Indoor air quality is key to your family’s health. Were you aware that the air inside the average home is much more polluted than outdoor air? It is—about five times more. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon, and even formaldehyde are commonly found inside homes.
Humidity is also a concern when it comes to indoor air quality. Air that is too humid or too dry can have ill effects on your health and damage your home. Let’s check out three of the ways Air Houston Mechanical LLC can help you improve the indoor air quality in your Huffman home.
A Clean System is the First Step to Good Indoor Air Quality
A dirty HVAC system can harbor and circulate allergens throughout your home. Your first line of defense is to make sure your system is kept clean and well-maintained. The easiest thing you can do is assess your air filter regularly and replace it when it becomes dirty. In most homes, the air filter needs to be changed every two or three months, but Air Houston Mechanical LLC recommends that you check them every month—especially if you have indoor air quality problems. Annual furnace, heat pump, and/or air conditioner maintenance should also take place. Your technician will confirm your system is clean and not circulating dust and debris all over your Huffman home.
Enlist the Help of an Air Purifier
An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality and give some relief from seasonal and indoor allergies. For maximum allergy control, look for an air purifier that filters out at least 95 percent of particles as small as .3 microns (a micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter). Even if no one in your home suffers from allergies, filtering out pollutants is significant. The EPA has stated that the long-term effects of poor indoor air quality include potentially debilitating or deadly respiratory and heart diseases and cancer (https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality). A good air purifier, like the Lennox® PureAirTM, will remove 90 percent of germs and bacteria from your home—down to .01 microns.
Another way an air purifier can make your house more comfortable is by removing household odors. While not as severe as pollutants and germs, bad odors are typically unwelcome in people’s homes. Odors from things like pets, cooking, and sports gear can cause your home to smell unclean. Cleaning your air with an air purifier is a healthier way to remove these odors than trying to conceal them. Cleaning products, air sprays, and scented candles can pollute your indoor air more. The right air purifier will destroy household odors, giving you clean, healthy air.
Control Humidity for Health
The EPA recommends maintaining your indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Dry air can cause health problems like upper-respiratory issues, dry throat and nose, and itchy skin. Remember that viruses generally thrive in dry air, and dry air is known to heighten symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. And chances are good that your home’s air is too dry—the average heated home has a relative humidity between 13 and 16 percent during the winter. That’s drier than the world’s driest deserts! So, what can help?
A whole-home humidifier can offer up to 50 percent more humidity than portable humidifiers. Plus, you don’t have to continuously adjust most models—just program in your desired humidity and you’re ready to go. Proper humidity levels will not only help keep your household in good health, but they can help defend your home from damages caused by dry airlike shrinking and cracking wood. What’s even better is that humid air feels warmer, so with a whole home humidifier on board, you could fix your thermostat a little lower to save money without sacrificing comfort.
These are just a sampling of the ways Air Houston Mechanical LLC can help you increase your indoor air quality. Give us a call at (832) 957-9332 to find out even more options.
