Most Helpful Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality
You might not be aware of it, but keeping your unit’s efficiency at its maximum also cuts down the chances of the AC spewing out dust motes and mold spores into your abode. That said, it’s easy to see that improving indoor air quality is tantamount to preserving you and your family’s wellbeing.
Moreover, diligently having your AC serviced minimizes your expenses in that it cuts down the probabilities of your unit conking out on you. Your most ideal option to keep your unit in tip-top shape is to avail one of your HVAC provider’s maintenance plans. If you’re low on funds however, go for do-it-yourself techniques. However, note that you have to carefully perform these to avoid damaging any of the unit parts.
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
A lot of families do not know that air pollution can exist within households. They also don’t know that air conditioning and heating systems, if left to operate for a protracted timespan without maintenance, are the largest contributors. Left uninformed, households like this eventually contract infections and allergies. In reality, air pollution can happen anywhere. Exposure to unclean air will increase the risk of getting scratchy throats, headaches, and itchy eyes. Air pollution has actually caused most cases of respiratory infections.
The explanation above justifies your need of enhancing your air conditioning system. Below are things you can do to keep a healthy surrounding.
USING THE RIGHT FILTER
The filters you use for your cooling and heating systems must provide adequate filtration in removing airborne particles including pollen, cockroach allergens, pet dander, dust, viruses, mold spores, and bacteria. Opt for filters you can easily remove to reduce hassles when cleaning them.
No matter how costly your filters are, if you won’t clean them from time to time, they would invariably impede the flow of fresh and clean air as dust and dirt accumulate on them. To avoid this, have them cleaned regularly. They have to be changed every month as well. If this sounds too much of a hassle for you, know that there are types of filter that can survive for up to three months without needing any maintenance work.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF YOUR UNIT
While your heating and cooling systems operate, they tend to accumulate dust on their duct walls. You have to be diligent in maintaining these areas. Having clean ducts increases air circulation and ventilation. Other benefits include reduction of allergen levels; your home will have little dust and animal dander floating in it. Failure to do so will increase the chances of air pollution occurring. To prevent this from occurring, hire HVAC technicians to clean your ducts on a fixed schedule. It’s an excellent idea as they know well how to properly clean and maintain each HVAC type.
If you’re doing DIY maintenance routines and you find out there are parts that got damaged or worse, the whole unit is malfunctioning, get it repaired by professionals. Do not use a defective system or attempt to fix a technical problem that’s beyond your level of expertise. Doing so might exacerbate problems. If the technicians call it quits and announce that your unit is unsalvageable, consider getting a replacement. HVAC companies are great venues to get quality ones. They also offer inspection and installment services. They will ensure that you obtain a unit that is suits your needs and your house’s space.
OTHER MUST-DO STEPS
Aside from taking care of your unit, you have to also consider external factors like purcahsing a high performance HVAC heating and cooling unit, must higher qualified fitting team and maintain a routine to take care of them.
There are homes that harbor a lot of allergens. These substances are quite hard to get rid of especially if you only have ordinary cooling and heating filters. An air-cleaning device is most recommended. You can actually ask your HVAC provider to upgrade your unit with more quality filters and install cleaning devices in the ductwork. These indoor air cleaners normally use gas-phase filters, ultraviolet lamps, and electric precipitators.
These help capture dust mites, mold, pollen, bacteria, viruses, and pet dander. Use the best quality filter possible.
GIVE YOUR SYSTEM PERIODIC BREAKS. YOU CAN DO THE FOLLOWING:
If the weather is dry and warm, turn your unit off and let air come in through your windows. That fresh breeze can lower your indoor humidity. It also removes foul smells.
Opt for fans in keeping your laundry room, bathroom, and basement dry. This method is more preferable than cranking up your system to perform at its maximum level to warm up or cool down your entire house. Remember that mold thrive in damp areas. A too cold a space can encourage bacterial growth. This is one contributor of foul smells.
When frying food, use kitchen fans to expel odors. Do the same thing when boiling water.
Use your system in moderation. Aside from keeping maintenance routines at a minimum, it will also cut down your electric bills!
If someone in your family is smoking, tell him to stop this unhealthy habit or to smoke outside your abode. Cigarette or tobacco poses a danger to your health, much more to infants. No one should smoke inside your house, more so when your system is working as this will spread the smoke through your entire household.
Lastly, there are knowledgeable health care providers who can give you recommendations on managing indoor air pollution.
