The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is constantly warning homeowners to both test and manage their indoor air quality. Studies have shown that indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air quality. This can be a big problem for those who suffer from allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.
What Is Poor Quality Air?
In order to gauge the quality of air, an indoor air assessment needs to be performed by a professional. During this test, they monitor the concentration levels of various known airborne contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and radon. When any of these contaminants have a high concentration that’s above the acceptable level, your indoor air is classified as poor.
Poor indoor air quality can lead to a slew of health problems for even the healthiest individuals. There’s no doubt that those who already have a pre-existing condition can experience worsening symptoms associated with their sinuses and respiratory system. Some other common issues that people may experience when in an environment with poor indoor air quality are headaches, fatigue, brain fog, and so forth.
Common Airborne Contaminants
There are many different known airborne contaminants that one of our technicians will test for when evaluating the quality of air inside your home. Contaminants can come from all different sources. One of the most common is going to be combustible fuel appliances, such as a wood stove or candles. Another source is going to be cleaning products and paints that emit toxic VOCs.
Using any sort of aerosol, like hairspray, can also release toxic fumes into your air. If anyone smokes inside of your home, that secondhand smoke can also be toxic. Some other types of known airborne contaminants include biological contaminants, radon, carbon monoxide, mold and mildew, pesticides, nitrogen dioxide, and so much more.
Upgrading Your HVAC Air Filter
One of the easiest places to start improving the quality of air inside your home is by upgrading your existing HVAC air filter. This filter is responsible for removing airborne contaminants as they travel through your ducting on the way to your HVAC system. All filters have a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating that signifies their filtering capability. Opt for choosing a filter that has a rating between 10 and 13 to give a good combination of optimal filtration alongside efficient system operation.
Whole-Home Air Filtration System
If you’re really serious about increasing the quality of air inside your home, a great investment you can make is a whole-home air purification system. These systems can use multiple filters and UV lighting to help trap and remove unwanted airborne pollutants from your home. Extended media filters are very common where they have a series of filters that work to remove different contaminants from the air. For example, they have a pre-filter that’s responsible for removing larger particles like dust or hair. Then there is a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that works to trap microscopic particles like mold spores and pollen. Then, there’s an activated carbon filter that absorbs VOCs and other odors from your home.
UV germicidal lighting works a little bit differently from your traditional air filter, as it doesn’t trap airborne debris. Rather, germicidal lighting works to disrupt the DNA of the airborne pollutant so that it cannot reproduce. UV lighting can be installed either inside your return ducting or over the condenser coil inside the internals of your HVAC system. This is great for managing airborne pathogens like bacteria and viruses.
Another component of a whole-home air filtration system that you can invest in is an air scrubber. This uses specialized ionizing technology to further help increase the quality of air inside your home. These systems release ions that can be both negatively or positively charged depending on what contaminant you’re trying to treat in your home. These particles get forced out of your ducting into the various rooms of your home where they will attach to airborne particles like bacteria, dust, and even pollen. When these ions attach to these unwanted particles, they cause them to be heavier and fall to the ground. This allows the airborne pollutants to easily be vacuumed or dusted off the surfaces in your home.
Expert Indoor Air Quality Service
Of Course! Heating and Cooling offers expert indoor air quality services for the Yucaipa, Beaumont, and Banning communities. We can also assist with all your whole-house fan, duct services, air scrubber, and dryer vent cleaning needs. Simply call us today to schedule your next appointment with one of our skilled technicians.
Today!
