The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends a minimum of 35 air changes per hour be provided by mechanical ventilation. This is in addition to the minimal amount of natural
ventilation (infiltration) that occurs in today's homes.
Some of the symptoms of a home with inadequate ventilation include:
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Stale, stuffy air
caused by a build up of CO2
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Condensation on
windows in the winter
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Odors from
chemicals, cleaners or other volatile organic compounds (VOC's)
Harmful effects to the homes occupants may show up as eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, drowsiness and nausea
According to the EPA, the air inside your home can be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outside. Considering the fact that most Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, air quality indoors may present greater health risks than outdoor air pollution.
A variety of products are available to help control the quality of air in your home. These include high efficiency air cleaners, automatic humidifiers and dehumidifiers, air exchangers, zone control systems, and UV lamps.
How often
should I have my furnace and air conditioner serviced?
All manufacturers of
heating and air conditioning equipment recommend that owners have their
equipment inspected annually by a qualified HVAC technician. In fact,
"proper maintenance" may be a condition of the equipment's warranty.
The single most important maintenance a home owner can do on their own,
is to change or clean the air filter regularly. This may be as often as
once a month for standard one inch filters or up to six months or a year
for high efficiency pleated filters. Follow the filter manufacturer's
recommendation on replacement interval and replacement media model.
Just because a filter media will fit your system does not mean it will
offer the same protection you originally purchased.
A clean system uses less energy, has fewer breakdowns, does not harbor
mold and smells, and will help extend the life of the equipment. Most
HVAC contractors offer maintenance agreements to assist you and remind
you when your
system is due for a check up.
What type
of air filter is right for my furnace?
Many furnaces are
installed with a standard 1 inch fiberglass throw away filter in order
to minimize the initial cost. Cost is the only advantage to this type
of filter. They provide only minimal protection for the furnace and air
conditioner and
should be changed every 1 to 3 months.
Sometimes homeowners will choose a 1 inch pleated filter or static
electric type filter at the time of replacement. They are available in
the same sizes as the standard filters and claim to be more efficient.
These filters, however, have a
higher resistance to airflow and may need to be up-sized in order to
provide sufficient airflow for your system. They still need to be
changed or cleaned every 1 - 3 months like the standard filters, and
since they often are installed in the
same leaky filter frame that the standard filter used, may never really
give you the efficiency they claim.
Several different high efficiency whole-home air cleaners are available
which offer excellent protection for your heating and air conditioning
equipment. They can, also, provide for a healthier home environment for
your family and require only annual maintenance.
Why should
I have a humidifier for my home?
During the heating
season, the average American home, without a humidifier, can have a
relative humidity in the 10% to 15% range. Humidity levels in this
range can adversely affect your comfort, your health, your home and
furnishings,
and the cost of heating your home.
Low humidity dries out your respiratory passages and allows viruses to
thrive increasing the likelihood of getting colds or other respiratory
illnesses. In your home, it can cause the walls and ceilings to crack
and the trim and wood floors to separate. The static electricity caused
by dry air can be a problem for all sorts of electronic equipment.
When dry air evaporates the moisture from your skin, it provides an
evaporative cooling effect. This can cause you to need a higher
temperature to maintain your comfort level. You increase your home's
heating energy consumption by approximately 5% for every degree you
raise your thermostat setting.
How do I
select a whole house high efficiency air cleaner?
Several high efficiency
air cleaners are on the market today. To know which one is right for
you, be prepared to answer the following questions:
-
1. Am I
mainly interested in maximizing the efficiency of my HVAC equipment?
2. Does anyone in my house have allergies or asthma?
3. Does anyone smoke?
4. Am I interested in filtering out and killing viruses and bacteria?
5. Do I have pets?
The next type of air cleaner provides the same equipment protection as the first type and filters out pollens, mold spores, and pet dander. These filters were originally developed for people with allergies, but are often used as a good
general purpose air cleaner.
The last type of air cleaner is the electronic type. These air cleaners filter out the smallest of particles like smoke, viruses, bacteria, and other very small particles. These are the best choice for anyone with asthma, or otherwise interested in providing the healthiest environment.
Should I be concerned about, and what products are available to control indoor air quality (IAQ)?
How often should I have my furnace and air conditioner serviced?
What type of air filter is right for my furnace?