In Parts 1 and 2, we discussed Indoor Air Quality and some common sources of indoor air pollutants found in homes and their health implications.
This week, we at Mason Heating & Air will explain the different types of products and services we offer to help improve Indoor Air Quality, which experts say will improve overall well-being, health, brain function, energy levels and mood.
Those products include:
The iWave-R
The iWave-R is a hugely popular air purification system especially useful in the wake of COVID-19. The iWave-R can be installed into any ducted AC system. When air passes over the iWave ion generator it purifies the supply going into your home of pathogens, allergens, particles, mold, bacteria, viruses, smoke and odors, creating a healthy indoor air environment without producing any harmful byproducts.
Using one of a kind technology, the iWave-R mirrors the way nature cleans the air via ocean waves, waterfalls and lightning. Nature uses energy and pressure to break up molecules, which naturally cleans the air and produces a healthy breathing environment. The biggest difference between the iWave’s technology and the way nature does it is one, the scale of course; and two, the iWave doesn’t produce harmful ozone as a byproduct like nature does.
The iWave-R works on any type of AC system, provided it has air ducts, up to six tons in size. It requires no maintenance or replacement parts. And, it cleans itself.
Humidifiers
Humidifiers increase the moisture in the air. This moisture increases the level of humidity in your residence, including the air you breathe, which goes a long way in relieving a lot of cold-weather symptoms. Humidifiers also help decrease the static electricity in your home (which is normal during winter in Ohio) and help reduce dry cracking in furniture and paint. Most importantly, humidifiers help to improve indoor air quality and alleviate a variety of health problems.
Finally, we like humidifiers because they can actually help you save on energy bills.
Dehumidifiers
We Ohioans know all-too-well how humid it can get during the summer months. When those hot and humid days arrive, it has the best of us seeking cool shelter indoors. But what do we do when it gets humid inside, when you can feel the moisture in the air or smell that musty smell? Experts say the relative level of humidity in a home should be somewhere between 30 and 50 percent. When it gets higher than 50 percent, your home becomes uncomfortable and the air becomes unhealthy. This can inhibit your AC system’s efficiency and aggravate allergy symptoms and asthma. It can also encourage the development and growth of mold and mildew and cause health problems in even a normally healthy person. Having a whole home dehumidifier, however, improves your Indoor Air Quality by keeping humidity levels at bay, a wise investment for you and your family’s overall health and comfort.
Thermostats
Today’s modern thermostats are a far cry from those old hockey-puck-looking dials up on the wall many of us grew up using. In addition to their cool features and designs and fancy LED displays, these thermostats can be controlled from any smartphone or smart device. They are very much compatible with many other Indoor Air Quality products.
With smart thermostats, you can control not only your heating and cooling systems, but also regulate air purifiers, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, ventilation systems and any other IAQ components. The newer thermostats on the market are mostly smart devices. They are designed to conserve energy, lower overall costs and prevent waste. Because they are more advanced, they have better control over your indoor air quality. As such, getting a thermostat upgrade equates to more efficiency and better temperature consistency in your home.
This will save you money on utility bills and keep your HVAC system optimized while improving the quality of air you and your loved ones breathe for overall wellness and health.
Some of the top brands are Honeywell, Nest and Ecobee.
Air Filters
Air filters are a sure way to improve your indoor air quality. However, not all air filters are created equally. And let’s not forget, they need to be changed regularly to be effective.
If you’re thinking about indoor air quality, keep in mind the inexpensive washable fiberglass air filters barely improve the performance of your HVAC system, let alone improve the quality of the air you breathe. Getting a filter with a higher MERV rating will go a long way, as well upgrading to a thicker filter, like a four-inch filter instead of the standard one-inch.
MERV, which is short for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, rates filters on a scale of 1 to 16, with 16 being the thickest filter. Typically, residential HVAC systems don’t use a filter rated higher than 13 on the MERV scale.
UV Lights
For decades, the only options a homeowner had for Indoor Air Quality involved ventilation, humidity control and filtration devices. And even though these innovations were great, none of them were able to do anything about biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria, viruses and fungi ‒ the deadly “dark side” of indoor air pollution.
Then one day someone switched on the light.
Literally…
Installing Ultra Violet lamps inside an HVAC system adds an extra level of protection against these ultra-hazardous organic indoor air pollutants. For residents who are susceptible to allergens and other hazardous organic particles, UV lamps are especially effective because they kill these allergens in addition to germs before they are dispersed in the air throughout the home. When these pollutants pass under these UV Lights, it kills them and neutralizes the air instantly.
Air Duct Cleaning
If you’re looking for a way to improve your indoor air quality, enhance airflow efficiency and eradicate certain smells in your home, having us clean your air ducts will help.
Because your air ducts are responsible for transporting all your heated or cooled air from your HVAC system to all the various rooms in your home, it makes sense that keeping this air as clean as possible depends on the cleanliness of these ducts.
A professional duct cleaning, removes accumulated dirt, dust and grime that cling to the interior walls of your HVAC system’s air ducts, which eradicates allergens and unpleasant odors. This is important, because even though you don’t see it, it typically ends up in the air you breathe.
LET US HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR INDOOR AIR QUALITY
We at Mason Heating & Air care not only about your home comfort levels, but also about the health of you and your loved ones. Because indoor air quality has a major impact on your health and well being, we hope you find this information helpful. If you are interested in any of the products and services we offered above, or if you’d like to know more, give us a call 513-496-2477 or Click Here to schedule an appointment now.
Indoor Air Quality 101: Part 1
