As winter approaches, your Carrolton, GA home may become stuffy and dry. Poor indoor air quality can mean an increase in allergens and pollutants causing health concerns for you and your family. While you might simply resign yourself to this discomfort, you can easily improve your indoor air quality with some simple solutions.
System Maintenance and Filter Management
The first defense against stuffy and dirty indoor air is your existing equipment. Many homeowners are unaware of the availability of preventive HVAC service. Having your heating and cooling equipment cleaned and inspected prior to seasonal use is a top priority, potentially impacting the health and safety of your family as your technician inspects parts and makes recommendations for repairs or cleaning. Safety issues are particularly important if you operate a gas furnace or other combustion heating system as an old and poorly maintained unit can result in a greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition to scheduling your system inspection, be sure to change your filter regularly through the season to keep air flowing freely and to facilitate the filtration of particles from the airstream.
Purification Systems
A germicidal air purifier may provide several benefits if your family tends to be susceptible to winter colds and illnesses. An air purifier is similar to a filter in that it draws pollutants from the airstream. However, germicidal technology makes it possible for this type of system to kill viruses, bacteria, mold, and other biomaterials. The Georgia Department of Public Health emphasizes the serious nature of mold in your home, and an air purification system may help in trapping and killing spores to minimize the problem.
Ventilation
The air in your home can be much more polluted than the air outside. This is due in part to excellence in the construction industry. While tighter home sealing is great for better energy management and comfort control, it can result in pollutants staying in the house. An air purifier may address particles, but gaseous pollutants are mitigated through ventilation. A recovery ventilation system may be helpful for continuing to keep energy efficiency optimized while ensuring that fresh air can replace the polluted air in your home. An energy recovery system allows the heating or cooling energy of an outgoing airstream to be transferred to incoming air.
Humidification
Dry air can result in dry mucous membranes, a factor that may cause your family members to be more vulnerable to winter illnesses. The minimum recommended relative humidity in a home is 20 percent, but winter heating may make it difficult to maintain this level. A furnace humidifier may add just the right amount of moisture for healthier indoor air.
If you are unsure of the best way to begin tackling the problem of polluted air in your home, you might want to consider scheduling an indoor air quality test with Merrell & Associates. Our professionals can test your air supply for contaminants and make recommendations for correcting problems. Call our office to discuss your concerns today.
If you need information on indoor air quality in your home, call our specialists at Merrell and Associates. We have been serving Carrollton, GA, since 1952, and are here to help advise you with your HVAC systems, Air purifiers and air cleaners.