For the past few months, the uncertainty regarding the spread of coronavirus has left many confined in their home in an effort to slow the impact on communities and keep those more vulnerable safe. One aspect of this threat remains active wherever you are - poor air quality.
A community’s level of air pollution and poor air quality has been correlated to the level of illness and mortality rates. Now during this COVID-19 impact, indoor air quality is even more important to pay attention to. Poor indoor air quality is dangerous to healthy adults. The constant exposure to mold or airborne bacteria (for example: 1cu in of mold has 1 million mold spores) affects one’s health with symptoms such as headaches, nausea, fever, and loss of sleep. Poor air quality is especially dangerous for older adults and those with respiratory illnesses. Maintaining a clean and safe air quality within your home is vital to you and your family’s overall health.
Because air quality is even more important now, there are several steps that can be taken to ensure that the health of your family is maintained. Did you know that air passes through your AC about 100 times per day and that it picks up all the dust, airborne bacteria and viruses in your home. It is important to reduce the amount of dust in your home. Dust can irritate or trigger allergies and cause respiratory distress. Having an efficient filtration system along with weekly vacuuming helps reduce this hazard. Cleaning and replacing filters once dust has collected ensures that the dust will not be stirred up and resettle around your home. [We will link to a future post about selecting the right filters once that is created]
Did you know that mold and mildew accumulate inside your AC? It grows because the humidity level inside your AC is above 70% and it is a dark/damp environment. A UV light will ensure that mold does not grow inside your system and keep your AC clean for many years.
An ionizer releases positive and negative ions into your home and will attach to bacteria and viruses. When a negative and positive ion attach to each other it will neutralize the bacteria.
Reme Halo units are manufactured by various companies. They are powerful sending out ionized hydro-peroxides into the space where you work and breathe, attacking microbes like bacteria, viruses, and mold spores, and destroys impurities like VOCs (chemical odors), chemicals, and odors in every cubic foot of air in the building at the same time.
These remove the stale air from your home. Don’t be afraid of fresh air intake within the home. During this pandemic, the amount of disinfectant sprays and wipes used for cleaning have skyrocketed. These cleaning products contain VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), which can irritate asthmatics and give rise to respiratory illnesses. Opening the windows will allow fresh air to enter and allow these VOCs to be released from your home. This will assist in stronger immunity for your family members while reducing potential harmful respiratory conditions.
NOTE opening window does help but it is not enough for homes in SA area just because the weather is too hot. Also unfiltered fresh air will cause filters to get dirty sooner.
In review, investing in a whole home air purifier is one of the best solutions to ensuring that the air within your home is clean. A qualified Indoor Air quality specialist can guide you in having the right solutions specific to your home needs and your budget.
Do not forget the importance of your HVAC system’s air filter. When clogged or dirty, these filters decrease the necessary airflow and decrease the system’s efficiency over time. It is important to check these filters frequently and, if needed, replace them. This can be done every one to three months. It is safe to say, if the filter looks dirty it is time to replace it immediately.
Want a Free Indoor Air Quality check? Let our Airtegrity team know if you have questions or if you would like assistance evaluating the indoor air quality of your home and checking your HVAC system filters. Take these steps to help improve the indoor air quality in your home today!
Reach out to the Airtegrity team today for all your comfort needs!
