Staying healthy is on homeowners’ minds more than ever this summer, especially if you and your family are spending more and more time indoors. There has been increasing awareness recently about the role that the air in your house can play in your personal health, and whether your Chickasha or Duncan home could have poor indoor air quality (IAQ) Here is the compiled list of questions and their answers on how to improve IAQ in Oklahoma during the Summer.
We’ve heard from a number of Oklahoma homeowners with questions about the air quality in your homes, and we’re here today to answer some of the most common ones, as well as provide solutions!
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY HOME HAS POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY?
Have you or members of your family experienced any of the following health issues recently?
- IRRITATION OF THE EYES, NOSE, AND THROAT
- HEIGHTENED RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS
- HEADACHES
- DIZZINESS
- FATIGUE
These are just a few of the short term health effects of poor IAQ. Indoor air quality testing from an IAQ professional can reveal the specific air pollutants in your home.
WHAT CAUSES UNHEALTHY INDOOR AIR?
Poor indoor air quality can be caused by a number of different air pollutants, including:
- DUST
- DIRT
- POLLEN
- PET DANDER
- VOCS AND OFF-GASSING CHEMICALS
- WOODFIRE AND TOBACCO SMOKE
- CARBON MONOXIDE FROM FUEL-BURNING APPLIANCES (GAS STOVES, FURNACES)
IS DRY INDOOR AIR BAD FOR MY HEALTH, OR JUST UNCOMFORTABLE?
Dry air can cause a number of problems for both you and your home, and forced air systems, especially air conditioners, create dry air which can make allergies worse by removing even more moisture. Not only can low humidity make you sick or uncomfortable, but it can cause damage to your home, including causing cracks in wooden furniture, floor boards, and trim.
The best humidity level for allergies is around 40-50% humidity, and for many homes in Oklahoma, specialized home humidity controls are necessary to maintain these levels.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN THE DUCTS IN MY HOME?
Years and years of using your HVAC system can pull all kinds of air pollutants into your ducts, where they can contaminate your breathing air, and if they are left unchecked, can even reduce air flow through your system. This creates higher energy costs and adds wear and tear to your heating and cooling systems. It’s generally recommended to schedule duct cleaning for your home every three to five years.
HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY HOME’S AIR QUALITY?
Luckily, DeHart Air Conditioning has a number of mechanical indoor air quality solutions for your home.
Whole house humidity control with a Lennox dehumidifier can add up to 18 gallons of moisture to your home’s air every day, and by constantly monitoring moisture levels you can add humidity control to your HVAC system.
High quality air filters, with a MERV rating of up to 16, can remove at least 95% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers in diameter from the air circulating through your home. And air purifiers installed inside your ductwork use powerful UV light to target and all but eliminate airborne particles, germs and bacteria, and chemical odors and vapors.
Finally, pay attention to your heating and AC duct work! Ductwork can affect your indoor air quality in a number of ways, from mold growth as a result of ductwork sweating to dirty ducts that need to be cleaned or even air duct repair to fix leaks and cracks that are wasting energy and letting in air pollutants. From HVAC duct design and replacement, to Oklahoma air duct cleaning, we’ll make sure that the delivery system for your conditioned air is in top operating condition.
REACH OUT TO EXPERT AIR QUALITY SOLUTIONS FROM DEHART
At DeHart Air Conditioning, we’ve been helping Oklahoma homeowners in Chickasha, Duncan, and the surrounding areas stay comfortable, reduce energy costs, and help lower indoor air pollutant levels for 100 years. Whether you’re looking to address the dry air in your house or are wondering why your HVAC ducts are sweating, reach out to your team today, so we can work with you to help improve your home.