Improving the Quality of the Indoor Air You Breathe: Four Great Ideas for You

Most of us may think of air pollution as something outside our homes and offices – haze, smog, low level ozone etc. The fact is the air inside our houses and offices can be as polluted as the outside air. The invisible culprits are household dust (lead), fire-retardants, formaldehyde, radon, chemicals from fragrances in conventional cleaners and fresheners and even deodorants and synthetic perfumes.

Four great ideas for you to improve indoor air quality

1.Keeping the floors fresh

• Vacuum: Allergens and chemicals can start accumulating in household dust. By using a vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate arrestance filter, you can reduce lead concentrations in your house. You can also get rid of other toxins, such as, PBDEs (brominated fire-retardant chemicals) and allergens like pet dander, pollen, and dust mites. 
• Mop: Mopping helps to pick up dust left behind by vacuuming. Use plain water to catch any lingering allergens or dust. Advanced microfiber mops are known to capture more dirt and dust than the conventionalones.

2.Maintaining a healthy level of humidity

Mold and dust mites thrive in moisture. Keeping the humidity levels around 30%-50% can help you control the air pollutants. An air conditioner and a dehumidifier are extremely beneficial in reducing humidity indoors. Air conditioners also help reduce indoor pollen count -- another benefit for allergy sufferers.

Other tips for dehumidifying a house: 

• Open your windows or use an exhaust fan when cooking, bathing or running the dishwasher.
• Fix leaky plumbing.
• Do not overwater the houseplants.
• Empty the drip pans in your dehumidifier and window A/C.

3. No smoking inside your house

One of the reasons for indoor air pollution is cigarette smoke. It contains more than four thousand chemicals. As per research, secondhand smoke can increase a child's risk of developing respiratory and ear infections, cancer, and asthma. For a smoker, this addiction can cause breathing problems, cancer, stroke and heart attacks.

If you wish to stop smoking, nicotine-replacement therapy, support groups, and other medications can be very helpful. Find a way out that works best for you.

4. Checking your HVAC system for leaks:

One of the biggest causes for indoor air pollution is a leaking HVAC system. There can be times when a unit starts to emit carbon monoxide and other deadly gases inside the house. Being odorless, carbon monoxide is hard to detect and can only be evident through the detrimental health effects it begins to have on the members of the family. To avoid this situation, it is best to get your HVAC system checked and cleaned every season. You must also install carbon monoxide detectors within the house to be on the safer side.

It would be good for you to hire an expert HVAC cleaner to make sure your system is working efficiently and is at its best potential.

These little measures can go a long way in helping you keep your house fresh and your family healthy. Let in fresh air as often as you can and use chemical-free cleaners to clean the house.

Four Essential Things You Must Know about HVAC Maintenance

A properly functioning and clean HVAC system is essential to both your respiratory health and comfort. Heating and cooling system manufacturers recommend that your HVAC be inspected regularly. By having your system cleaned and calibrated, you can improve energy efficiency, keep fuel costs to the minimum, and prolong the life of your equipment.

One of the best ways to keep your heating and cooling system at its peak performance is by hiring a contractor to perform annual check-ups.  A typical maintenance check-up from an expert must include the following. 

General maintenance 

There are certain standardized checks that every good contractor will perform on your HVAC, such as:

1. Checking the thermostat setting to ensure that the heating and cooling system keeps the house at a comfortable temperature,
2. Measuring voltage, and tightening all electrical connections to ensure safe operation and increasing life of the components,
3. Lubricating the moving parts: components that lack proper lubrication can create friction in motors and increase the consumption of electricity,
4. Checking out the condensate drain in the furnace, heat pump, and central air conditioner:, a blocked drain can create water damage and upset the indoor humidity levels and
5. Checking system controls to ensure safe and proper operation: inspecting the starting cycle of the system can ensure that the system starts, functions, and shuts off correctly.

Heating inspection

Apart from performing some standardized tests, good contractors will also check to see if your heating system is working fine. This will include checking all oil or gas connections, burner combustion, gas pressure, and heat exchangers. Gas/Oil connections that function in an abnormal manner can be hazardous to your health. Also, a cracked heat exchanger or dirty burner can lead to improper burner operation. Both can cause the system to function less efficiently and safely.

