When you think about bad air quality, you might think about factories billowing smog, or fires causing clouds of smoke in the air. While pollution and outdoor air quality are certainly health considerations, indoor air quality– the air circulating in sealed homes and buildings– is also extremely important and often overlooked, as most people spend the majority of their days indoors.
Cleaning the air: the importance of HVAC systems
As Covid-19 spread, many of us have turned our attention to improving ventilation knowing that the air we breathe in sealed environments can truly impact our health. When it comes to indoor air quality, the biggest offenders that we concern ourselves with are humidity, dust, carbon monoxide, and radon. Other culprits we might not think of immediately (from this list from the EPA) include: smoke from cigarettes, cooking emissions, or dust from remodeling. And as the pandemic showed us, viral contaminants are also factors in air quality.
HVAC systems are vitally important when it comes to reducing these air quality contaminants. They filter, condition, and circulate the air. But what happens to HVAC systems when there is an excess of contaminants in the air?
Poor air quality and the impact on HVAC systems
While we rely on HVAC systems to clean the indoor air, we should also be aware that an overabundance of contaminants will make HVAC systems work harder. For example, excess humidity increases the workload on an AC unit, forcing the unit to work harder and longer to achieve low humidity to make your home comfortable. Another example is cigarette smoke, which causes air filters to get clogged. Clogged filters make it difficult for air to flow, making the unit work overtime.
When it comes to indoor air quality, we expect our HVAC system to be doing the work. Understanding the ways you can improve air quality in your home or office will help your HVAC system do its job, become more energy efficient, and have an extended life.
In Conclusion
If you have children or older adults in the home, someone with asthma or other immunocompromised health issues, or if you simply notice the air quality in your home or workplace seems off, it’s worthwhile to have a professional check it out.
Whether adding a dehumidifier or air purifier, having your air filters or ductwork cleaned or replaced, or servicing or replacing your entire HVAC system to remedy a poorly functioning system that is cycling bad air, our professionals can provide insight on the issue you are facing. Even a simple fix can make a substantial improvement to your air quality.
Contact us!
Indoor air quality is important! Exxel Mechanical, based in Mount Airy, MD serves a wide area that encompasses Westminster, Ellicott City, Owings Mills, and Frederick. Our reputation in this area precedes us, as we pride ourselves on placing our customers as our highest priority.
Call us today at (443) 821-1040, or send an email to bob@exxelmechanical.com. It would be our pleasure to see how we can help you!
