Improving Indoor Air Quality for Better Health

by Kevin Smith Author

A word of advice if you want cleaner, healthier air inside your house. And it’s so simple. Once the weather turns warm in early spring, open doors and windows and let the fresh air blow through your house. This will push the existing air inside your house out through doors and windows. Because the air constantly recirculating through your house is dirtier than the fresh air outside, by opening windows and doors you’ll be introducing cleaner air.

Air Circulation

The air conditioning equipment and furnace in a home constantly circulates the same air through a house. The only line of defense to catch the dirty, dusty particles that may be carrying germs in the air is the air filter that hopefully you’re changing on a regular basis. Once a filter gets clogged, they lose their effectiveness. But the truth of the matter is that most people rarely change their air filters. This can be really bad for people with respiratory complications. If you’re family is healthy, bad air can still cause running noses and coughs. But because you can’t see all the particulates and bacteria in the air, you are unaware of the problem so you don’t think of changing your air filter.

In summer months especially, it would be a good idea to have an air conditioning company in Lawrenceville, Ga. come in and check out your system and recommend the right air filter. Also, the company can inspect your home’s ductwork. This is the system of channels through which air is pushed which can get covered in dust and debris. If excessively dirty, the air conditioning company can clean out the ducts.

HEPA Filters

Experts recommend changing the air filter once a month. The air filter slides into a slot positioned next to your furnace close to the blower motor. The blower motor is what pushes and pulls air through your house. If you are changing your filters once a month and still have coughs and running noses you may need a HEPA filter. HEPA air filters remove 99.95 percent of particles greater in size or equal to 0.3 micron. HEPA stands for High-efficiency particulate air.

Indoor air quality is a serious issue. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks poor indoor air quality as the fourth greatest environmental threat. Allergens that are probably in your indoor air may include mold spores, pet dander, pollen, bacteria, and even viruses. The American Lung Association reports that exposure to airborne biological contaminants increases risk of respiratory tract infections even in healthy adults.

If you think the air quality in your home could be improved call in an air conditioning company in Lawrenceville, Ga for a professional assessment.