Amid the present COVID-19 lockdown, citizens are being asked to stay indoors for unprecedented lengths of time. As such, Southern Californians are beginning to realize how vital their air conditioning is right now. Additionally, they are discovering how their indoor air quality has such a monumental effect on their overall health.
In Southern California, we tend to take our air conditioning for granted. We expect it to be working when we wake up and when we return home from work. If we have a problem with our air conditioning during the summer, it becomes a crisis because the heat can be relentless at certain times of the year.
However, have you honestly stopped and considered the value of your indoor air quality?
Causes and Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Poor indoor air quality can lead to respiratory problems or aggravate existing ones. An air conditioning system that generates unhealthy air can harm you and your loved ones more than you realize.
Studies have shown that you are more likely to suffer from poor indoor air quality than from outdoor pollution. At a time when Southern Californians are required to stay inside, your indoor air quality is more important than ever.
Have you experienced sudden coughing, runny eyes, or sneezing? Are you getting headaches that you didn’t before or feeling fatigued without any particular reason?
Although there may be many different reasons for any of these health concerns, they could also be the result of poor indoor air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that central heating and cooling systems could play a significant role in poor indoor air quality.
While it may seem obvious that an older air conditioning unit may be responsible for poor indoor air quality, many people do not realize that newer homes can contribute to poor indoor air quality as well. Modern homes are built to severely limit the amount of air that can leak from the inside out or the outside in. This inadequate ventilation traps air pollutants within the home where they circulate freely and infect its inhabitants.
So, what can you do to promote safe indoor air quality within your home?
Ways to Keep Your Air Clean During Lockdown
The first thing you might want to do to secure a safe environment within your home is to schedule a 32-Point Safety Check for your air conditioning system. It would be of benefit to have your entire system assessed from the air filters and ductwork to the electrical components and fittings.
Many people do not consider regular checkups for their HVAC systems. However, this neglect can lead to unhealthy indoor air quality and symptoms of poor health.
Here are some things an air conditioning specialist can do to make sure your indoor air is as clean as possible:
1. Install Air Sanitizers
Air sanitizers can help remove contaminants and biological pollutants from the air. With the fear of COVID-19 bacteria contaminating your air, Home Comfort USA are experts at installing air sanitizers that use ActivePure technology.
Air sanitizers may not kill viruses but can remove 99.9% of airborne contaminants. This air sanitizer was developed in collaboration with NASA and is a Certified Space Technology used by astronauts.
Some of the benefits of ActivePure include:
- ActivePure is a catalytic process using light waves to eliminate dust particles with scrubber ions
- Removes volatile organic compounds, decreases odors, and sanitizes the air
- Can be installed directly to your HVAC system
- Reduces pet dander and dust
- Prevents dust from building up in HVAC system
- Complies with federal ozone emission standards, but also available in non-ozone models
Air sanitizers using ActivePure technology produce a pollutant-free airflow and keep your surfaces contaminant free.
2. Check Ductwork, Air Conditioning Filters, and Attic Insulation
Although your attic insulation is important for heat flow resistance, it also provides humidity and moisture control. Moisture and humidity affect your indoor air quality and can create harmful respiratory ailments.
Ductwork with leaks may not only allow bad air into your home but will enable it to move throughout the home easily. Leaky ducts can also produce poor moisture control, which leads to mold. Air ducts are also notorious for collecting dust.
Although it may seem obvious, dirty or inadequate filters have an extremely negative effect on indoor air quality. The main problem is that unless you keep a routine schedule of air conditioner maintenance, chances are you have not had your air filters replaced in a while.
3. Allow for Ventilation
It is a good idea to make sure your home is well ventilated. Your air conditioner and heating specialist can help you with this. It always helps to allow fresh air into a building to flush out pollutants.
Keep Your Indoor Air Quality from Making You Sick
The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology estimates that 50% of all illnesses occur due to poor indoor air quality. With the threat of being under the COVID-19 lockdown indefinitely, our indoor air quality has never been more critical. The good news is that we have control over our indoor air by making sure our air conditioning is safe.
Here are some things you can do to prevent your indoor air from making you sick:
- Have your air conditioner checked regularly: At the very least, you should schedule an annual visit from air conditioning service experts.
- Replace an air conditioning system that is too old: Sometimes, all you need are some replacement parts and fine-tuning for an older system. However, there are times when you simply must replace your old system with a newer one. This is especially important when your health is at risk.
- Contact a professional at the first sign of trouble: As soon as you suspect something is wrong with your air conditioner, call a professional. That small problem now could become a big problem later, and you don’t want to take any unnecessary risks with your health while under lockdown.
Helping You Remain Comfortable and Safe
Indoor air quality has a tremendous effect on you and your family’s health. With the amount of time everyone is now required to remain indoors, you must have a fully functioning air condition system.
Home Comfort USA has been serving the HVAC needs of Southern California since 2013. We know how difficult it is for everyone under lockdown conditions right now, but we want to help you be as comfortable and safe indoors as possible.
If you think your air conditioning needs a checkup, contact us to provide an expert assessment.
