With the arrival of the cold season, we have to keep our health in mind. Our body’s immune systems are compromised through this time, and you or your family members could become sick due to indoor air quality issues.
But does this mean that your indoor air quality is getting worse in the cold? Not quite. It could be that you’ve had these air issues all along, and they’re affecting you only now in this cold weather. If this sounds like you or one of your family members, then you can find great relief through maintaining a good indoor air quality.
Duct Cleaning
If your air quality seems to have become worse over time–or maybe you just realized recently that it was something that could be changed–then it might be time for a good and thorough duct cleaning.
Many homeowners simply forget about their ducts. After all, they’re tucked away in the attic and rarely seen. It also might be assumed that, because it’s a closed system, that they would stay relatively clean. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Dust and dirt are capable of entering your HVAC ducts through the supply and return vents. It’s also not uncommon for leaks in the duct system itself to invite in dust and contaminants. As you can imagine, this dust will have nowhere to go except back inside your home!
A professional duct cleaning service in Portland, OR will be able to give your ducts a thorough cleaning and inspection. Just cleaning them requires special brushes and vacuums designed to get the job done–without making the problem worse. DIY duct cleaning attempts usually start off with good intentions, but they end up loosening up even more dust and dirt instead of meticulously cleaning out all of it (thus making the air quality even worse!).
Air Treatment Systems
Cleaning the ducts is one thing. It’s like getting a cleanse or detox; you’ve flushed out all the toxins and are ready to start living nice and clean. But it only stays that way if you stop inviting pollutants and contaminants in.
Of course, we can’t stop outdoor pollutants from entering your home. One proactive step we can take, however, is to use air treatment systems to capture or destroy those pollutants. The systems are divided into three main types:
- Mechanical Air Filters: Filters installed in your HVAC system that capture different kinds of particles. Air filters come in different grades, each one best for a different size of particle. These filters are commonly used to combat pollen and pet dander.
- Air Purifiers: Smoke, odors, chemical contaminants… All the nasty particles that can’t be captured with a filter are best taken care of with a purifier. They operate by charging the air with an ionization field.
- UV Air Purifiers: The biggest difference from a normal air purifier is that these are designed specifically to deal with living microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and mold spores.