Category: Air Quality

After buying a house, many homeowners add different amenities to the building to make it more like a home they would want to live in. Some people update the HVAC system in the home or add second bathrooms. A popular addition many homeowners get, especially the health-conscious ones, is a system for purifying air. But it can be a challenge to find the ideal system.

In this article, air quality experts share some insight into UV air sanitizers and air purifiers.

How Do UV Air Sanitizers & Purifiers Work?

The two types of machines most popular for cleaning air are air purifiers and UV air sanitizers. While both systems remove pollutants and contaminants from the air, they work differently from each other. An air purifier uses electricity or ionization to charge up pollutant molecules in the air and then uses that charge to suck the molecules into the unit. The contaminants can then be cleaned out of the unit at a later date.

While also able to clear pollutants, UV air sanitizers are better known to clear living contaminants, such as bacteria, out of the air. The system does this by setting off a low frequency of UV rays into the air. This is the same type of radiation that comes from the sun. The rays attack living molecules in the air and kill them, preventing them from spreading.

Which One Is Better?

The type of system a homeowner chooses depends on what their main concern is. Air purifiers are efficient at cleaning up contaminants such as dust or other non-living particles such as smoke. Still, they aren’t as efficient at picking up living contaminants such as bacteria or mold that has gotten into the air. Air purifiers have also been around longer than UV air sanitizers, so they have a better guarantee at usefulness and air purifying rate.

While air purifiers work well, UV air sanitizers catch more contaminants in the air. The biggest drawback of a UV air sanitizer is the fact that it uses UV rays. These rays are a type of radiation known to cause skin cancer when coming from the sun. While this could be cause for alarm in some people, the frequency emitted from a UV air sanitizer is so low that it wouldn’t affect inhabitants in the home. Still, in areas where residents are prone to skin cancer, an air purifier might seem like a better choice.

Why Have an Air Sanitizer or Air Purifier Installed?

Many people might not see a need for air cleaning in their homes. While not very common, the location of the home and current health concerns could be reasons for buying an air cleaner. People living in areas with many pollutants in the air, such as big cities or climates that tend to trap particles in the air, are more in need of an air purifier. Such climates would be humid ones, and come along with pollen and mold if one isn't careful.

Along with those concerns, people with asthma or breathing problems are more in need of air cleaners. This is because these health issues can make lungs sensitive, so while the average person might not be affected by a few dust particles getting into their lungs, those with preexisting medical breathing conditions can’t afford the same carelessness. Either way, clean air leads to healthier lungs and even more restful sleep.

Trust a Local HVAC Expert

Easco Air Conditioning and Heating have provided upfront pricing and quality services to Huntsville for more than thirty years. With expert technicians in the air conditioning and heating industry, Easco Air Conditioning and Heating is always willing to come and serve.

Is Filtering a Virus Even Possible?

With the current global crisis, many homeowners are looking for ways that air quality control can be used to fight against viruses. At the current moment, there is not a filter that has been confirmed to 100% kill the Coronavirus, but air purifiers do help to keep the air in the home clean by removing some particles.

This is a powerful step in reducing the chances of the virus lingering in the air. To keep outside air out of the home, an air purification filter can be used that routinely rotates the air in the room through a filter or series of filters to capture particles and neutralize pollutants.

How Air Purifiers Work

Air purifiers clean the air in the house, but how? They pull the air from the room into the purifier where it travels through a purifying filter before being pushed back into the room.

Some of the new high-tech air purifiers can detect the levels in the air and automatically cut off when it senses that the air is clean. There are a variety of different types of filters on the market, and some of them are very adept at purifying almost all of the pollutants from the air.

Other benefits of the use of air filters for the home include relief from allergy symptoms. During the current outbreak, it can be embarrassing and even scary to have allergy symptoms in public as panic continues to spread about the potentially deadly virus.

A lot of people have anxiety about their own allergy symptoms. Air purifiers can help to filter pollen, dust, and other common allergens out of the air so that allergy symptoms such as coughing and sneezing are not as severe or go away completely.

Is Air Flow Quarantine a Good Idea?

The Coronavirus is not known to be an airborne disease, but an airflow quarantine can still help in the fight against the spread of the virus. In the outside world, people are coughing and sneezing all around, and there is a chance that those particles can linger in the air and potentially infect others.

To protect yourself and your family against the coronavirus, a good air purification system can play an important part. Air filters have advanced a long way and are very effective at capturing particles in the air.

