The Clean Air Act Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Indoor Air Quality’

Proper Ventilation for Improved Indoor Air Quality

Monday, October 1st, 2012

When you think about your Portland home’s furnace, you’re probably not thinking about indoor air quality. But the truth is that there are several ways in which your furnace can impact the quality of the air in your home. When you have a furnace in your home, it’s important to understand the relationship between these heating systems and your home’s indoor air quality.

Proper Ventilation for Byproducts of Combustion

Especially if you have a gas furnace, you need to be aware of the gasses that are produced by the combustion of natural gas to generate heat. The two that are the most relevant to indoor air quality are carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. In a furnace that’s working properly and is well maintained, these gasses will be kept from the living spaces of your home and vented outside where they can disperse and are not harmful.

Air Filters

In addition to venting fumes outside, your furnace also should have air filters that can remove all types of indoor air contaminants that may be found in your indoor air. These air filters are a great way to keep the quality of your indoor air high, but they also need to be changed out or cleaned on a regular basis to ensure they’re working properly and that you’re getting all of the benefit you should from them.

If you have a particularly severe indoor air quality problem, or if anyone in your home has asthma or allergies, you may want to invest in an upgrade to the stock filters that come with your furnace. Opting for a higher quality filter can dramatically improve the quality of your indoor air.

For more information about how to improve the air quality in your Portland home, give The Clean Air Act, Inc. a call today!

Tags: Air Filters, Estacada, Furnaces, Indoor Air Quality, Portland, Troutdale
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What’s the difference between mechanical and electronic air cleaners?

Monday, September 24th, 2012

There are a number of air cleaners on the market, each of them offering a number of specific features and benefits designed to match the types or air pollutants and allergens your Portland home has. However, a common question we get is about the difference between mechanical and electronic air cleaners.

Mechanical Air Cleaners

Mechanical air cleaners are also called filters and are generally some form of physical device installed in the air flow system for your HVAC device or air handler. The air flows through the filter and particles are removed because they are smaller than air particles. Mechanical filters come in different MERV ratings, and some are rated as HEPA filtration devices, removing up to 99.9% of contaminants 0.3 microns or larger. These devices are highly effective for almost all forms of allergens and contaminants in the Portland area.

Electronic Air Cleaners

An electronic air cleaner uses a different process, actively removing particles by ionizing the air and pulling the particles out of it. The difference is that such a process only works on smaller particles like gas or smoke and fumes. So, an electronic air cleaner removes the stuff that a mechanical filter never could, and is generally only necessary if your home suffers from such contaminants.

When the time comes to have a new air cleaning system installed in your home, the first thing you should do is determine what you need to have removed. Most people will benefit from a mechanical filter upgrade, but if exhaust is a problem due to proximity to a major road or if someone in your home smokes, an electronic filter can go one step further and remove a lot of additional particles.

There are also air purification systems that combine both technologies to create a fully-featured air cleaning system. You can check if this type of system is compatible with your air handler and then have one sized for your needs.

To determine what to do about the indoor air quality in your Portland home, contact The Clean Air Act, Inc. today!

Tags: Air Cleaners, Beaverton, Indoor Air Quality, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Portland
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Where Are Air Cleaners Installed and How Do They Work?

Monday, September 10th, 2012

Just from reading the name, most people in Oregon City can figure out what whole home air filtration systems do. But what many people don’t know is where they are placed in your house and how they actually filter the air. There are many different kinds of home air filtration systems and each one cleans your air in a different way.

Mechanical Air Filters

Air filters are installed as part of your heating and air conditioning system. They are most commonly installed in the air handler that distributes clean air to the rest of your house. As the air passes through the filter, particulates, bacteria and viruses, pollen, pet dander and other contaminates are trapped and removed from your air supply. Depending upon your needs, the filters come in varying sizes: some are designed to filter very tiny contaminates like viruses, while others are made to trap larger particulates like dust. Ask the experts at Clean Air Act, Inc. which filter is right for your Oregon City home air filtration needs.

Electronic Air Filters

Electronic air cleaners differ from mechanical air filters in that they use an electronic charge to trap particles similar to the way static electricity works. There are several types of electronic air filters. Electrostatic precipitators are installed in your air handler where they draw air across an ionized section of the filter and attach a positive electrical charge to the particles in the air. These charged particles are attracted to, and accumulate on, negatively charged collector plates.

Ion generators, another type of electronic filter, work in a similar way but without the collector plates. These devices emit charged ions into the air where they attach to other particles and collect on objects like furniture, walls or the ground.

Oregon City Home Air Filtration Installation Experts

Your family deserves to breathe clean air. For people suffering from existing respiratory problems, air filtration can be a necessity. Whole home filtration systems can reduce allergy flare-ups that result from pollen, dust and other pollutants like pet dander. Many homes in the Oregon City area are well-insulated which can leave little room for ventilation of normal allergens. Clean Air Act, Inc. has a full range of products that can remove pollutants from your air and ensure that you and your family are comfortable all year long.

For more information about improving the air quality in your Oregon City home with products such as an Aprilaire Air Cleaning system, give Clean Air Act, Inc. a call today!

Tags: Air Cleaners, Air Filtration, Clackamas, Indoor Air Quality, Oregon City, Troutdale
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How Do I Know if I Have a Radon Problem?

Monday, August 27th, 2012

Radon is a gas that is invisible, odorless, and radioactive. Thus it is important to know if you have a radon problem. The experts at Clean Air Act Inc. in Portland can help you understand exactly what radon is and how to determine if you have a radon problem.

