Maintain Your Home’s Air Quality

Air quality is something we usually take for granted throughout our day, whether it be exercising outdoors, at our place of business, or working at home. The federal Environmental Protection Agency found that indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside. Poor indoor air quality can lead to more than allergies or asthma, it has also been proven to cause fever, nausea, headaches, affect heart conditions, and other health reactions. Indoor air quality is important for the overall health of your family. These simple maintenance tasks can help improve the quality of air in your home or business. 

Some ways to maintain indoor air quality are: 

Get a whole-home evaluation by a professional at least once per year. 

• Check for duct leakage (duct leakage can cause  insulation particles to enter your home environment.
• Dead rodents and insects can enter your system. As air passes through the dead bodies it can cause bad odors or allergic reactions
• Growth of mold inside the system can cause sickness if it is not taken care of. 
• Dust mites are critters that can only be seen with a microscope. They enjoy living in close proximity to humans since they consume things like skin flakes shed by you and I. Dust mites are one of the main culprits for both asthma as well as allergies. Despite being microscopic in size, these unseen pests are responsible for allergic reactions since their gut utilizes digestive enzymes which are very powerful, so powerful that when their feces are inhaled by humans they develop allergies or wheezing.

Install HVAC air filtration system. 

Air Filtration is the first step to a healthy home. Most 1" filters will not protect your home from viruses or bacteria because they do not filter enough particles in your system. A higher efficiency filter such as HEPA (High Energy Particulate Air filters) or media filters will help your home with particulates such as lint, dust, mold spores, bacteria, dust mites, tobacco smoke, pet dander, and pollen. 

Install HVAC ultraviolet germicidal lights. 

Do you know what grows inside your AC system - a dark, damp humid environment? Yes, mold/mildew will grow inside your system. 1 cu. in. of mold can have up to 1 million mold spores this is why it is so important to keep your system clean all the time. Germicidal lights are the perfect solution to protect your family and your AC system. 

Install an HVAC Purification System. 

Once you have filtered the air and treated your AC system you will only need to purify your air with an air ionizer/neutralizer.This will help neutralize all bacteria and viruses that are still roaming in your home. If you are using an ionizer this purification system will release positive and negative ions and neutralize bacteria. This is the most reliable system that is currently being used in hospitals to treat covid-19 and to help purify N95 masks for doctors while there was a shortage. This system releases hydrogen peroxide and will puncture the nucleus of airborne viruses and bacteria.

Install a portable purification system. 

Ideally you want to purify your entire home or office. But if your workplace or apartment does not provide this and you have air quality concerns for a small area or work space, purchasing a portable air purifier can help pull the dust and particles out of the air in that space without installing a more costly, permanent system.

Control humidity in the home. 

Humidity and moisture in the home can develop mold and contaminate the air quality. Depending on your location, hot summer days can be a catalyst for humid conditions. The humidity level in your home can be controlled by a dehumidifier. There are a wide selection to choose from and a dehumidifier unit will improve the air quality and help create a more comfortable home for your family. 

Keeping the air in your home breathable and safe requires maintenance and diligence. These maintenance tips will help improve air quality and reduce health risks and potential increased air system expenses due to lack of maintenance and care. Contact our team at Airtegrity if you would like to schedule a home systems inspection.