Get the Right Information

There is a lot of misinformation going around during these times. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of false claims, which is why it is important to protect yourself by getting truthful information.

Some companies are ready to take advantage of these trying times, and other companies are here to help with genuine solutions.

As a consumer, it is up to you to look to trusted sources for your information. However, using one of these filters can improve indoor air quality in general, which can go a long way to enjoying a healthier home.

Trusted HVAC Technicians Who Care

Easco Air Conditioning and Heating is an HVAC company in The Woodlands, TX. They pride themselves on their quick and speedy service that always exceeds expectations. Before beginning work, they get the job approved by you, and they leave your house in better condition than they got it in.

Different Ways to Improve Your Air Quality

The quality of the air you breathe is important to stay healthy. For most people, the majority of their time is spent in their homes. That is why home air quality should be a high priority. If the air quality in your house is subpar, it could have detrimental effects not only on allergies and asthma, but it could affect your heart health.

On the other hand, if you take care of the air quality in your home it’ll reduce your risk of heart disease, help with breathing and allergy issues, and even help you sleep better at night. It is easy to achieve these benefits in your home so long as you keep your HVAC well maintained.

There are also a few other factors that play into keeping good air quality in your home. Continue reading to learn what these factors are and how they can benefit your home.

Common Air Purifiers

It is true that keeping your HVAC system working efficiently and changing the filter often will keep the air clean. However, there are further measures you could take to purify the air even more. For instance, HEPA filters and UV air purifiers are both great add ons to have that will further purify the air.

If you are into the more natural options, salt lamps are increasing in popularity. These lamps are pretty much huge chunks of Himalayan salt with a light bulb in the middle of them. The salt is said to help cleanse the air surrounding it.

At the end of the day, really the simplest solution to circulation and freshening the air is to open some windows. You may not necessarily get the purest air by opening the window, but it will help remove some poor quality air more quickly.

The Advantage of Plants

House plants are another great thing to have in the home. They are more than just nice to look at. They actually serve a purpose. There are some plants in particular that are known to help the air quality, but all plants are great for keeping the air clean.

Some plants that are known for their air-purifying benefits are:

• Aloe Vera
• Spider Plant
• English ivy
• Broad Lady Palm
• Dragon Tree

They are all relatively low maintenance plants as well, not to mention decently priced. House plants aren’t the only plants that benefit your home. Outdoor plants can do just the same.

Trees, any landscaping around the house, and gardens all do a magnificent job of purifying the air surrounding them. The more plants on the Earth, the better the air quality is inside and out. More clean air is exactly what the Earth needs this Earth Day, there has never been a better time to plant a tree or even a flower. The Earth will thank you for it.

Save the Earth and Some Money With Automated Thermostats

Automated thermostats are a great thing for the green movement in saving the planet. There are smart thermostats now, that allow you to control the temperature from your phone while you’re away.

They will also turn off the air when you leave the house. Programmable thermostats are amazing because they turn on and off automatically, maintaining the temperature of the home by themselves.

This saves a lot of energy consumption thus saving the planet in return. Not only can you improve the overall airflow and air quality with the above-stated tips, but you can do something good for Earth Day. It’s a win-win.

Easco Air Conditioning and Heating Knows Air Quality

The technicians at Easco Air Conditioning and Heating are trained professionals that care about air quality services in The Woodlands, TX along with keeping your home’s HVAC working as best as possible. They offer 24/7 fast live answers so you can feel safe any time, day or night.

August is National Wellness Month. As such, it’s a time to think about ways that we can all be more healthy and take better care of ourselves. The celebration encourages us to implement healthy habits, reduce our stress and not overlook necessary self-care. As you think about being more healthy this month, there’s no more basic place to start than the air that you breathe. Breathing clean and safe air is an essential part of staying healthy and active.

Given that many of us spend at least 12 hours a day breathing the air in our homes, it makes sense to think about your home’s air quality this August. To help you do so, today we’re going to talk about the importance of your HVAC system in maintaining your home’s air quality and some ways you can help to improve your home’s air quality.

The Significance of your HVAC System

We all know that our HVAC systems keep our homes comfortable throughout the year.

We fully appreciate the systems for that - after all, anyone that’s had their air conditioning go out on the hottest day of the year can appreciate how important this system is.

Yet, we often don’t think about how important the system is in ensuring that our air is safe to breathe. Your HVAC system is responsible for ensuring that your home’s air is safe and clean. It effectively removes pollutants, allergens and various contaminants from the air.

