Many people spend more time indoors than they do outside. That’s why it’s so important to take appropriate steps to maintain a healthy level of indoor air quality in your Commerce City, CO, home.
Potential Contaminants and Health Issues
There are several different contaminants that can be found inside homes in the Commerce City area. This includes things like pollen from the outside, pet dander, mold spores, volatile organic compounds, dust, and dust mites. When we breathe these particulates in, we can experience symptoms like itchy eyes, coughing, a stuffy nose, trouble breathing, headaches, etc.
Comfort Level
A home with healthy indoor air quality will feel more comfortable. Air circulation, temperature, humidity, and air flow are all taken into consideration with IAQ. If you suffer from ongoing health issues, you’ll feel safer and more comfortable in a home with healthy indoor air quality.
The Importance of Your HVAC System
Inside your HVAC system there is a filter that can remove some of these particulates from the air passing through when your heating or cooling equipment is running. Unfortunately, some filters don’t do a great job, especially if they haven’t been changed out in a while. We recommend that you change your filter once every 30 to 90 days, depending on the type of filter you have.
In addition to using your HVAC system to remove particulate matter from your indoor air, we can install a whole-house filtration system onto your current setup. Instead of using a portable unit that doesn’t address much of the square footage in your home, this whole-house setup is very effective.
Different Types of Filtration
Depending on the quality of your indoor air and what you’re hoping to accomplish with filtration, there are different types of equipment you can use.
HEPA
High-efficiency particulate air filters, or HEPA for short, are designed to remove as much as 99.97% of the particulate matter in your air. Unfortunately, HEPA filters tend to be too restrictive for most standard residential furnaces. They are used more often in purification units.
Activated Carbon Filtration
Often accompanied by a standard fiberglass or pleated filter, activated carbon is an excellent consideration to improve IAQ. This material can absorb odors, leaving your home smelling fresher. It’s also the ideal way to remove volatile organic compounds from your indoor air. These VOCs are chemicals that come from different sources in your home, such as cleaning products, air fresheners, new building materials or paint.
UV Light Technology
In addition to filtration, you can have a UV light installed on your HVAC system. Thanks to UV-C light, the DNA of common bacteria, viruses, and pathogens can be destroyed. This will prevent you and your family from getting sick. Unfortunately, this process doesn’t trap particulate matter.
Standard Pleated Filters
The standard pleated filter is an affordable way to improve your indoor air quality. It’s more effective than a fiberglass filter thanks to its increased surface area.
Considering Humidity
The relative humidity in your home should be kept between 30% and 50%. Anything higher than this can result in your home feeling uncomfortable. High levels of humidity can also promote the growth of mold. Fixtures, furnishings, and structural materials can also become damaged from high levels of humidity. Low levels of humidity can also make you feel uncomfortable, causing dry eyes, itchy skin, etc.
Whole-house humidity can be addressed using dehumidifiers and humidifiers that are installed on your HVAC system. This equipment requires minimal maintenance compared to the portable models that you may be familiar with.
If you would like assistance with addressing your indoor air quality concerns, reach out to our team here at Smith & Willis Heating & Air Conditioning. In addition to IAQ testing, we can install whole-house purification equipment, increase the ventilation in your home, and help you control humidity. We also install, repair, and maintain different types of heating and cooling equipment. Contact Smith & Willis Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule an appointment.
