According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air quality is an industry term that refers to how healthy (or not) the air supply is inside a structure.
Say, for instance, that every time you walk inside your home, your eyes start to itch and your nose starts to run. There could be many reasons for this, but the most likely reason is that there is something inside your home that is causing your eyes and nose to react.
In some cases, you may have a similar physical reaction only when you go to work. As the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) explains, this may be an indication of “sick building syndrome” (SBS), which occurs when there is some kind of contaminant or toxin on site that causes health symptoms to appear.
The more you can learn about maintaining healthy and safe indoor air at home and work, the less likely it is that your health will suffer because you are breathing in contaminated air. In this article, we will review some of the most popular and effective options for cleaning and purifying your indoor air in any space.
What Is a Whole Home HEPA Filter?
A whole home HEPA filter is a very advanced type of air filtration system that can clean the air inside your entire space.
The acronym HEPA stands for “high efficiency particulate air.” The original HEPA filter was invented back in the 1940s to help filter tiny airborne irradiated particles.
This mechanical filter worked by pushing air through a very fine mesh filter. It worked so well that, after the war, the filtration system was adapted for hospital use.
Today, HEPA filters are widely available for residential and commercial spaces. Many vacuum cleaners feature HEPA filtration systems. There are a number of portable room air filters with HEPA systems.
The best system is the whole home HEPA filter. These systems draw very little power and are remarkably efficient. They are also nearly maintenance-free, requiring only filter changes every six to 12 months.
What Is a Whole Home UV Filtration System?
While it seems nearly impossible to believe, you breathe in about 30,000 quarts of air into your lungs every single day!
So if anyone in your family repeatedly struggles with bouts of seasonal allergies, asthma, or respiratory infections, it may be the fault of pollen, germs, bacteria, mould spores, mildew, or other irritants that are floating around in your indoor air supply.
These irritants may not bother you if you just breathe them in occasionally. But if you happen to live or work in a space where you are regularly exposed to them, in time your health will begin to show it.
Ultraviolet (UV) filtration systems are not new. In fact, the response between airborne particulate matter and UV light has been studied as far back as 1845! According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), they can be very effective at purifying indoor air provided they are properly installed.
Once installed, these compact and efficient whole home UV filtration systems are entirely self-cleaning and self-maintaining. They not only remove toxins and irritants from the air, but also deodorize it without the use of any chemicals.
What Is a Heat Recovery Ventilator?
A heat recovery ventilator, or HRV, ensures that the air inside your home is always fresh and oxygen-rich.
It does this by making sure the outgoing stale air and incoming fresh air never meet and mix. The modern HRV systems also naturally balance your indoor moisture levels and remove unpleasant airborne odours.
If you have ever struggled with mould and mildew in certain rooms of your home, an HRV can help take care of that for you as well. These systems are compact, very efficient, and provide year-round energy savings as well.
What Is a Whole Home Humidifier?
As the name suggests, a humidifier is a device with the sole purpose of adding humidity back into your indoor air.
Why would you want to do this? Many people like to use humidifiers in the dry winter season, when indoor air humidity levels can fall as low as 10 percent. At this low level, dry skin, chapped lips, and increased risk of respiratory infection and flu is all likely.
But humidifiers are also useful for other reasons. Some people who suffer with allergies and asthma find that breathing in moist air significantly reduces their struggles. For some people who have skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema, humidifiers can moisten skin and reduce irritation.
This one might surprise you, but humidifiers can also help to preserve antique wood furniture and wood floors, as well as homes made from wood, from cracking, buckling, or separating when humidity levels fall very low.
One of the best ways to keep your indoor air humidity levels balanced year-round is to install a whole home humidifier.
Whether for your own health, to help a family member or to keep your investments in expensive wood furnishings intact, these systems are integrated and efficient. Once set up, they need very little in the way of ongoing maintenance, and you can turn them on or off as desired with a touch of a digital button.
Get 20 Percent Off With Our Breathe Clean Air Event!
Our June Breathe Clean Air Event was such a smash success we decided to extend it another month! Right now, get 20 percent off any whole home HEPA filters, whole home UV filtration systems, heat recovery ventilators, and whole home humidifier systems, complete with Clean Air Solutions’ expert consultation, installation, setup, and maintenance.
To learn more or schedule your appointment, you can complete our easy online form.
Give Us a Call
Clean Air Solutions Hamilton’s professional, friendly staff is here for you. To schedule your complimentary consultation for improved home or workplace indoor air quality, just give us a call at 905-544-2470.
