by Stefani Hoffman
Owner Lake Creek Comfort
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average home contains at least five times as many pollutants as the air outside. Since most people spend more than 80 percent of their time indoors, we should all care about IAQ or Indoor Air Quality. Breathable air that is free of health threatening pollutants can lead to a lower risk of respiratory illnesses, fewer chronic conditions, and a higher quality of life. Many things affect the air quality in our homes and places of work – poorly maintained HVAC systems, gas appliances that may be leaking or not properly vented, smoking, pets, wood burning appliances, pollen, molds and mildews, and living near factories, highways, wildfires or dusty fields. Airborne bacteria and viruses, like COVID-19 can be a large problem, as we have experienced the last couple of years. Volatile organic chemicals are added to our air from many sources such as cooking, cleaners, paints, aerosols, newly installed flooring or other remodels, excess moisture, burning candles or using home fresheners. The good news is your local HVAC contractors have several solutions to the problem of poor IAQ.
In colder climates such as North Idaho, homes are being constructed tighter to conserve energy costs. The downside is less ventilation. Pollutants and allergens become trapped inside the home and affect the health and comfort of those living there. Ventilation is important and although we can open windows or doors to introduce some outside air, it is often difficult to depend on. Sometimes we may be facing poor outdoor air quality due to pollen, dust, or wildfire and once inside these pollutants can build up to extremely high concentrations. Opening windows may cause the HVAC system to work much harder to maintain the temperature or it may be uncomfortable for us. The most efficient way to ventilate is to have your heating or cooling system introduce outside air, where it is filtered before being recirculated with the indoor air.
The easiest thing a homeowner can do is maintain the home’s HVAC system regularly. Keeping the system running efficiently and in top performance will keep the air moving and filtering in your home. The filters are the first line of defense in your HVAC system and making sure they are changed regularly not only keeps your air cleaner, it also keeps your system running more efficiently and maintains good air flow. Filters begin to clog up immediately and must have frequent changes to stay at peak performance. A filter with a higher MERV rating will filter out smaller particles and keep the air cleaner. However, these higher rated filters also restrict a little more air flow, so it is important to have an HVAC professional ensure that your heating and cooling system is designed to handle a more restrictive filter and that you have proper air flow to keep your system running. Keeping the coils, fans and heat exchangers clean also will improve the efficiency of your system, resulting in a longer operating life, as well as energy and repair cost savings.
Duct cleanings are also an important part of maintaining your HVAC system and improving the quality of air in your home. It is normal for an HVAC system to pull dust, pet dander and other allergens into the system and this eventually builds up in your ducts and is transferred throughout the home. The ducts are a great place for these pollutants to thrive, it is often warm and sometimes moist since many of our ducts are in crawl spaces or basements where it can be damp. At times, we even discover that vermin such as rodents or insects have gained access to the ductwork in a home. New construction and remodeling can add additional drywall and construction debris to our vents and ducts. Most HVAC contractors can clean the entire duct system in your home and treat the ducts with a hypoallergenic sanitizer that inhibits the growth of harmful substances for a time. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends homeowners have their ducts cleaned every three to five years.
Air cleaners or air purifiers are available to remove particles. UV germicidal lights and Air Scrubbers are available from most HVAC contractors as well. These systems are installed directly into the ducts, and they work to sterilize and to bind particles together into larger fragments that can be filtered out more easily by your system’s filter. These products also remove dust and dander particles, bacteria and viruses (including SARS and COVID-19), and even odors that most mechanical and/or portable HEPA air cleaners cannot remove.
Be sure to schedule regular maintenance of your HVAC system and talk to your HVAC contractor about the quality of the air in your home. Clean air leads to a healthier life and Indoor Air Quality should be important to all of us.