Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
Air quality concerns in your home aren’t something to ignore. If you are worried about dust, dander, or other pollutants affecting your family’s health, then it is time to consider the available options for improving air quality.
Duct Cleaning
No matter how attentive you are to housekeeping, your home has one area that can elude you — the ducts. Unfortunately, everything that settles in the ducts can later be recirculated into the air you breathe.
- Why You Need It: If anyone in your home suffers from asthma, allergies, or a respiratory issue, then you know that dust can be a major irritant. Dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, and other pollutants can collect in your ducts. Each time the heat or air comes on, these pollutants are then spread throughout your home.
- What Your Options Are: Your main decision when it comes to duct cleaning is how often to schedule it. A general guideline for most homes is to schedule a cleaning every three to five years. Certain things can make the situation worse and you may need to schedule more frequent cleanings. For example, if you have recently had remodeling work done inside your home, live near a dirt road, or have a pet, then you may want annual cleanings.
Filtration Upgrades
Most people don’t give much thought to the filters in their air conditioner or furnace, which is unfortunate since filter upgrades are a low cost and low effort way to improve indoor air quality. Your HVAC technician can help you explore the options available for your HVAC unit.
- Why You Need It: HVAC filters are designed to catch contaminants in the air, which can be much more than dust. You should change most filters monthly to every couple of months, depending on how quickly the filter becomes dirty. Homes with pets or near dirt roads typically require more frequent filter changes compared to those in areas with less airborne pollutants.
- What Your Options Are: Your filter options depend in part on your unit, so you may need to refer to the manufacturer to find what options are specifically available. A HEPA filter is the main option to consider if clean air is your priority or if you have someone in the house with respiratory issues. HEPA filters have a smaller mesh than other HVAC filters, which enables the filter to catch pollen, dander, dust mites, and even smoke residue.
Air Purifiers
An air purifier is an additional unit that can work for you year around to improve the quality of the air in your home. Whether you need one depends on several factors, such as health concerns and local air quality. Purifiers come in free-standing varieties, as well as in-line options that are installed on your HVAC system.
- Why You Need It: Although the filters in your HVAC system can catch a lot of pollutants, sometimes they just aren’t enough. An air purifier provides another level of filtration to catch even more airborne pollutants. If your house always seems dusty, even with frequent filter changes and duct cleaning, then you likely need an air purifier to make sure there are as few contaminants in the air as possible.
- What Your Options Are: You can choose from several different types of air purifiers. Some purifiers are little more than an additional filter for your HVAC system. These come in standard and HEPA varieties. Some are also ionizers, which attract pollutants and pull them from the air. Some purifiers use absorbents to soak up air contaminants, while others use UV light to kill pollutants that consist of bacteria or microorganisms.
Contact Baton Rouge Air Conditioning and Heating for more information about improving your indoor air quality.
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