Indoor air quality is central to your household’s health. Were you aware 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 classified indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are regularly found inside homes.
Another concern as it relates to indoor air quality is humidity. Air that is too humid or too dry can have unpleasant effects on your health and damage your home. Let’s check out three of the ways Ocean Air Conditioning and Heating can help you enhance the indoor air quality in your Laguna Niguel home.
A Clean System is the First Step to Good Indoor Air Quality
A dirty HVAC system can harbor and circulate allergens throughout your home. Your first line of defense is to ensure you maintain your system and keep it clean. The easiest thing you can do is assess your air filter routinely and replace it when it becomes dirty. In the majority of homes, the air filter needs to be changed every two or three months, but Ocean Air Conditioning and Heating recommends that you check them every month—especially if you have indoor air quality problems. 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 Laguna Niguel home.
Enlist the Help of an Air Purifier
An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality and offer some relief from seasonal and indoor allergies. For optimal allergy control, look for one that filters out at least 95 percent of particles as small as .3 micron (a micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter). Even if your household doesn’t have allergies, filtering out pollutants is beneficial. 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 home more comfortable is by eliminating household odors. While not as bad as pollutants and germs, bad odors are normally unwelcome in people’s homes. Odors from things like pets, cooking, and sports gear can have it smell like your home is unclean. Cleaning your air with an air purifier is a healthier way to remove these odors than trying to mask them. Cleaning products, air sprays and scented candles may actually pollute your indoor air more. The right air purifier will end household odors, leaving you with clean, healthy air.
Control Humidity for Health
The EPA suggests maintaining your indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Air that is too dry can cause health problems like upper-respiratory issues, dry throat and nose, and itchy skin. Remember that viruses generally thrive in dry air, and dry air is known to aggravate symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. And, chances are good 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 you do?
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 ready to go. Proper humidity levels will not only help keep you and your family in good health, but they can help defend 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 program your thermostat a little lower to save money without sacrificing comfort.
These are just some of the ways Ocean Air Conditioning and Heating can help you enhance your indoor air quality. Give us a call at 949-317-4175 to find out even more options.