Cooling inspection

Cooling becomes a necessity during the peak summer months. In order go make sure that it is perfect throughout the season, you must oversee whether the professional performs the following actions:

1. Clean the air conditioning and evaporator coils: dirty coils can decrease the machine’s ability to cool a house, cause the thermostat to run longer,  reduce the equipment’s life and increase energy costs.
2. Checking the air conditioner’s refrigerant level and changing it if required: excessive or low refrigerant will make the machine less efficient, reduce its life and increase energy costs.
3. Cleaning and adjusting the blower components for proper system airflow: airflow problems can decrease the efficiency of the system by almost 15 percent.

Do-it-Yourself HVAC Ideas

Apart from seeking expert help, you can also perform certain actions on your own to make sure that your HVAC remains in good working order, all year long. Inspect the system’s air filters and clean or change them once a month. If you don’t know how to do this, ask your contractor to show you the right way to perform the action. A dirty filter can damage your machine, and lead to increased energy costs.

Peak summer and biting winter are the busiest seasons for HVAC contractors, and so it's best to get your cooling system checked in the spring and your heating system during the fall. Remember, you can plan to your advantage the annual maintenance around time changes during spring and fall.

Did you find these ideas useful? Leave a comment. Tell us what you would like to read further.

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Health and safety issues related to HVAC

Whether due to damage or improper maintenance, your HVAC unit can quickly become a health and safety hazard. Here are a few HVAC-related safety and health issues you and your family must be aware of.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

The most common safety concern of an HVAC is carbon monoxide. Poisoning due to carbon monoxide can be serious, and in some cases fatal. Since carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, it is impossible to identify until you or a loved one becomes ill. The first signs are normally similar to the flu —nausea, headaches, and fatigue — so they are often ignored. However, long-term exposure can be fatal and human beings with chronic health problems are specifically at risk.

A damaged heat exchanger is a common cause of carbon monoxide, particularly in older furnaces. One of the best ways to avoid the poisoning is to have your unit serviced and inspected by a trained professional. You must also place a carbon monoxide detector within your house for safety purpose.

Incorrect air filtration

Bad air filtration can also be a hazard to the health of your family. Low indoor air quality -- because of allergens, dust, or airborne irritants – is a common contributor to respiratory illnesses and problems. People with underlying respiratory problems such as allergies or asthma are particularly vulnerable. Several health issues can occur due to poor air quality, ranging from minor headaches to serious breathing difficulties and allergic reactions. Regular replacement and preventive maintenance of air filters is important to keep the indoor air of a home safe.

Improper humidity moisture control

This has become an important consideration for an HVAC unit. Lack of humidity during dry climates or the winter months can lead to breathing problems, dry lips, cracked skin, sore throat and other such health issues. Dry nasal passages can leave a family prone to respiratory illness and infection, and can deteriorate flu symptoms. Apart from impacting your family's safety and health, dry air also has the ability to damage your house. Cracking hardwood floors, furniture and molding are just a few expensive results of improper humidity. You can contribute towards your family’s health and to the longevity of your home by installing a humidifier that regulates the moisture levels inside the house.

Electrical problems

Electrical issues can also pose several risks. A very common problem is a water leakage within the system. It is very common for the condensation drain of an A/C to become blocked. This can lead to water draining onto the system's components, leading to equipment failure, and creating the hazard of electric shock. Therefore, air conditioner restoration is not something an immature homeowner should take care of. An experienced contractor will be aware of likely risks, and take the right precautions. Preventive maintenance on a regular basis is required to avoid electrical risks.

Your HVAC unit, if not properly monitored and maintained, can make you sick or further aggravate your health problems. Regular attention to air quality and professional maintenance are the best ways to avoid many safety and health risks posed by HVAC systems. However, the information provided is not meant to substitute for the medical advice and expertise of a healthcare provider. It is best to discuss any decisions about care and treatment of your medical condition with a healthcare provider.

How to keep your HVAC system energy efficient

Most homeowners in the United States shell out thousands of dollars every year on heating, ventilation and air conditioning bills. The truth is that you can lower your energy expenses by improving the efficiency of your HVAC system. Here are some simple energy-saving tips that can help you cut-back. 

For Heating

Heating accounts for almost 60% of our energy use. There are three main ways of reducing heating expenses:-

• Turn it down: Even by decreasing the set points by one degree has the potential to lower your yearly heating bill by almost 8%.
• Replace inefficient boilers: Replacing unproductive boilers with higher efficiency models can help you gain better savings through a heating system that is more energy efficient.

For Ventilation

Proper ventilation is extremely important. It offers fresh air and also assists in protecting a house against condensation and dampness. Needless ventilation, on the other hand, can lead to energy wastage and can cost you a lot of money.

