Four Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Before Winter
Many people look forward to hunkering down in a warm, cozy home for the winter. There are certainly pleasant times associated with cold weather, but often, we can be cooped up inside for most of our waking hours. That makes keeping your indoor air quality as high as possible a big priority, especially for people spend many hours each day at home. Our team at Resicon LLC wants to help you keep your family safe this winter with these four ways you can improve your indoor air quality.
One: Change Your Air Filter
Perhaps the simplest, most affordable thing you can do as a Tacoma homeowner is change your air filter and invest in one that has a higher minimum efficiency rating value (MERV). HEPA filters, for example, successfully capture 99.97 percent of particulates that are 0.3 microns or larger. That means you can easily remove a great deal of pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and dust from your home when you run your furnace or heat pump this winter.
We recommend that you change your air filter once every three to six months or as specified by the manual associated with your particular heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Two: Invest in an Air Purifier
Many of our modern buildings today in Washington are built to be energy efficient. Although such a design holds many benefits, one potential issue is that fresh air exchange is significantly reduced, which can cause a build-up of indoor air pollutants. According to the US EPA, indoor air can be up to five times as polluted as fresh outdoor air.
Besides common particles such as dust, mold spores, pollen, and pet dander, consider additional pollutants such as cooking fumes, cleaning fumes, building materials, and other chemicals that may be released into your home.
Portable room-based air purifiers are available for special needs such as caring for an elderly relative. However, for a more comprehensive system, you can invest in an air purifier that connects directly to your HVAC system and treats all the air that passes through the system.
Three: Install a Whole-House Air Purification System
Air purifiers that include HEPA filters, carbon filters, or other technology such as ionic or ultraviolet treatment can create an all-in-one comprehensive whole-house air purification system.
For example, the SecureAire Whole Home Air Purification System both captures and inactivates hazardous indoor air particles within the filter itself. This system is frequently found in health care facilities as well as leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) certified buildings. Unlike basic air filters and purifiers, the SecureAire system actually goes after pathogens and particles wherever your HVAC system reaches in order to better purify your indoor air.
Four: Use a Ductless HRV to Exchange Air
Although it can be tempting to throw open your windows to get some fresh air into your home, this is often not the best way to improve indoor air quality. First, it is difficult to exchange all the indoor air in your home in this manner, and second, you waste a great deal of energy if the weather is particularly cold or warm.
Instead, consider using a ductless heat recovery ventilator (HRV). An effective and affordable solution, the HRV is a simple wall-ventilation system that charges a ceramic core with your heated indoor air as it is moved outside. Then, the fan reverses its direction by pulling in fresh air through the charged core to recover up to 90 percent of the energy from the exhausted air. Synchronized units work together and multiple pairs can be installed throughout your home.
Better Indoor Air Quality Is Close at Hand
To learn more about indoor air quality solutions, call Resicon LLC at 253-625-7952. Our team, based in Tacoma, WA, would be happy to help you review the options and help you make a good decision for your home this winter. Contact us online today.