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Indoor Air Quality and Maintaining Your HVAC System – Mr.B Blog
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Indoor Air Quality and Maintaining Your HVAC System

The kids are back in school and the routine of a lot of our lives is returning to a somewhat “normal” status.  Thinking about that today made me think of other routines that should be “normal.”  I talk a lot about ways to help us keep our indoor breathing atmosphere as healthy as possible.  I’ve even reminded us to be sure to change the filters on our HVAC systems on a “routine” basis.  That’s all very good.  However, I’ve neglected to remind us about regular HVAC system maintenance.   It is so very important!  I did some research and others definitely back me up on this.  I even found some information to jump start our thinking on the subject and to trigger some excellent points to bring up with our HVAC professionals.  Take a look:

“HVAC systems must be properly designed, installed, and maintained to ensure good operation. The following recommendations may improve the ventilation in your home:

  • Follow a regular maintenance schedule for the HVAC system. Regularly service the filters and humidifiers.
  • Install special high efficiency filters in the HVAC system.
  • Consult with an HVAC contractor to ensure your system is properly designed for your home.
  • Use exhaust fans in potential problem areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and hobby rooms, to exhaust contaminants generated inside the home.

Residents can supply additional make-up air to the inside of the home by using mechanical fans when outdoor temperatures are favorable in the spring and autumn. When temperatures are severe during the summer and winter, air-to-air heat exchangers may be installed to supply make-up air. These units exhaust stale, warm air from the house and transfer the heat in that air to fresh air being supplied from the outside. In air-conditioned houses during the summer months, heat is transferred from the incoming warm air to the outgoing air, causing a reduction in the energy required for air conditioning.

Homeowners also can install fans that supply outdoor air directly to the return side of the HVAC system. These fans are usually installed with a timing mechanism or manual control to regulate the amount of outdoor air supplied to the structure. This type of system works effectively to supply make-up air, but it also increases the cost of operating the HVAC system since the air is not cooled or heated before it enters the home.”

                           Source: http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/airquality.htm

Such good information and so many things I don’t know that I would have thought of on my own.  I hope you found it helpful.  If we can help you further improve your indoor air quality or if you need a recommendation for a great HVAC professional contact us today.

 

Mr. B’s Air Duct Cleaning

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615-244-1785

“Specializing in Air Duct Cleaning and Air Filtration Systems”

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Love and Your Indoor Air

Well, it is the month when love is in the air. Honestly, we should always have love “in the air”. But, that is all that should be in your indoor breathing air. We should be doing our best to keep all the harmful things out of our indoor breathing air. And what could be more loving than that. How do we go about that?

First, clean often. Especially vacuuming and mopping can keep particulates from getting into your breathing atmosphere. If you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter it helps even more.

Second, take out the garbage often. The gases and odors that ruminate from the garbage can get quickly into the indoor air. Get that stuff out of there quickly.

Next, keep the surfaces in your kitchen as clean as possible. That too can affect the breathing atmosphere.

Fourth, always make sure your home is well ventilated. That may even mean opening your window even for a few minutes during the colder months.

Last, but certainly not least, change your air filters consistently. The rule of thumb is generally once a month.

All of these things will help keep your indoor air clean and fresh. And what is more loving than that!

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Allergy Season – How Safe Are You Indoors?

Yep, it’s spring. Most people love spring and hate the allergies that accompany it. Many, retreat indoors thinking it’s a safer place for indoor air quality. Maybe, maybe not.

At a fairly recent conference the pollution in our indoor breathing atmosphere was definitely a hot topic. Apparently what we tend to think as a “safe haven” from pollution may not necessarily be. The coverings we put on our floors, the furniture we buy, the cleaning products we use, even what certain things are packaged in can add dangerous chemicals to our breathing atmosphere. Even what and how we cook can add unwanted particles into the air. One article even said “Even the simple act of making toast raised particle levels far higher than expected,”. Really? Making toast?

All that can seem “over the top” or alarming. No one can go change everything all at once. The idea shared and the conference was twofold. One, make small changes by paying attention to what comes into your home going forward. Two, for there to be more efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for how and with what they make their products. My thought is that we need to be personally aware and responsible for what we buy and how we use things. It’s not really rocket science it’s just a matter of stepping up and paying attention.

So, if we want to take better care of ourselves and our families in the area of better indoor air quality, let’s commit to paying attention and making wise choices. Here’s to breathing better and easier!!

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicabaron/2019/02/19/bringing-attention-to-indoor-air-pollution/#2849c2858b3c

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Spring…Almost Here. Still Need To Think Indoor Air Quality?

Honestly, I’m finding it almost unbelievable that spring is just about upon us. I love spring. I love the sun and the flowers and everything green and pretty. And then the proverbial allergies. I don’t love those. Although there is not much we can do about the allergens in the outdoor air, we can do something about our indoor air quality.

For the most part our homes have been shut up pretty tight all winter long. Unfortunately, that means dust, pollen, pet dander, and general yuck have collected in our homes. The places these things collect are in all the soft surfaces in our homes. They collect in our upholstery, carpets, nooks and crannies and in the air ducts. In order to truly start spring off fresh, all of these things needs to be cleaned. You can do all of these things yourself with the exception of the air duct cleaning. Of course, you can get help with all of it but air duct cleaning is not something you should attempt yourself. Make sure you check reviews and pay attention to the way the ducts are cleaned. It is very important.

Start spring off right. Get to all those things that need your attention and don’t forget the air ducts. Give your indoor air a fighting chance!

1 Comment

  1. James Breslin
    September 2, 2014 @ 11:21 am

    Air testing is compulsory to avoid health problems in long run. If the atmosphere in house is not healthy, people are likely to get complex health problems due to the contamination that piles ups in the gaps and cracks in the fabric of the building.