Many studies and articles are available to the general public state that the indoor air quality in many homes is often worse than the air quality outdoors. There are many types of air pollutants, and it’s often difficult to determine which ones are present in your home. To help you improve your home’s indoor air quality, AC maintenance experts at Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating have prepared this list of frequently asked questions:
How Does Indoor Air Quality Suffer?
Indoor air quality can be affected by several different factors that can lower it significantly. Smoke from cooking and baking, dust, dander, humidity levels, mold, VOCs, radon, tiny insect carcasses, and many other factors can affect indoor air without the homeowner even noticing.
How Can I Improve the Air Quality in My Home?
There are several things you can do to prevent indoor air pollution from spiraling out of control and causing health issues like skin irritation, asthma flare-ups, and other respiratory illnesses. The EPA, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, cites three basic steps you can take: source control, improved ventilation, and the use of indoor air cleaners.
How Can I Stop Pollution at Its Source?
AC replacement experts suggest eliminating obvious sources of pollution like tobacco smoke from your home.
How Do I Ventilate Properly?
Opening your windows for at least 30 minutes a day as the weather permits can go a long way in ventilating your home and improving its indoor air quality. Opening windows on opposite sides of the house will create cross drafts that push stale air out and pull fresh air in. You can also use electric fans to ventilate faster.
Should I Buy an Air Purifier?
A good air purifier can help reduce indoor air pollution, but it’s important to be sure that what you’re buying is truly effective. Get one that bears the AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) verified mark and look for a CADR (clean air delivery rate) of 300 or higher. Buy an air purifier that’s at least a little larger than the unit specified for the room in which you’ll be using it. This will allow you to operate it at a lower power, which in turn means it will run more quietly. Lastly, make sure it uses a true HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter and not a “HEPA-like” copycat.
AC repair and maintenance experts at Cool Zone Air Conditioning & Heating can tell you more about improving your indoor air quality. We offer the services you need, so call us today at (623) 777-3881 or fill out our contact form for a consultation.