At some point in your life, you’ve undoubtedly heard tell of the home remedy that is fresh air. The more old-fashioned among us may even go so far as to swear by it as a sort of cure-all, much like My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Gus insists Windex will fix anything and everything.

As beloved as the great outdoors may be, it’s not the only air quality we should concern ourselves with. Indoor air and ventilation are just as crucial for health and well-being, and arguably more so. After all, we spend so much time in our living rooms and office space—wouldn’t it make sense to be breathing in clean air there, too? Circulating fresh air in your home or business will pay off with advantages to the health, productivity, and physical space surrounding you, your family, or your employees.

1. Plentiful Health Benefits

The benefits of providing fresh, clean air for your employees or loved ones are extensive. Still, both physical and mental health advantages may very well be the most expected—and the most appreciated. Perhaps most notably, having high indoor air quality and better ventilation in your home or work environment helps to prevent common health symptoms, such as coughs, sneezes, headaches, and bouts of dizziness.

As the coronavirus pandemic made clear, fresh air is an effective way to prevent the spread of allergens and toxins like mold and minimize the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Proper ventilation helps those suffering from common outdoor allergies benefit from clean air without risking the reaction they’d face outside. Taken together, these benefits of high-quality indoor air promote a general sense of health and well-being.

2. Improved Building Maintenance

Tackling problems of indoor air pollution or damaged vents can do as much for your home or office space’s health as it does yours. As a building manager or maintenance worker, you’ll be thrilled to find that high IAQ, or indoor air quality, can help you do more than just field tenant or employee complaints. For example, you might see a decrease in unusually high utility costs and other signs of an IAQ issue.

Just as significantly, maintaining high indoor air quality can help prevent costly long-term issues, like those caused by mold, pressure imbalances, and other serious concerns. By avoiding these issues in the first place, you’ll save yourself the risk of spending a fortune fixing an easily preventable crisis.

3. Increased Productivity

If you find money to be a powerful motivator but don’t have a direct financial stake in the building itself, the correlation between air quality in enclosed spaces and the efficiency of the people within them might entice you. Studies have shown that poor indoor air quality is associated with lower rates of productivity. This means that by not maintaining a high IAQ, your employees won’t be producing your best work promptly. Of course, that deficit is made all the worse when coupled with symptoms brought on by indoor allergens and irritants!

Similarly, the signs of severely low IAQ will be blatantly clear to anyone entering the building. If you deal with clients or customers in person, this could easily be enough to deter them from continuing your business relationship. After all, who wants to leave a business meeting with a headache or cough? Here, too, a less-than-ideal quality of air can prevent maximum productivity and profits.

A breath of fresh air might not be the beacon of human health that many imagine it to be, but it’s undoubtedly the best way to take control of space. Fresh air can not only maintain disease control and minimize allergens, but it can ensure you support your local communities as well as you’re able in the long term.