The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America routinely ranks cities in Oklahoma among the worst in the nation for allergies, and now that it’s spring, many OK homeowners are suffering as tree pollen and grass pollen make being outside uncomfortable. We want to help your home and purify stale indoor air and help your home’s health.
To make things worse, many non-pollen or outdoor-specific allergens may already be in your house, making it difficult for you to catch a break inside or out. If you’re looking for relief from health issues related to indoor air quality issues like allergies, duct cleaning can help!
WHY IS MY HOUSE MAKING ME FEEL SICK?
When many people think of allergies, they think of ragweed pollen, or maybe food allergies. But there are actually other sources of allergies in a home that can create health issues and make you feel uncomfortable, including:
- DUST
- MOLD SPORES
- DUST MITES
- PET DANDER
Common allergic reactions include sneezing, coughing, stuffy nose, itchy skin, and more. Unfortunately, your home’s HVAC system can unintentionally make the situation worse—if pollutant particles and allergens build up in your home’s heating and air conditioning ductwork, then they can be carried away as your HVAC system runs and be distributed back into the air you breathe throughout your home.
HOW DUCT CLEANING AND SANITIZATION CAN HELP
Luckily, there are services available that make cleaning your ducts easy! At DeHart, we offer two separate air duct cleaning services, duct cleaning and duct fogging or sanitization.
Duct cleaning involves using a Rotobrush, a special machine with a vacuum hose and flexible wire brushes at the end. The machine is inserted into your ductwork, and the brushes dislodge built-up particles which are then vacuumed up and removed from your home.
AC duct sanitizing would then follow, where the ducts are treated with a sanitizing mist that eliminates germs, bacteria, viruses, mold, odors, rodent or insect infestations, and more.
SCHEDULE AIR DUCT CLEANING NEAR YOU WITH DEHART TODAY
Unlike seasonal allergies which are only around for certain parts of the year, duct sanitization and duct cleaning for your OK home in Duncan or Chickasha can come in handy year-round by helping to reduce common allergens in your indoor air that are always present, no matter what time of year it is.
Homeowners often ask us, “How often should you clean your ducts?” While there’s no set answer, it isn’t a bad idea to have them cleaned every five years or so, or even more frequently if you think your HVAC system is heavily used.
IS YOUR INDOOR AIR FULL OF GERMS?
Running inside may be the first thing you think to do when you are looking to escape polluted and dirty outdoor air; but the surprising fact is that the air inside your home is more harmful than the air outside! The indoor air quality (IAQ) of your home directly affects your and your family’s health. Taking the necessary steps to clean up your indoor air will help you breathe easier.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF POOR IAQ?
Continually breathing the pollutants that circulate you home has a number of symptoms, like:
- HEADACHES
- DRY & ITCHY EYES
- EXCESSIVE SNEEZING
- NAUSEA & DIZZINESS
- SHORTNESS OF BREATH
It’s easy to use seasonal allergies as a scapegoat for these annoying symptoms, but if you notice that you experience a spike in these symptoms when you are in your home, it’s time to take a look at what is allowing these pollutants inside.
WHAT’S LETTING GERMS ENTER MY HOME?
There are a number of systems at play when it comes to your home’s IAQ. This means there are a number of ways for germs and pollutants to enter and circulate throughout your home.
Simply opening your doors and windows will allow germs to enter, and if your air filtration and ventilation systems are not up to par, those germs are sure to cause health issues. Then there are the harmful invisible particles and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that are released from building materials in your home via a process called off-gassing. Meanwhile, carbon monoxide can be released from malfunctioning heating equipment or other appliances.
Holes and gaps in your home that allow air to seep in also introduce germs and pollutants; and if your air conditioner experiences condensation in its ductwork, mold and mildew are much more likely to grow and wreak havoc on your respiratory system.
So, what can be done to purify the air in your home?
DEHART: THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY EXPERTS
For those suffering from poor IAQ in Duncan and Chickasha areas, breathing easier is as simple as a phone call to the experts at DeHart Air Conditioning & Heating. Our professionals may recommend a combination of the following upgrades depending on your home’s needs:
- AIR PURIFICATION
- DUCT CLEANING & SANITIZATION
- PROPER VENTILATION
- A HOME DEHUMIDIFIER
Air purification removes invisible germs and pollutants from your indoor air. Duct cleaning removes dust and dirt build up from ductwork, while duct sanitization cleans further eliminates contaminants from ductwork.. And if your home suffers from excess moisture, a dehumidifier can bring humidity back to safe levels.
These approaches will not only clean up your air but also reduce the amount of energy your air conditioner uses to cool your home — saving you money on your monthly energy bills!
HOW TO PURIFY STALE, UNHEALTHY INDOOR AIR
We hate to break it to you, but your indoor air is filthy.
Did you know that indoor air is often 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air? With all of the different pollutants that circulate through your home in a day, your home’s poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is a large contributor to the negative health symptoms you and your family may be experiencing on a daily basis.
Curing your home’s unhealthy air begins with understanding the pollutants that are entering your home and circulating via your heating and cooling systems. Then, you must remove the pollutants, germs, and VOCs from your home’s air using a professionally installed air purifier from DeHart to get your family breathing healthy again.
WHAT POLLUTANTS ARE AFFECTING MY INDOOR AIR QUALITY?
BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS
These are particles like pet dander, mold, dust mites, pollen, and other bacteria and viruses. They can be introduced through your open doors and windows, your pets, your children, and even your own body. These pollutants still exist outdoors, but when they are inside your home they are circulated over and over, increasing the risk they pose to your family. Biological contaminants will irritate your sinuses, increase allergy and asthma symptoms, and lead to illness.
COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLES
These dangerous pollutants come from your appliances and fireplace and introduce carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other harmful particles in to your home. This can be from leaks in your flue or chimney, furnace, or other appliances, and can lead to bronchitis, pneumonia, or worsened asthma symptoms.
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC’S)
Each time you use certain paints, cleaning products, and hair care or beauty products, you are introducing harmful VOCs into the air circulation of your home.
FORMALDEHYDE
Commonly known for its use in the embalming process, this chemical is also used in engineered wood products and particle board. Formaldehyde can emit a gas carcinogen, which is — no surprise — harmful to humans.
TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIR YOU BREATHE, WITH AN AIR PURIFIER
The EPA estimates that you take between 17,280 and 23,040 breaths in any given day. What can you do to make each breath as healthy as possible inside your own home? The IAQ experts at DeHart want to give you control over your health indoor air with the latest technology in air purification.
By installing a PureAir Air Purification System by Lennox with the professionals at DeHart, you can breathe better air with every second.
The numbers are impressive — PureAir Purification Systems remove:
- 99.9% OF ALL PARTICLES LIKE POLLEN, DUST AND PET DANDER
- 90% OF ALL VIRUSES THAT ENTER YOUR HOME (INCLUDING MRSA, THE FLU & COMMON COLD)
- 50% OF ALL HOUSEHOLD ODORS AND HARMFUL VAPORS WITHIN 24 HOURS
An air purification system uses UV light to target microscopic viruses, bacteria, and other living organisms in the air. And though your air filtration system will still remove dirt and dust, an air purification system works together with your heating and cooling equipment to kill germs in the air before that air is circulated throughout your home.
AIR PURIFICATION WITH DEHART, FOR YOUR DUNCAN & CHICKASHA HOME
At DeHart, we pride ourselves on being the indoor air quality experts in Duncan and Chickasha, OK. Looking to decrease your family’s allergy and asthma symptoms by breathing better air in your own home? Breathing easier is just a phone call away.