Indoor air quality has an impact on respiratory issues, allergies, and even our immune system. By keeping your indoor air quality high, your HVAC system has an important impact on your day to day life.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

You can help take the pressure off of your HVAC system and improve your indoor air quality by using quality air filters and ensuring that they’re consistently replaced.

There are a variety of types of air filters - including flat, fiberglass filters, pleated filters, and HEPA filters - that provide different advantages to your system. Even more important than the type of filter you use, is ensuring that your filters are timely replaced.

While the exact timing is dependent on the type of air filter you have, it’s a good idea to check your filter every month to make sure it’s clean. On average, filters should be changed at least every 90 days. However, during the summer it’s a good idea to change them at least once a month.

Plus, if you have pets or family members with allergies, it’s a good idea to always change your filters about every 45 days. Air filters are a simple but important way to improve your indoor air quality, so make sure that this is home maintenance that you keep up with.

Have you Prepared Your Home for Back to School?

In addition to being National Wellness Month, August is also the time that students prepare to go back to school.

Going back to school means that your kids are exposed to more germs and illnesses on a daily basis. This makes it a good time to think about your home’s air quality, as this can play a big part in keeping your family healthy.

In addition to making sure your air filters are clean, consider having your entire unit inspected and cleaned, including your ducts. Ensuring that all components of your HVAC system are clean and functioning properly will help to ensure the best indoor air quality possible. It’s one simple way to help your kids be a little healthier this school year.

It’s easy to underestimate the impact that your HVAC system has on your day-to-day routine, making it all the more important to ensure that it’s working properly and safely. If you have any concerns about your home’s air quality, call Easco Air Conditioning and Heating today at (936) 539-2653.

Clean air is something that we often take for granted, especially in our homes. We just assume that, unless we live in a smog heavy city like Los Angeles, that our air is always clean. However, come Spring, the renewed life of nature around us also brings plenty of dust and pollen to the air.

While that may not sound like that would dirty your air, if you are an allergy sufferer, you are familiar with the misery that comes with high dust and pollen counts.

Even if you are not prone to seasonal allergies, the dust and pollen can find their way into your homes as well and cause you problems. There is an often overlooked factor to help to make sure the air quality in your home is clean and relatively free of allergens.

The Problem With High Allergen Air Quality in Your Home

Your home is supposed to be a sanctuary from the outdoors, even if you love being outside. Prolonged exposure to the dust and allergens in the air can exacerbate regular allergies, making them a constant struggle.

It can even get to the point of causing rashes or other skin conditions. However, that’s not all that dust and pollen in your home can do. Your body, even when you aren’t allergic, is constantly creating an immune response when faced with high levels of allergens in the air.

This can wear the body down, helping you feel a little under the weather. It might manifest in minor headaches, congestion and fatigue. You may even feel like you are just recovering from a small cold but, really, it’s your body’s immune response to everything in the air.

Perform Regular Air Filter Maintenance For Clean Air

Most of us have an HVAC system and all of those systems come with air filters so that should be the end of that problem, right? Not so much.

While there are plenty of high tech filtration systems out there, including ones featuring UV sanitation, most air filtration is only as good as the maintenance performed on them.

The good news is that the maintenance is fairly simple, just keeping up with replacing the filter. The bad news? Many homeowners fall woefully behind on this simple task. One major reason is that people don’t actually know how often they should replace their air filter.

That’s because it’s not a simple answer. It’s really dependent on the number of people and pets in your home, plus a bit of how the air quality is around your house. A professional at Easco Air will happily give you an estimate of how often to change out your filter.

Saving Money With Every Filter Replacement

While you may see changing your air filters out regularly as an expense, it really can contribute to saving money in the long run. If your HVAC system is circulating air more easily because of a clean filter, it is not having to work as hard, using less energy.

This will reduce your monthly energy bill. In addition, less hard work means a longer life span for your system, delaying the eventual need for costly repairs or replacement. There is a reason so many HVAC professionals can be seen covered in the dust this time of year.

It’s because we are often called to service malfunctioning systems as the weather warms up and a major cause of a malfunction is improperly maintained air filters. As the dust and pollen comes out in a plume as we change the filter, in our heads, all we hear is Queen’s song “Another One Bites the Dust.” If we are covered in it, that means you were breathing it in. If you want to ensure you aren’t the one breathing in all that dust, call an expert at Easco Air at (936) 539-2653 and we’ll be happy to help.