AIR-QUALITY

There is so much talking about the toxic air pollutants outside.  Did you know indoor pollutants can be just as unhealthy, if not more?  An estimated 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using polluting fuels, such as wood, coal, and kerosene, with inefficient appliances or technologies.  Fine particles and carbon monoxide gets released into the air, creating household air pollution. This indoor pollution comes from various sources and includes a wide range of gases, chemicals, and other substances.  Other household air pollutants include mold, allergens, home products, building materials, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  These not only pose serious health risks, but when indoor spaces aren’t adequately ventilating, the polluted air can exacerbate the health risks.   This is why installing a cooling and heating system is essential for the health of the household and workplace.

HVAC systems do much more than pushing out cool air.  Today, air conditioning units, especially high-efficiency systems, help manage what’s known as “Indoor Air Quality” or IAQ.  A combination of the air’s cleanliness (no pollen or dust), humidity, temperature management, and odor is the definition of IAQ.

Furthermore, upgrades to your HVAC system, such as air cleaners, ventilators, and high-tech air filters, can give your living space the ultimate, most efficient technology to ensure fresh and clean breathing air in every room of your house. 

AIR DUCT CLEANING

Breathing in good air is essential for good health.  That’s why homeowners choose to have their HVAC air ducts cleaned every three to five years.  An HVAC system’s air ducts are referred to as the lungs of your home because they exhale what they take in. According to the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), dirty air ducts cycle air contaminants and  pollutants throughout a home five to seven times per day.  This re-circulation of contaminants over time can accumulate in your HVAC system.  The way to remove this build-up is by a professional, and that’s where we come in!

There are four main benefits of an air duct cleaning:

1. Allergy Removal

One of the main reasons homeowners choose to clean their ducts during the spring is the increasing of various allergens and pollen in the air. Dust, mold, pollen, pet dander, insects, and rodents can all live inside your ducts, wreaking havoc on allergy sufferers.  Mold, dust, pollen, pet dander, and even insects and rodents can find a home inside your ducts, wreaking havoc on allergy sufferers.

It can be difficult to find relief from allergy symptoms while relaxing at home when allergens are trapping inside your ducts.  Cleaning by dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming can help, but you must address the source of the problem to see results. Annual duct cleanings prevent allergens from spreading throughout your home when the air conditioner is turning on.  The indoor air in your home would be less likely to trigger allergic reactions in the spring if the root of the problem is solved.

2. Odor Removal

Duct cleaning has the ability to reduce or remove lingering smells in your home, which is a less commonly known benefit.  Mold and bacteria are often found inside the ductwork, which can be unpleasant smells and small rodents that leave behind droppings or even dead inside.  Pet dander, tobacco smoke, and cooking smells can build up in your ducts as well. Having your ducts cleaned by a professional will help to reduce or remove those unwanted odors!

3. Decrease Energy Use

When the air conditioner is turned on, cold air circulates through the duct system, spreading it through your home.  Clogged ducts filled with dust and debris make your HVAC system use extra energy as it forces the air through the ducts.  In fact, ENERGY STAR estimates that about 20% of the air moving through your duct system is lost due to duct issues and leaks.  Not only will this cause an increase in your monthly bills, but it shortens the life of your HVAC system because it’s working too hard.

4. Cleaner Home

As stated above, your ducts can accumulate dust, mold, pollen, and contaminants that make their way into your living space.  Because air cycles through the duct system, your ducts will carry dust and debris too.  That’s probably why your house mysteriously accumulates more dust every week.  Cleaning your ducts will prevent pollutants from coming into your home again, increasing the air quality in your environment.

DEHUMIDIFIERS AND HUMIDIFIERS

Benefits of Dehumidifiers

1. Improves health

According to the EPA, coughing, wheezing, and asthma symptoms can be caused by inhaling damp indoor air.  In order to reduce the growth of dust mites and other allergens in the home, your home’s relative humidity must keep between 30 and 50 percent.  Toxins like formaldehyde can be released in hot and humid indoor air from pollutants like cigarette smoke, wood products, paints, varnishes, and carpets. Managing humidity in the environment can greatly reduce these level of toxins and improve health.

2. Prevents Damage

Mold growth and pests such as termites are attracted to excessive humidity.  The decaying and corroding of building materials, such as damage to wooden support beams and floors, paint, furniture, and insulation, can result from too much humidity.

3. Saves Money

Dehumidifiers may save you money on cooling bills since dry air feels cooler.  You don’t have to use the air conditioner during the warm months.  According to a study conducted by the Department of Energy in Florida, a whole-house dehumidifier combined with a central air-conditioning unit could save 8.2 percent in space-conditioning energy over a year.

