Have You Thought About Your Indoor Air Quality?
Having healthy, clean indoor air is vital to your quality of life. Lawes Company specializes in implementing the most appropriate techniques to enhance the quality of your home’s air. As your local HVAC experts, we not only improve the air you breathe in your home, we can also make your dwelling a more comfortable and energy-efficient structure.
The NATE-certified HVAC techs that perform our services, continuously receive education and training. They stay up-to-date on the most advanced techniques in the field of heating and cooling.
The tasks performed by our HVAC technicians include proper ventilation methods to ensure your system works efficiently. We know what it takes to keep the air in your dwelling healthy. Most people find this advantageous, particularly if they want to prevent illnesses caused by bad quality indoor air.
Lawes Company provides a vast array of services, including heating and air conditioning installation, HVAC repairs, and heating and cooling system maintenance. Contact our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. We provide free second opinions and complimentary in-home consolations, so be sure to take advantage of this offer.
Understanding Indoor Air Pollution
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If you are like most property owners, you probably regard air pollution as something that occurs outside. For example, you may think that the brown or gray smog hanging over the horizon doesn’t resemble the air inside your house. However, as shocking as it may seem, research has indicated that indoor air quality is sometimes as much as five times worse than the quality of certain outdoor air.
Indoor Air Pollution Causes
Virtually any outdoor pollutant can find its way into your home. However, additional reasons for low air quality inside a dwelling include the following:
Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile Organic Compounds–VOCs–are substances that cause dizziness, headaches, nausea and other physical symptoms. They are typically in the chemical fumes of products such as turpentine, solvents, varnishes, and paint.
Combustion Byproducts
If proper ventilation is not in place, fuel-burning appliances can put forth dangerous gases, such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Among the worst offenders are space heaters, fireplaces and gas stoves. These toxins typically form when there is not enough oxygen, but the fuel is burning at a high temperature.
Cleaning Products
Petroleum-based solvents, chlorine, and ammonia are just a few of the dangerous substances used in traditional residential cleaning formulas. These can irritate the eyes and cause headaches.
Asbestos
Although no longer used in construction materials, asbestos is still in older homes. The tiny fibers this natural material emits can cause rare lung cancers such as mesothelioma, as well as more common forms of lung cancer.
Minimizing Indoor Air Pollution
Homeowners may find that it is a daunting endeavor to try to determine which factors contribute to decreased air quality. Even if you pinpoint certain elements, they can be difficult to eliminate, primarily if they are outside the property line. This reason makes it even more important to enhance your indoor air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency has generated many resources on indoor air quality facts for homeowners that discuss what your indoor air quality standards should be and how to improve them. Some of the things that the EPA and HVAC experts mention include:
Regularly Changing Air Filters
It is much easier to trap and get rid of pollutants with a filter than it is to eliminate them once they have found their way into your home. Therefore, you should replace your air filters at least once every 30 days. You should also only invest in high-quality filters. Cheap filters trap fewer particles and therefore do a lackluster job.
Use Exhaust Fans or Hoods in Kitchens and Bathrooms
Using hoods or fans in bathrooms and kitchens is a wise course of action, as these rooms are highly susceptible to mold. Fans and similar devices keep moisture to a minimum, which makes it difficult for mold thrive.
Install a Heat Recovery Ventilator
Heat Recovery Ventilators–HRVs–are one of the best indoor air quality products that prove useful if your home is modern. Contemporary homes typically feature airtight construction, but this often results in impaired air exchange with the outside. HRVs effectively tackle the problem of stale indoor air by reintroducing more fresh air to the home.
Invest In Houseplants
Plants such as English ivy, bamboo palm, and aloe purify the air within a home. Also, they create a pleasing effect in any room where they are placed and are not noisy or difficult to maintain.
Complete Regular HVAC System Maintenance
If you complete regular maintenance on your HVAC system according to the manufacturer’s instructions, it will continue to work at peak efficiency. Maintenance is especially helpful when identifying risk factors before the occurrence of serious problems. For this reason, be sure to schedule regular maintenance before the start of each heating and cooling season. Any necessary repairs should be made at this time, as procrastination only leads to more problems in the future.
Lawes Company Can Help You Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
Minimizing indoor air pollution should be a top priority for any property owner. Understanding what creates such issues and how you can prevent them is the first step. However, to really improve indoor air quality and conduct indoor air quality testing, you should call a licensed professional.
If you are looking for ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality or feel you should have the air in your home tested, contact Lawes Company. Our highly trained HVAC technicians possess a thorough understanding of which techniques will best improve your home’s air and keep the interior of your dwelling healthy.
Scheduling a yearly checkup for your heating and cooling system is an essential step toward preventing indoor air pollution. Additionally, it will help you determine whether or not repairs are needed. Not only do regular maintenance checks enhance your home’s energy efficiency, but they can also prevent contaminants and pollutants from compromising the air in your dwelling. Schedule an appointment with us today for a free evaluation.
Contact us now at (732) 741-6300 to find out more!