Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a significant concern for many homeowners and businesses alike. Surprisingly, your Indoor air quality can be more harmful than outdoor air, making it a first priority when looking to improve your home or business.
Whether you use a central or ductless AC system, the kind of AC system you have installed plays a crucial role in improving and understanding the IAQ of your home or workplace. Here are some tips to help you maximize the benefits.
How AC Units Improve Indoor Air Quality
Your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is more than just a means to keep you cool. It can also help improve your overall health, including your respiratory health, allergies, and asthma.
When an AC runs, it pulls in outdoor air through an air duct and then passes it through a filter, over a cold coil, and through vents to cool the inside of your home. However, this process only works if the AC has a clean evaporator coil and ductwork.
A dirty evaporator coil and ductwork can increase your indoor air pollution. This indoor air pollution can negatively impact your health. This is why it’s important to have your air conditioner air filters replaced regularly and have your ductwork checked as part of a regular HVAC maintenance plan.
Tips for Maximizing Indoor Air Quality Benefits
There are a number of ways that you can maximize the indoor air quality benefits of your air conditioner. One of these is to change your ac unit air filters often – once every 45 days for anyone who has dust, dust mites, seasonal allergies, or asthma issues.
Another way to improve your IAQ is to keep your floors clean. Mopping and vacuuming floors regularly will help reduce dust and other debris that can cause respiratory problems. This dust can be further eliminated when replacing air filters or using an air purifier. These in combination with keeping your floors clean can help maintain the longevity of both your air filter and air purifier but also reduce the amount of air duct cleaning you’ll need to have done.
Also, if your house has gas appliances, make sure they’re vented outdoors. Using exhaust fans in kitchens and laundry rooms with gas appliances can significantly decrease emissions, too.
While some of these tips may sound a bit daunting, they aren’t difficult to do and should improve your IAQ. By following these tips, you’re ensuring that your air is free from pollutants and that you’re breathing the best quality air possible. This can lead to improved health and a happier, more productive environment for you and your family!
Common Indoor Air Contaminants
Indoor air quality is an important public health concern because people spend a large portion of their lives indoors. Research has shown that some populations are more susceptible to the effects of indoor pollutants than others, especially children, older adults, and individuals with preexisting medical conditions.
Many pollutants are released continuously by building materials, furnishings, and household products. Others are released intermittently, for example, by smoking and by the use of unvented stoves, furnaces, or space heaters.
Biological contaminants, such as mold, mildew, and viruses, are also commonly found in homes. They release disease-causing toxins into the air, and they can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
The most effective approach to controlling indoor air pollution is source control. This involves eliminating or controlling the sources of air pollution, increasing ventilation, and installing air cleaner and air filter devices.
Additional Indoor Air Quality Solutions
Using the right indoor air quality solutions in your home can improve the overall health of you and your family. These solutions can eliminate allergens, help you sleep better and minimize foul odors in your home.
For example, a whole-home humidifier or dehumidifier can control moisture levels and keep the air in your home at a comfortable humidity of 30-60%. Other IAQ control options can include an HVAC upgrade to a higher MERV filter, an air purifier, and an indoor air quality service monitor.
In addition to minimizing the airborne particles that cause illnesses, air purifiers can also reduce the number of infectious airborne viruses. For instance, portable air purifiers with high-rated air filtration in school classrooms especially with baseline poor indoor air quality have been shown to reduce the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols by over 90% within a 30-minute period.
Poor indoor air quality is a common problem in many homes. Source control can often solve most IAQ problems, but other measures may be necessary to remediate poor IAQ.
Call Pioneer Mechanical LLC for your Indoor Air Quality Needs!