Benefits of Humidifiers

1. Prevents Influenza

Humidifiers, according to the authors of one study, may reduce the risk of catching the flu. Researchers discovered that when the influenza virus was released into the air via a simulated cough, humidity levels above 40% quickly deactivated virus particles, making them much less infectious.

2. Makes a cough productive

A dry, unproductive cough can be brought on by dry air. Increasing the air’s humidity can help get more moisture into the airways, making coughing more productive. A productive cough allows trapped or sticky phlegm to be released.

3. Reduction in Snoring

Snoring can be reduced by increasing the amount of moisture in the air. When the air is dry, the airways are less likely to be adequately lubricated, which can exacerbate snoring.

Running a humidifier at night can help to relieve some symptoms by adding humidity to the air.

4. Increase moisture of skin and hair

In the winter, some people notice that their skin, lips, and hair become dry and fragile.  Many types of heating units circulate hot, dry air throughout the home or office, causing dry, itchy, or flaky skin. Outside, the cold air can also dry out the skin.  Adding moisture to the indoor air with a humidifier may help to reduce the occurrence of dry, cracked skin.

5. Benefits for the home

Humidifier moisture can be beneficial in the home. Wood floors and furniture may last longer, and moisture-loving houseplants may become more vibrant. Humidity can also aid in the prevention of wallpaper cracking and the accumulation of static electricity. Also, humid air can feel warmer than dry air, potentially saving money on utility bills during the winter months.

HOME AIR BALANCING

Air balancing improves air circulation, increases energy efficiency, and improves your HVAC system’s overall performance. The process of air balancing entails modifying your existing HVAC system to ensure that air is distributed evenly throughout your home, achieving the correct amount of heat transfer in all zones. You want your HVAC system’s components to work in unison.

For an HVAC technician, air balancing is the process of testing and adjusting your system with our trade skills and tools. We assess your intake and output and make adjustments as necessary.

SPECIAL ZONE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

An HVAC zoning system (also known as “zoned HVAC”) is a heating and cooling system that regulates and redirects air to specific areas of the home using dampers in the ductwork. Air zoning enables the creation of customized temperature zones for increased comfort and efficiency throughout the home.

Is a zoning system ideal for your house?

A zoned HVAC system is beneficial to almost every household. Zoning systems are advantageous because most homes have a room that is always too hot or cold and family members who have different temperature preferences. Zoning systems allow you to meet a variety of comfort needs while also conserving energy.

If you have large windows in your home, a top floor that is always warmer than lower floors, rooms that you rarely use or that feel stuffy, or particular areas like a home office or gym that require additional cooling, you should consider zoned HVAC.

The advantages of zoned HVAC systems

Instead of setting a fixed temperature for your entire home, zoning systems allow you to create up to four temperature-managed “zones,” allowing you to save energy by not overheating or cooling other areas.  Zoning, when combined with a programmable thermostat, can save up to 35 percent on energy. With a programmable thermostat, you can even manage the temperature in any zone from your smartphone or tablet.

FRESH AIR UV LIGHT

Did you know that indoor air can be up to ten times more polluted than outdoor air? Your indoor air quality is essential and finding ways to keep it clean and purified is essential for your health.

The award-winning fresh air UV light system whole-house in-duct air purifier is the next generation of IAQ technology, making your central air conditioning system capable of purifying every cubic inch of air it reaches.  The fresh air UV light system whole home in-duct air purifier is the best solution for the entire house and building air purification. Its design is to eliminate sick building syndrome risks by reducing odors and air pollutants.

With this system, you can say goodbye to bacteria and other pollutants that cause illness. Mold spores, dust, dander, and pollen are all reduced by the dual ionizers, killing up to 99% of bacteria, viruses, and mold.  Within three feet, a fresh air UV light system reduces sneeze germs by 99 percent. It can also kill 99 percent of viruses that live on the surfaces of your home. This system is easy to install and integrates with your existing HVAC system to provide clean air throughout your home, not just one room.

This air purification system is the only mercury-free and ozone-free LED in-duct, whole-house system on the market. It reduces pollutants and contaminants in the air that can cause illness from bacteria, viruses, and mold. Smoke, odors, VOCs, dust, and allergens are also reduced.  The replaceable LED cell module outlasts other UV lamp technologies by 2.5 times and includes automatic self-cleaning ionizers to keep harmful particles out of your lungs.

It’s like bringing fresh outdoor air inside without ever having to open your windows, thanks to an invention that mimics nature’s purification process. It’s also effective against all three types of indoor air pollutants: particulates, microbial, and gaseous pollutants.