The No Air Pollution Resolution

daytonheatandair • May 8, 2020

Happy New Year! As we enter into the year 2020, many people are making New Year’s resolutions. Many people focus on their health at this time of year, and while working out and eating better are great goals, have you considered working on the quality of your indoor air?

Here in the Gainesville, Florida area, our homes are subject to lots of air pollutants and outdoor contaminants. Living in Florida means that we have many more months of our plants producing pollen than many other places in the world. Our unique environment, while beautiful, can impact the air you and your family is breathing. The humidity can often encourage mold growth in many homes despite best efforts. The mildness of our winters also means that plant spores and pollen are present much longer. So, what options do you have to make the air within your home safer to breathe?

Basic Air Filters

Your HVAC system comes with built in filtration in the form of air filters. It is very important to check your air filters at least once a month no matter what type of filters your unit uses. Most systems need the filter changed at least once a month, but even if yours are longer lived, checking the filters is important because it can allow you to keep track of how well your unit is breathing. If your filters suddenly begin clogging at a much more rapid pace that may mean something in your home environment has changed.

Air filters are designed to pull out air borne contaminants as air feeds through your HVAC system. It stands to reason that if that filter is clogged by excessive contaminants then your unit is having to work harder to pull fresh air through the system. This can result in your unit over working itself and costing you money in added electricity and potential repairs over time due to an over worked system.

HEPA Filters

Another option for filtration is HEPA filters. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance, meaning that these filters are designed to trap much higher quantities of contaminants and particles floating through your home in a much more efficient fashion. These filters are typically much thicker and require an add on to your HVAC unit so that they can be accommodated because most units have space for a much thinner filter.

While there is an added cost for a HEPA filter to be used with your system, it is typically much lower maintenance filter than the monthly 1 inch wide filters can be. Most HEPA filters don’t need to be changed more than a few times a year. In addition to that, they don’t clog as quickly because they are much more substantial filters. If you are interested in updating your current system to include a HEPA filtration system, one of our local experts would be happy to discuss the upgrade with you today.

Duct Cleaning

In some cases your home environment may have been compromised to the point that contaminants may have infiltrated your duct work system. It is best to have a professional assess the situation to see if you need duct cleaning in these cases, but should you suspect your system needs to be looked over don’t hesitate to call a technician to look it over.

Having a compromised duct system means that contaminants like mold or severe cases of dust or dander build up have made it through your filtration system and into the duct work which feeds air throughout your home. Often people who have this happen notice worse cases of allergy attacks within their own homes, worsened asthma symptoms or aggravated respiratory symptoms.

Whole Home Purifying Systems

If someone in your home suffers from asthma or a compromised immune system, you may be a great candidate for a whole home purifying system. These systems work in tandem with your HVAC system to neutralize air borne contaminants and germs as they pass through. Many purifiers use UV light which has been proven to kill many illness causing germs. There are many different models on the market which can be installed in most HVAC systems.

If you are interested in speaking with a professional about an assessment of your indoor air quality and what options are available to start out this new year with healthier, cleaner air, call Dayton Heating & Air today at (352) 317-2132.

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