Indoor air quality is vital to your family’s health. Did you realize that the air inside the average home is much more polluted than outdoor air? It is—about five times more. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental hazards. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are regularly found inside homes.
Humidity is also a concern when it comes to indoor air quality. Air that is too humid or too dry can have ill effects on your health and damage your home. Let’s check out three of the ways Integrity AC & Heating LLC can help you increase the indoor air quality in your Phoenix home.
A Clean System is the First Step to Good Indoor Air Quality
A dirty HVAC system can harbor and circulate allergens throughout your indoor space. Your first line of defense is to make sure your system is kept clean and well maintained. The easiest thing you can do is check your air filter routinely and replace it when it becomes dirty. In most homes, the air filter needs to be changed every two or three months, but Integrity AC & Heating LLC recommends that you check them every month—especially if you have indoor air quality issues. Annual furnace, heat pump and/or air conditioner maintenance is beneficial, too. Your technician will ensure your system is clean and not circulating dust and debris throughout your Phoenix home.
Enlist the Help of an Air Purifier
An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality and provide some relief from seasonal and indoor allergies. For maximum allergy control, look for an air purifier that filters out at least 95 percent of particles as small as .3 micron (a micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter). Regardless of whether allergies are an issue with any one in your home, filtering out pollutants is important. The EPA has stated that the long-term effects of poor indoor air quality include potentially debilitating or deadly respiratory and heart diseases and cancer (https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality). A good air purifier, like the Lennox® PureAirTM, will remove 90 percent of germs and bacteria from your home—down to .01 micron.
Another way an air purifier can make your space more comfortable is by removing household odors. While not as serious as pollutants and germs, bad odors are usually unwelcome in people’s homes. Odors from things like pets, cooking, and sports gear can leave your house smelling unclean. Cleaning your air with an air purifier is a healthier way to eliminate these odors than trying to conceal it. Cleaning products, air sprays and scented candles may actually pollute your indoor air more. The right air purifier will end household odors, giving you clean, healthy air.
Control Humidity for Health
The EPA recommends maintaining your indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Dry air can cause health problems like upper-respiratory issues, dry throat and nose, and itchy skin. Don’t forget that viruses generally thrive in dry air, and dry air is known to intensify symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. And, chances are likely that your home’s air is too dry—the average heated home has a relative humidity between 13 and 16 percent in the winter months. That’s drier than the world’s driest deserts! So what can help?
A whole home humidifier can provide up to 50 percent more humidity than portable humidifiers. Plus, you don’t have to continuously adjust most models—just program in your desired humidity and you’re done. Proper humidity levels will not only help keep your household in good health, but they can help protect your home from damages caused by dry airlike shrinking and cracking wood. What’s even better is that humid air feels warmer, so with a whole home humidifier on board, you could set your thermostat a little lower to save on energy bills without sacrificing comfort.
These are just some of the ways Integrity AC & Heating LLC can help you increase your indoor air quality. Contact us at 602-971-0567 to find out even more options.