Down here in Southeast Texas, outdoor air pollution from the plants definitely gets a lot of attention because of the nearness of the plants. What most people don’t know though, is that the concentration of some pollutants can actually be two to five times higher inside than it is outside. Most people spend a large portion of their time indoors, so indoor air pollution is actually a very relevant potential for health risks. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this air pollution and improve your indoor air quality through various HVAC technology!
Use Air Purification Technology
Try integrating UVC-emitting lights to help destroy different contaminants on surfaces. With this technology installed in your HVAC system, you can keep your equipment free of pathogens, which then lowers the risk of them spreading throughout the building. This incredibly helpful feature has been added to multiple healthcare facilities, schools, and offices as a way to aid their air disinfection system. Normally, UVC can be utilized in a few different ways, mainly in combination with other types of ventilation, particulate filtration, and other air quality control methods.
Have a Good Ventilation Design
An ideal ventilation system actually lowers the amount of indoor air pollution by providing fresh air, controlling different odors, and removing contaminants that can end up causing physical symptoms and illnesses. For example, exhaust fans can actually help remove fumes from various manufacturing activities and lower the actual concentration of virus particles that may be in the air. Another way to improve your ventilation is through moving ductwork or maybe adding some additional HVAC technology. By having proper ventilation, it keeps the living space clean and reduces the buildup of potential unpleasant odors.
Use VRF for Humidity Control
Here in Southeast Texas, we are all familiar with the presence of humidity everywhere we turn. Unfortunately, having high humidity levels can actually increase the concentration of some indoor air pollutants. One example of this is the fact that since humidity makes the air and surfaces moist, it increases the chances for mold to grow. Consider using a humidity gauge to see if the humidity in your home is at a healthy level – at around 30%-50%. One easy way to maintain this ideal humidity level and temperature is through a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system, which will detect the exact requirements of each zone in the building and send the needed amount of heating or coolant required. With this, each area will consistently stay comfortable in your home.
Consider Increasing Filtration
While a normal air conditioner filter won’t remove pathogens like the UVC will, it is still a crucial part of this process. If you want your air filters to do a little more though, consider opting for a high efficiency particulate air(HEPA) filters, which are designed to actually reduce indoor air pollution by trapping around 99.97% of dust, pollen, and smoke particles. Because HEPA filters restrict the airflow though, it can strain the system a little more, which means the HVAC might need some adjustments to accommodate HEPA.
Clean the Ductwork
There is a lot of fine debris that is probably floating around in your building’s air which can end up accumulating in the ductwork. This is important because whatever is in your ductwork can end up back in the air that you breathe. By having a simple inspection, we can tell you if you have dust, mold, pollen, pet fur, or any other types of airborne materials building up in your ducts. These various contaminants can affect certain health issues, especially concerning asthma and allergies, so it’s best to have trained and certified specialists clean these ducts to improve the air quality.
Keep a Routine HVAC Maintenance
By investing in keeping a routine HVAC maintenance and scheduling a duct inspection and cleaning every once in awhile, you can help detect and prevent various sources of indoor air pollution. Not only does this help with indoor air pollution, but it also helps make sure that your HVAC system is working the right way to keep your house comfortable at an effective cost.
