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Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) What's Yours?In a world where smog, haze and ozone alerts are all too common, it's nice to know you can always come inside to catch a breath of fresh air...or can you?
Is This Serious? Absolutely! Exposure to dust mites, animal dander, cat saliva, mold and the like, cause about 200,000 emergency room visits a year for asthma patients. Even worse, radon, a highly carcinogenic gas emitted from the soil, is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
In your own home, poor air quality can cause irritation of the eyes and/or respiratory tissues, headaches, nausea, lethargy, and serious illnesses such as cancer and decreased lung function.
Factories, office buildings, homes, restaurants, movie theatres...none are immune to indoor air pollution.
Take a look at the possible pollutants lurking in your home:
dust, pollen, molds, animal dander, house dust allergens, cigarette smoke, un-vented combustion appliances such as gas stoves and kerosene heaters, viruses, and bacteria
Other pollutants include: Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide produced by combustion appliances, cigarette smoking, and the infiltration of vehicle exhaust gases from attached garages or the outdoors. And radon which is radioactive pollutants that originate from natural sources such as rock, soil, groundwater, natural gas, and mineral building materials.
These pollutants have the potential to cause lung cancer in humans. The risk of lung cancer increases with the level in the air and the frequency and duration of exposure.
When you are working to improve indoor air quality, it's important to consult your HVAC dealer to make sure your home comfort system is designed properly as a complete and compatible system and have your home comfort system inspected regularly by a qualified service technician. That way, you'll know your equipment is functioning properly.
What can I do to achieve better indoor air quality? The first step to better indoor air is to identify the sources of air pollutants. Eliminating the sources of indoor pollutants, to the extent feasible, is the most effective way to clean your air. Elimination
Detection Carbon monoxide detectors provide constant monitoring of your indoor air to detect unsafe levels of carbon monoxide. In addition to having carbon monoxide detectors, it is strongly recommended that you have fuel-burning appliances (such as gas clothes dryers and furnaces) and venting systems maintained on a regular basis to eliminate potential carbon monoxide-related dangers that they may pose. Choose a high quality detector for more effective detection.
The EPA and Surgeon General recommend conducting a radon test on all homes, second floor and below. Each type of radon test kit is inexpensive and easy to use and it only takes a few minutes of your time to set up.
Purification Air Purifiers inhibit the growth of biological organisms that may be present in your home. These include products such as ultraviolet lights and micro biocide treated air filters. Odor removal can be accomplished through the use of charcoal activated air filters.
Filtration Electronic Air Cleaners (EAC's) and high-efficiency air filters help clean the air and provide respiratory relief by removing dust, dirt and pollen. They are designed to trap even microscopic particles, so cleaner air is circulated back into your home.
The use of air cleaning devices alone cannot assure adequate air quality, particularly where significant sources are present and ventilation is inadequate and should be used in addition to ventilation.
Ventilation Ventilation brings outside air indoors. It can be achieved by opening windows and doors, by turning on bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans or in some situations, by the use of mechanical ventilation systems, with or without heat recovery ventilators (air-to-air heat exchangers).
Besides the fact outdoor air contains undesirable levels of contaminants, with the concern for energy efficiency, we have all but eliminated fresh air from our homes
Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) is one of the best tools in providing good indoor air quality. It can provide a major portion of the ventilation for your home. (Signs of poor ventilation include moisture condensation on windows or walls and smelly or stuffy air.)
Humidification Humidifiers add moisture to every room in your home to soften harsh, dry air. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommend that the relative humidity in your home should be between 30-60 % to minimize the growth of bacteria and dust mites. Using a humidifier can help you to maintain this standard.
The quality of the air indoors is affected by more than just the impact of indoor contaminants and allergens; it is also affected by a number of conditions such as:
Heating and Cooling Systems Proper temperature and humidity control is essential in maintaining good indoor air quality. For example, inadequate cooling or too much moisture can increase the possibility of mold production. Also, using the heating/cooling fan to maintain airflow is essential in keeping your home uniformly heated and cooled.
Ductwork System Having the appropriate number of returns (cold air returns) and supply grills can have a great affect on Indoor Air Quality. Not enough returns can reduce the effectiveness of proper heating and cooling and can severely reduce the ability to move all of the air or reduce the moisture levels in your home. This can also affect filtration of the air.
Filtration System The ability to reduce/remove a significant level of airborne particles in your home is essential in maintaining good indoor air quality. Constant airflow through the heating/cooling systems, when possible, is recommended to keep airborne particles going to the filter and not settling out on the floor.
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AirCare Mechanical, Inc. 115 Key Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740 301-393-9313 FAX / 301-393-9490 EMAIL: info@aircaremechanical.com “We encourage you to call, if only for advice” |