Poor indoor air quality is a health concern for many homeowners in Richmond, VA. Modern building envelopes are much tighter. That’s a positive for energy efficiency but can lead to higher concentrations of pollutants and contaminants. Let’s have a look at the measures and upgrades you can use to achieve and maintain better air quality in your home.
1. Test Your Indoor Air Quality
Homeowners concerned about indoor air quality should schedule regular indoor air quality testing. Testing can provide you with peace of mind. If you are experiencing air quality challenges, it helps to know what contaminants you’re dealing with. If you have fuel-burning appliances in the home, annual CO testing is particularly important. It assures you that your appliances are burning fuel cleanly and exhausting properly. You should also have CO detector coverage throughout your home as required by code. Even without fuel-burning appliances present, experts recommend CO and smoke detectors for all households.
2. Use High-Quality HVAC Air Filters
An HVAC system can exacerbate air quality issues. Avoiding this problem begins with dust control. Less dust in your home means less dust in your HVAC system that is coming through your vents. You should also use a high-quality air filter. Filters are usually rated using the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) system. Most current HVAC systems are compatible with MERV 8 and often as high as MERV 13. These filters trap dust, pollen, pet dander, and more. Check your filters monthly and swap them out as needed.
3. Schedule Seasonal HVAC Maintenance
You should also schedule routine HVAC maintenance. Schedule a tune-up for your cooling system in the spring. Schedule a tune-up for your heating system in fall. This is good advice even if you have a heat pump or mini-split that both heats and cools. There are many beneficial reasons to do this, including keeping your equipment clean. Some dust will get into your system. During this appointment, our team will remove all that buildup.
4. Install Air Purification Equipment
A dedicated whole-house air purification system is the best way to combat indoor air pollution. If you have a central HVAC system, we recommend installing an air purifier. Homeowners with ductless HVAC can opt for an air purifier with its own dedicated supply and return ducts.
There are many types of air purifiers on the market. The traditional configuration combines mechanical filtration with activated carbon. These air purifiers typically have a prefilter and a primary filter. The prefilter traps the largest particles to protect the unit and preserve the primary filter.
Many brands use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter for the primary mechanical filtration. True HEPA filters trap as much as 99.97% of particles that pass through the system, down to 0.3 microns. In many residential applications, you only must replace the HEPA filter once each year.
Activated carbon has many microscopic pores to expand its surface area. That makes this substance highly absorbent and long lasting. Activated carbon absorbs unpleasant smells for a fresher home. It neutralizes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as many other gases and chemicals. It’s a material commonly used in air filter designs.
5. Utilize In-Duct UV Lamps
If you’d like to reduce bacteria and viruses in your home, experts recommend ultraviolet (UV) light technology. UV-C lights give off what’s called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). UVGI not only neutralizes pathogens but also fungal and mold spores and dust mite eggs.
Some traditional air purifiers, as described earlier, have an integrated UVGI component. That said, UVGI is more effective with slower airflow, whereas mechanical filtration is more effective with higher airflow. For this reason, many experts recommend standalone UV lamps as a complement to an air purifier. There are also air purifier types with UVGI where airflow is not a concern. Examples include air purifiers that use ions or hydrogen peroxide to clean the air.
6. Reduce Indoor Humidity in Summer
Relative humidity (RH) affects indoor air quality as well. A higher RH level can lead to increased airborne pollutants, increased pathogens, and decreased air circulation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises against an RH above 60%. It also advises 50% or less as an ideal. This can be difficult to achieve by using using air conditioning alone. The solution is a whole-home dehumidifier. It will remove water vapor from the air to reach optimal RH. Whole-home systems also have condensate drainage, so you never have to worry about emptying them.
7. Increase Your Humidity in Winter
The EPA recommends an RH of no less than 30% in the winter. The sweet spot for most homes is around 40% during this time. That can be difficult to achieve with your HVAC system alone. Furnace humidifiers are a popular HVAC add-on. There are other types of whole-home humidifiers as well. These devices add water vapor to the air to reach your optimal RH. Our plumbers will also plumb your humidifier into your system. That means you’ll never have to fill it up as you would with a portable unit.
8. Control Your HVAC With a Smart Thermostat
Even if you already have a smart thermostat, it may be time to consider an upgrade. Modern systems can play an important role in indoor air quality. Many have humidity control and coordinate temperature and RH. Some systems provide active indoor air quality monitoring. You also have the option of remote sensors for temperature, RH, and more.
9. Clean Your Ducts
Dust will build up in your ducts over time, and that accumulation can negatively affect air quality. Standard industry advice is to schedule a camera-based duct inspection annually and to opt for professional cleaning as needed. Note that the seasonal maintenance mentioned earlier does not include a duct inspection. Homeowners can schedule both of these services at the same time.
10. Upgrade Your Rooms With Ceiling Fans
You should also consider ceiling fans in any rooms where they’re practical. Ceiling fans can provide a cooling effect in the summer. They help to distribute temperature and humidity control more evenly. Ceiling fans also help with air quality directly through air circulation, which prevents the buildup of pollutants in a room.
Are Your Ready to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality?
Davis & Green has been trusted by Richmond homeowners and businesses since 1948. Our team tests indoor air quality, cleans ducts, and installs air purifiers, UV lamps, and dehumidification and humidification systems. Our HVAC team installs and services furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, heat pumps, and mini-splits. We also install smart thermostats, HVAC filters and smoke and CO detectors. Our company offers handyman services as well. We have electricians who conduct inspections and repairs. Our electricians wire, rewire, and upgrade electrical panels. We install generators, EV chargers, indoor and outdoor lighting, switches, outlets, and ceiling fans as well. You can also count on our plumbers for sewer repair, drain cleaning, water heaters, sump pumps, and much more.
If you have any questions about these services or would like to schedule an appointment, call Davis & Green today, or contact us online.