• Time settings: Try to make sure the fans are not running when not required. This practice will not only help you save energy, but will also keep the hot air from venting out of the house.
• Motors: When you buy a new motor for your ventilator, always stick to a higher efficiency model as it can easily save you up to 5% on energy costs.

For Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is known to increase the energy consumption and related carbon emissions by almost 100%. Fortunately, there are some easy, low-cost ways that can help you save energy and make your A/C more efficient.

• Temperature control: Make sure your A/C does not function below 24°C. Also, your cooling and heating systems should not be competing with one another as it is a complete wastage of money.
• Variable speed drives: Do not generate more cooling than you actually need - this can waste energy and money. Variable speed drives can fluctuate the system’s output to meet your requirements all through the day. This can help you in saving money on energy.
• Free cooling coils: It utilizes outside air (if it is cool enough) as a source of lowering the temperature within the house. This helps in reducing energy bills because you won’t have to utilize as much energy to generate cooling for the AC system.
• Keep windows and doors shut: Keep the windows and doors closed during the day to save energy. Reopen the coverings at night or early morning to let in cool fresh air from outside.
• Leaky ducts: Request for a complete inspection of your ducts. Leaky ducts are extremely common and reduce the effectiveness of a system. Remember, small modifications to these units can help save a lot of time and money.

If you are experiencing problems and your unit is more than ten years old, consider buying a new HVAC system. A new efficient system, when properly installed and sized, will turn out to be more cost-effective in the long run. Buying a unit of the right size and installing it correctly is critical to comfort and efficiency.  Ask for help and guidance from a local HVAC expert, and make sure a qualified professional installs the new system. Also, have your system professionally serviced every season. Request for a tune-up periodically that includes cleaning the coils, checking the refrigerant for charge and a complete inspection of the duct system.

Tips to choose an Air Duct Cleaning Company

Regular HVAC cleaning can contribute tremendously to our health. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning can collect fungi, mold, bacteria and several other contaminants that decrease their efficiently. An unclean air duct can also contribute towards poor indoor air quality and affect the health of the residents.

The main aim of residential air duct cleaning is to get rid of these contaminants from the HVAC system to achieve best indoor air quality.

Vacuum:

One of the most effective ways of cleaning ventilation/air duct systems is to make use of a powerful vacuum that puts negative pressure on the ventilation/air ducts. The devices help in dislodging contaminants and debris from the interior surfaces, moving the pollutants from the machine into the vacuum.

Sanitizers:

Experts advise homeowners to use sanitizers on the surface of their HVAC air ducts to constrain microbial contamination. However, all anti-microbial sanitizers that are applied should be EPA registered for use in heat ventilation air conditioning systems. Sanitizing air ducts through registered products ensures there are no damaging dermal (skin), inhalation (breathing), ocular (eyes), or ingestion (swallowing) effects from the items. It is best to get in touch with an expert when buying these items to avoid any mishaps.

Vacuum and sanitization alone cannot clean the HVAC system. Air whips, brushes, "skipper balls" and other tools are also used to shake the debris and contaminants by scrubbing the surfaces inside the air duct system and forcing the fragments into the vacuum collection devices.

Seek professional help

When it comes to air duct cleaning, it is best to leave the job to a professional. Experienced providers know the right way to clean the ventilation as well as use the right sanitizers. 

How to narrow your list of possible Contractors

1. Ask for how long the provider has been in business and if the experience is satisfactory.

2. Find out if the company has the correct equipment to perform cleaning, and if the provider has performed similar work like yours. You can also ask for references from friends, family and neighbors.

3. Find out if the company has a good repute with the local Better Business Bureau (BBB).

4. Get proof that the provider is adequately insured and properly licensed.

5. Make sure that the provider will clean and inspect all the air ducts and linked system components.

Apart from this, it is also important to beware of air duct cleaning providers that charge a very low fee and clean the cooling and heating system poorly. These companies are also known to coax consumers into unnecessary services. Contact the BBB and federal, local, and state elected officials in case you suffer from such deceit.

We breathe in millions of germs from air ducts that can cause asthma, allergies and even chronic illnesses. In every house, the air ducts collect dirt, dust, pet dander and human skin flakes, becoming the holding cells for mold spores, allergens, germs and other such contaminants. This problem begins long before we move into a new construction, with the accumulation of sawdust, drywall dust, and other fragments in ducts that create a perfect environment for the development of allergens and germs. To avoid problems caused by unclean ducts, make sure you’re regular with the cleanings. Also, make it a point to get your HVAC checked and sanitized frequently by a professional duct cleaning company for best results.