Forced air systems are the most common heating systems in California and are used in most new construction elsewhere. They have two big advantages: they are cheap to install, and they provide heat at a moment’s notice. Having “instant-on” heat is vital for intermittent use spaces like ski cabins. Otherwise, forced air is the least energy efficient and least comfortable way of heating a typical home. Why?

Ventilation and Heat Loss

For the health and well-being of its occupants, a home must exhaust stale air and refresh it with new air drawn from outdoors. Forced air systems heat and blow this air, via ducts, throughout your house. Since new air is continually entering and leaving, you are heating the outdoors.

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Plants can absorb air pollutants and can alleviate some "sick building syndrome" symptoms such as headaches and eye, nose or throat irritation which may be caused by inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants (ie. VOCs, carbon monoxide) or biological contaminants (ie. mold, pollen).

You don't have to overdo it. One plant for every 10 sq yards of floor space should be plenty.

Know how to care for your plant. Find out how much water and light it needs to be most effective. And if you have felines running about, check to make sure your new houseplants are cat friendly.

Care 2 Living suggests these ten plants as the most effective for overall indoor air quality improvement:

• Areca palm
• Reed palm
• Dwarf date palm
• Boston fern
• Janet Craig dracaena
• English ivy
• Australian sword fern
• Peace Lily
• Rubber plant
• Weeping fig

A good book that rates the top 50 plants and notes their advantageous properties is How to Grow Fresh Air.

For more information: Lowes; Clean Air Gardening

Amy says: My houseplant count at the moment is zero. Picking up a few is definitely on my to-do list this summer.