It has finally happened. Everywhere we go these days, people are talking about air quality – really talking about it!
COVID-19 has created a world where learning about “good” and “bad” air quality is a top priority. Good thing your trusted team of air quality experts at CleanAir Solutions Hamilton has the answers and (clean air equipment) that you’re looking for!
If you are reading this, you probably want to know what you can do to improve your own indoor air quality while you shelter in place at home.
And when you return to work (if applicable) you want to know that the air you breathe at the office will be clean and safe as well.
What does it mean to say the air is polluted? What types of toxins can make you sick? Where do those toxins come from?
Most importantly, how can you get rid of them so the air you need to survive doesn’t harm your health or your lungs? Read on to find out!
What Is Air Pollution
At CleanAir Solutions Hamilton, we have yet to meet a customer who is unaware of the concerns about outdoor air quality. Smog, carbon emissions and even pollen often feel like dangers beyond what we personally can control.
Indoor air quality is a whole different story.
2020 helped a lot of people realize just how toxic our indoor air has become – up to five times more toxic than the smog and pollen-laden outdoor air according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Improving indoor air quality also feels more do-able to most of us. We are working with a smaller area. Often, it is an area we bought and paid for or at least visit every single day.
But while you may feel like you can control the air quality inside your space, you may not know exactly how to do that, which is what we will talk about here next.
Controlling the Quality of Your Indoor Air
Before you can clean up your indoor air, you have to know what is making it dirty.
The types of toxins in your indoor air will drive the indoor air quality solutions you implement to reduce air pollution.
Here is a very simple example.
Let’s say you have a cozy wood fireplace inside your home. You love gathering around it at night with your family. But you notice that you often wake up with a scratchy throat and watery eyes the next morning. What is going on?
Here, there are two different types of toxins that are dirtying your indoor air.
The first type is solids – particles of ash that are produced by the burning wood. The second type is gaseous – volatile organic compounds, dioxins, carbon monoxide and others.
This means you need two different types of air cleaners to address the air pollution your fireplace is causing.
How To Check And Control Air Quality In Your Home
In the previous section here, we identified two categories of indoor air pollution your warm fireplace is causing: solids and gases.
1. HEPA filtration addresses air pollution from particulate solids.
What is a HEPA filter? To deal with the solid particles, you need a HEPA air filter system. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air.
A HEPA filter is a special type of incredibly dense air filter that can trap up to 99.97 percent of all airborne solid particles as small as 0.3 microns (about 1/100th the width of one human hair).
There are two basic types of HEPA air filter systems:
- Ducted (central)
- Non-ducted (portable).
NOTE: Whatever you decide to do, don’t try to change out your HVAC system’s existing air filter for a HEPA filter. This can cause your HVAC blower motor to overheat and start a home fire! Only MERV 17-20 HVAC systems can handle a HEPA filter.
Is it time to install a HEPA filter in your home this year? Contact CleanAir Solutions Hamilton for more information or to schedule an installation appointment.
2. Ultraviolet purification addresses air pollution from gases.
With your HEPA filter system in place, your lungs no longer have to cope with breathing in solid ash as the wood burns brightly in your fireplace.
What about all those toxic gases that are now swirling about inside your space though?
The best air purifier on Earth is our own trusty Sun. The sun produces three different bands of ultraviolet light: A, B and C.
Of these three bands, UV-C is the most powerful. It is also the only band that our planet’s ozone layer cannot block out, which is the reason your doctor tells you to cover up or wear sunscreen when you go outside.
How can you harness the power of UV-C to neutralize and purify the toxic gases pouring out of your fireplace?
Here, what you need is an ultraviolet purification system.
UV air purifiers, like HEPA air filters, come in two basic types:
- Central (ducted)
- Portable (non-ducted) models.
A UV air purifier emits a synthetic focused short-wave band of UV-C light that purifies the air that passes through it. All of the air inside your space must pass through the UV air purifier in order for it to be fully effective.
Interested in installing a UV Air Purifier? CleanAir Solution Hamilton supplies the highest quality UV Air Purifiers for our HVAC clients.
Clean Air Can Still Be Stale Air Unless You Add A Heat Recovery Ventilator
It sure feels great to know your indoor air is no longer chock-full of toxic particles and gases.
Minimizing health symptoms from air pollution, whether that pollution arises from ragweed seasonal pollen, a festive home fireplace or COVID-19, is not just about cleaning up your indoor air though.
It also requires the regular addition of fresh, oxygenated outside air.
The best way to add back fresh air to your home or work place is to give your space its own set of lungs.
A heat recovery ventilator can keep a steady stream of fresh, clean air flowing in.
Hamilton Ontario CleanAir Solutions Has Your Indoor Air Quality Solutions
Together with our sister company, Shipton’s Heating and Cooling, we are helping homeowners and business owners to make smart, safe indoor air quality upgrades that can keep you healthier.
Ask us about contactless estimate, service, invoicing and payment options. Give our friendly, experienced technicians a call at 1-905-549-2470 or visit us online.
