You may not think much about your indoor air quality. In fact, people often focus on the pollutants in outdoor air without realizing that indoor air quality can be much worse. You don’t have to suffer from allergies to feel the effects of dust mites, pet dander, mold, and other pollutants in your home. Additionally, allergens from outdoors, such as pollen, can enter, and remain inside.
These indoor and outdoor pollutants can all contribute to poor indoor air quality, but there are several steps you can take to reduce their presence. The suggestions here will help you improve your home’s indoor air quality, leading to greater comfort for you and your entire household.
Whole-House Ventilation Fans
If your home isn’t properly ventilated, allergens come in and have no way to get out. Whole-house ventilation fans can serve the dual function of cooling and ventilating your home. We usually install them between the attic and the living area. Since heat rises, they move stale, hot air out. They typically run in the evening, pulling in fresh, cooler air through the windows and venting it through the attic or roof. Environmental allergens are usually lower during the evening, nighttime, and early morning hours.
This circulation helps improve your air quality by greatly improving ventilation. It’s particularly important to consider an effective ventilation system, as sealed windows, which are crucial for energy efficiency, may also reduce air circulation and the amount of fresh air entering your home.
Properly Sealed Windows
As important as ventilation can be, you also want to be able to control airflow when it comes to your windows. This is particularly true when outdoor air quality is poor. However, if you live in an older home, your windows probably let in a lot of air even when they’re closed and locked. Installing properly-sealed windows can help you keep pollen and other allergens that are high during the day out of your indoor air space.
At Loves Air, we can replace your windows with more energy-efficient versions that prevent outdoor pollutants from getting in.
Use a Higher-Quality Air Filter
Whatever type of HVAC system you have in your home, regular filter changes are important for maintaining the best indoor air quality. Some systems will require a specific type of filter. This is the case for mini-splits, which often feature reusable filters that require bi-weekly cleaning and annual replacement.
For other systems, such as traditional HVAC systems with ducts, you may have several options. Disposable air filters for these systems include a rating system known as MERV. This stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, indicating the effectiveness of an air filter. The values range from 1 to 20. For better protection, you’d look for a filter with a higher value. HEPA filters have an equivalent of MERV 17 or higher, but most home systems can’t handle higher than MERV 13. The get better filtration you’ll need to invest in an air purification system.
However, there’s more to getting the right filter than just looking at the highest number. You’ll find filters with higher MERV ratings in settings such as hospitals and are generally not suitable for private homes. In addition, you should be aware that higher MERV ratings can make your HVAC system run less efficiently. You’ll need to balance your needs for higher air quality with efficiency as you decide on the degree of filtering that’s right for your household.
How often you change your filter is another factor in maintaining high air quality. The standard recommendation is to change the filter every two to three months. If you have pets or live in an area with high exposure to other allergens, you may want to change your filter more frequently. This might mean every 30 days instead of every 90 days.
Other HVAC Maintenance
In addition to making sure that you stay on top of your filter changes, there are other types of HVAC maintenance that can be important in keeping allergens out of your home and maintaining high indoor air quality. When we perform maintenance for our customers, we typically clean the unit, remove debris, and replace any necessary filters.
We ensure that there is no mold growing in your unit and that you do not experience issues with ventilation, airflow, or excessive humidity. These can all affect air quality. When you have maintenance done on your HVAC system, be sure to mention any unusual smells or other issues, as these could indicate an air quality problem.
Duct Sealing
The ducts in traditional HVAC systems that carry air to various rooms in your house are vulnerable to damage. This means that, in addition to losing some of the warm and cool air they are supposed to provide, debris and other pollutants can also enter the system.
Pests, such as rats or squirrels, can even invade ducts. Contaminants in your duct system then circulate throughout your home. This can be a particular problem for people who already have allergies or other respiratory issues, but it can cause irritation to the throat and nasal passages for everyone.
Duct sealing can repair that damage. If you live in an older home and have not replaced the ducts, you may want to consider having us inspect them and sealing any leaks if necessary.
Air Purifiers
An indoor air purifier is an excellent way to remove pollen, dust, mold, and other allergens from the air inside your home. Air purifiers work by pulling in air with a fan. The air is filtered and then circulated back into your home.
There are smaller portable air purifiers that you can use in a single room, as well as whole-home air purifiers that are integrated into your HVAC system. However, if you have a central AC, dirty air will be recirculated.
A whole-home air purification system can thoroughly clean the air in your entire home. These usually have multi-stage filters with HEPA filtration. Many also include activated carbon filters to remove odors and harmful gases.
The Importance of Indoor Air Quality
Removing allergens from indoor air is not just for the allergy-prone. Indoor air pollutants can cause uncomfortable symptoms for everyone. This includes coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, sore throat, and headaches. Long-term exposure to allergens is not good for your health.
Indoor Air Quality Service From Loves Air
At Loves Air, we offer a number of products and services that can improve the air quality in your home. We can work with you to ensure that you have adequate ventilation, and we can install whole-house fans and replace your windows. Additionally, we can perform duct sealing and provide the necessary HVAC maintenance to help maintain high air quality. Other tools we offer to improve your air quality include air purifiers, UV and germicidal light installations, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.
Our hard work has kept customers satisfied for more than 15 years, and we’ve won the Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave and Best of 209 Awards multiple years in a row. Our NATE-certified technicians can get started today improving your Modesto, CA home’s air quality.
Contact Loves Air for the best indoor air quality services in the area.
