place in a small chamber, and the plants did remove harmful substances such as formaldehyde from the air.

However, this study didn’t translate to the reality of most people’s homes. Home environments are nothing like that of a space station. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reviewed this study in 1992 and determined it would take 680 plants in a typical home to clean the air. This is, of course, far more plants than anyone would want or be able to fit inside their home.

Fortunately, there are other ways to clean the air in your residence. Throughout the Puyallup area, Puyallup Heating & Air Conditioning provides services and equipment to maintain indoor air quality. This includes changing your furnace and air conditioner filters during annual inspections. Our company can also spot problems in your ductwork that allow pollutants to enter it.

What Plants Do

Some plants can slightly improve air quality in homes, but it’s not the primary reason to have them. Recent research suggests that meaningful conclusions can’t be drawn from the NASA study. Current scientific opinion concludes that although indoor plants do a little to clean the air, the overall result isn’t terribly significant.

Plants can even reduce indoor air quality. If the dirt in the pots is kept too moist, mold and mildew can grow. These pollutants end up in the air you breathe.

Your Local HVAC Experts

Puyallup Heating & Air Conditioning in Puyallup has been helping homeowners and business proprietors throughout the South Puget Sound region since 1946. Our services include heating and cooling installation, replacement, repair and maintenance. We’ve assisted over 100,000 people like you, so call us today for any of your HVAC needs.