Mimi Bullock is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a specialist or more air conditioning articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. How to Achieve Optimal Air Quality in Your Home
Teaching your home to breathe better isn't as hard as you think. Energy savvy consumers are looking for more environmentally friendly HVAC resources. They are also demanding optimal air quality in their new and remodeled homes. How does a resident accomplish that? The answer is teamwork; you and your local HVAC professionals can make it happen! There are three main components to achieving optimal air quality in your home: pollutant management, adequate HVAC ventilation and air filtration. Using these three components will lower electrical bills and deliver healthy, clean air. You and your home will both breathe better.
Did you know that the EPA says that indoor pollutants are actually higher than the pollutant levels you find outdoors? Fight those pollutants by taking the first step to optimal air quality, pollutant management. You might want to consult your local HVAC professional about pollutants that are common in your area or region. Also ask him about steps you can take to limit your home's intake of outdoor pollutants.
Store It, Stow It or Toss It
Pollutant management is simple if you can identify the pollutant culprits. Teach your home to breathe better by eliminating odors. This includes food stuffs, cleaning products and chemicals. Foods that cause odors should be thrown in an outside bin or tossed immediately. Don't allow leftovers to rot indoors in your garbage can. Garbage compost can produce bad smells and gases that will decrease the air quality of your home. Cleaning products need to be stored in locking or secured cabinets. Clean up spills immediately and toss wipe up clothes in an outdoor bin. This might be a good time to consider trading out some of those cleaning supplies with some 'green' counterparts. Paint and paint thinners should not be stored in your home. They belong in a garage or outside building. Properly storing, stowing and tossing potential air hazards are your duties in the quest for better air quality in your home.
Get To Know Your HVAC
In order for your HVAC to adequately supply your home and its occupants with good quality air, you should know your unit's air delivery capacity. Is your HVAC system large enough to supply good, quality air for every person in your home? Check with local HVAC dealers about the air delivery capacity of your current unit. Your HVAC system should be able to ventilate every room of your home. Check the vents. If they are dusty, they'll need to be cleaned. Are all the vents open? You could close vents in rooms that are not being used to increase air flow into rooms that are normally populated in your home. Is your HVAC's outside air source free and unrestricted? Make sure that your ducts and venting are free and clean. Free and unrestricted air flow will provide your home with a breath of fresh air! Also, have your home's HVAC system checked once or twice a year by your local service provider. He or she can help you keep your unit running with optimum efficiency.
Filtered or Non-Filtered?
The answer is filtered! Your unit will have one, sometimes two filters that need to be changed on a monthly basis. Your unit's air filter protects you and your loved ones from breathing in dust, toxins and pollutants. However, no matter how hard your unit works, it can't change the filter, you have to! Keep extra filters stored on hand so that you can change those filters without problems. Never reuse filters. Your family can become sick if you use filters that have been washed. (Think mold and bacteria!) Filters are normally inexpensive, and you can buy them in bulk. Ask your local HVAC professional what distributor he recommends.
Together you and your local HVAC professional can make optimal air quality in your home a reality.
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