10Dec

What’s in Your Air?

December is a month full of indoor activities and memorable family dinners. In order to fully enjoy these activities, it is important to question the air that you breathe. 65 million people develop allergies due to polluted indoor air annually. Pollutants in the air include pollen, bacteria, dust mites, and animal dander. All of these can cause irritations like sneezing, coughing and other cold-like symptoms.

Air Purifier

To avoid missing out on precious indoor family activities, consider purchasing an air purifier. Air purifiers can eliminate many of the indoor pollutants that cause these health-related problems. Efficiency is the main factor you will want to look for when choosing an air purifier for your family.

Efficiency is measured in terms of the particle size an air filter can capture. The higher the efficiency, the more effective the purification will be. Look for the filter’s MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) number; a new industry standard for rating filters based on their performance. Residential filters typically have an MERV range of one to 12. Higher ratings indicate more efficient filters. For example, an MERV 8 filter removes 80% of allergens down to .3 microns during air circulation in the home.

The two most popular types of air purifiers are electric and mechanical. Electrical air purifiers use a process called electrostatic attraction to trap particles. Ion generators, or ionizers, disperse charged ions into the air. These ions attach to airborne particles, giving them a charge and enabling them to cling to nearby surfaces, such as walls and furniture, or to one another and settle faster.

Mechanical air purifiers, such as high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, remove particles by capturing them on filter materials. Most mechanical air purifiers are good at capturing larger airborne particles — such as dust, pollen, some mold spores, and animal dander, all while eliminating unwanted odor.

Carbon Monoxide Detector

Not only is it important to eliminate odors and air pollutants, but it is also crucial to monitor carbon monoxide levels in your air. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is extremely toxic to humans and animals. Exposure to too much carbon monoxide can cause extreme headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even death.

Carbon monoxide can be introduced into your home in a variety of ways. Gas-burning appliances such as furnaces, water heaters, and stoves/ovens that are not properly ventilated or maintained and indoor gas-powered generators are all culprits of releasing this gas into your indoor air. Because of this likelihood of exposure, a carbon monoxide detector is vital to you and your family’s health.

These detectors monitor your air quality, and will alert you if the CO level threatens to rise to dangerous levels. Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to alert you with plenty of time to get cleaner air. These detectors should be placed near sleeping areas so that you can be alerted easily.

The AERCO team is dedicated to providing you with the right air-quality products so that you can spend quality time with your family without worrying about the safety of the air you breath. Whether it’s purchasing air purifiers or carbon monoxide detectors; contact your HVAC expert to help you select the product that suits your needs best and allows you to create more precious family memories..