Archive for the ‘Air Filters’ Category

Inspection and Testing for Indoor Air Quality

Monday, May 7th, 2012

Did you know that poor indoor air quality contributes to health problems in homes around the world, but very little is done to combate the health risks it creates? The air pollutants of homes cause 1.2 million people a year to die, and is the reason for countless illnesses.  Poor indoor air quality in Lacey does not pose as much of a threat to our health as in developing countries, but if homeowners continue to do nothing to improve their indoor air quality their long term health will be affected by exposure to air pollutants.  The first step towards a healthier indoor environment is a quick diagnosis from our HVAC technicians to assess the air flow, filtering system, and potential air pollutant contributors.

When to Call for Testing

If you suspect something is wrong with your indoor air, you should call for testing. What constitutes “wrong”? Here are some specific things to watch for related to your health:

  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Skin Rash
  • Eye Irritation
  • Nose Irritation
  • Throat Irritation
  • Respiratory Irritation
  • Cough
  • Chest Tightness
  • Respiratory Infection
  • Asthma
  • Allergic Reaction
  • Lung Cancer

When one or more of these symptoms recurs in your family without a clear cause that your doctor can diagnose, it’s a big warning bell that you may have indoor air quality issues to attend. When that happens, it’s time for testing and inspection.

Checking Your Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality problems frequently stem from a specific problem – either an entry point in your home where insulation fails or poor ventilation if the source is inside. The purpose of testing is to check for these problems and pinpoint specific ways to reduce the presence of pollutants and make you feel better.

Testing can be done for a number of pollutants including pollen, mold, mildew, bacteria, dander, dust mites, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, VCOs and other gases and bioaerosols. Specific testing will be done depending on the nature of your symptoms, the severity of the leak or exposure to that contaminant and the potential solutions your contractor considers.

If certain pollutants are found, filtration may not be enough to solve the problem – radon and mold especially require installation of new fans and air filters to reduce the effects of the excess air contaminants.  Please call Bob’s Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more.

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Things Your Air Filter Can’t Filter in Seattle

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Air filters are great to have in your Seattle home. Many people who own air filters, especially those who suffer from allergies or asthma, swear by them as being very beneficial to their health and general well-being. They help you feel comfortable knowing that your air is clean and fresh.

But how confident should you be in your air filter? Is there anything your air filter is missing? Can you be sure that your air is as clean as can be?

Well, all air filters have limitations, and many do particularly well at trapping and removing certain types of air pollutants, but at the expense of letting others pass. What your air filter can and cannot do depends on what kind of equipment you have.

A conventional air filter, like the pleated kind you may have in your air conditioner, is designed to trap particles in the air. Pollen, dust, dander and other small but solid pollutants and irritants get trapped in their close-knit fibers. The thing to pay attention here is the filter’s HEPA rating—the higher it is, the smaller the particles it can trap. So, if you are using a lower rated filter, you may be trapping pollen but still breathing in smoke particles. Also, sometimes large, heavy particles settle before reaching the filter and can’t be trapped.

A less common option is the gas-phase air filter. As you may guess from the name, these filters are meant to filter out harmful gases in the air. They do not trap particles and usually have a short life, so they need to be replaced frequently.

In addition to filters, there are other air cleaning options like ultraviolet germicidal (UVG) lights and photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) cleaners. PCOs are meant to filter out harmful gases, but have limited use in homes. UVG lights use radiation that is harmless to people but deadly to microorganisms to pure air of bacteria and other pathogens.

In sum, if you are concerned about the quality of the air in your home, the best strategy is probably to use multiple solutions, such as a combination of an air filter and UVG lights, in order to get rid of as many pollutants as possible. Keep in mind, though, that no system is perfect in keeping everything out of your air.  If you have any question about this topic contact Bob’s HVAC experts

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