While naturally occurring, radon usually comes from the breakdown of uranium which happens in soil. It is also frequently found in areas where granite is present in the soil. It can be transferred into a building through foundation cracks or even via the water supply. Once it enters a building it gets trapped and can cause health problems as it is continually breathed in and out.

Some of the main symptoms of radon exposure include repeated respiratory infections, chest pain along with shortness of breath, and a sever cough. Ultimately radon exposure leads to lung cancer because it is breathed in. While there are some symptoms associated with radon exposure, it can be hard to truly know whether or not these symptoms are in fact a result of radon exposure, or if they are due to some other environmental problem.

Radon in and of itself is impossible to detect without the proper testing equipment. The only proof positive way to know if you have a radon problem is to have your building professionally tested for radon. During the radon testing process, if radon is found, the source of the radon will be identified so that it can be addressed during the radon mitigation process.

There are some home-methods of testing for radon which includes a charcoal canister, an ion detector, and an alpha track detector. However, these must still be sealed up and sent to a lab for analysis. Additionally, use of these is not considered completely accurate and it is best to work with a professional when radon testing is concerned so that a complete and thorough analysis can be made.

We are specialists in understanding radon and dealing with it properly, so call Clean Air Act Inc. if you need radon testing and mitigation in the Portland area!

Tags: Indoor Air Quality, Milwaukie, Portland, Radon, Radon Testing, Troutdale
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When Should You Check Your AC Filters?

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

The filters on your Portland air conditioning unit are vital for keeping out the dust and debris that make things like illness, allergies and air quality worse. And it’s important that you take personal responsibility for checking those filters. Sure, you have a Portland air conditioning professional visit your home once a year to check the air conditioning, but you should also check the system yourself on a semi-regular basis for possible filter degradation.

Monthly Checks

So, how often should you check? Think of it this way. There is no such thing as checking too much, but you can easily not check often enough. So, we recommend checking your filter at least once every 4 weeks. It may not always need to be changed during that four week checkup (sometimes it can last 6 weeks or longer), but it’s good to take a peek.

Why is this so important? Because filters that haven’t been checked and changed as needed have a habit of building up excess sediment and debris. Not a problem when it comes to actually working, but a huge problem when it comes to your energy bill. The harder a system has to work to keep you house cool, the more energy it draws and the more you pay to have cool air in your home. And it will break down much faster as a result of overwork and dirty filters.

Changing an AC Filter

If your filter is ready for a swap, here are some quick tips to get the job done:

Find Your Filters – If you don’t know where your filters are, ask your contractor on the next visit or look near the return grills by the thermostat.
Remove the Filters – Open the latches and pull the old filter out to check it. You should be able to see clearly through a permanent filter and a disposable one should still be white. If this isn’t the case, it’s time for a cleaning/replacement.
Clean the Area – Clear the grill and area of any debris and sediment that might make the filter worse after replacement.

Proper filter maintenance only takes five minutes and it will save you money every month you run your Portland AC – not a bad deal for a few minutes’ work. For any more information about air conditioning system maintenance, give Clean Air Act a call!

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, Air Filters, Estacada, Indoor Air Quality, Lake Oswego, Multnomah County, Portland
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Plants & Indoor Air Quality

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

In our Molalla elementary school, we were taught that plants are the “lungs of the Earth.” They remove carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, which is great because it is the exact opposite of our respiratory process. They also clean the air in the process, like natural air pollution scrubbers, improving the quality of the air around them.

Given this, it’s not surprising that people have sought to harness the respiratory power of plants to improve air quality in their homes. One study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the 1980s even identified the best plants for improving indoor air quality.

This seems like great news for people who suffer from asthma or allergies, or who just want a natural way to purify the air in their homes. However, plants are not without their drawbacks. It is not a simple as to just bring a plant into the home. A plant is really an entire ecosystem, with many other organisms latched on for dear life. There are bacteria in the soil, for one, and there may be bugs or fungi in the soil or on the plant that you can’t even see.

Most of these are harmless, but not always. The fungus can be a problem, for example, if the spores get into the air. This can make allergies and asthma worse, not better.

That doesn’t mean you have to toss out that nice spider plant or Boston fern in the garbage, however. After all, it is probably doing a great job of filtering out some inorganic pollutants, it’s increasing the oxygen concentration of the room and it looks nice. Instead of getting rid of it, just give it a partner.

Adding an air cleaner like a fan with a filter can help purge the organic gunk that may be coming from the plant, while the plant is taking care of the other stuff. The result is cleaner, better air, which can be a relief to asthma and allergy sufferers.

Tags: Air Cleaners, Eagle Creek, Indoor Air Quality, Molalla, Oregon City, Yamhill County
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Why Should I Clean My Air Ducts?

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Everyone in Hillsboro knows it’s important to keep your home’s air ducts clean, but why? Many people ask that question, and it’s important to understand why you are doing such a chore so that it has a purpose.

Actually, there is no one reason why your air ducts need to be kept clean—there are several, all of which are connected to one another. Here are five of them for you to consider:

Efficiency – Clean air ducts allow the air to flow through much easier and more readily, so your furnace, air conditioner or heat pump won’t have to work as hard to ventilate the house. This makes for more efficient operation and lower energy consumption.
Performance – When your HVAC system does not have to work as hard to push air through the ductwork, it will perform better. Your home will be more comfortable and better ventilated.
Longevity – Because your HVAC system is operating more efficiently, it will be able to perform at a high level for a longer period of time. Well-maintained systems last longer than those that are not taken care of, and cleaning the ducts is part of good HVAC maintenance.
Savings – Clean ducts can save you a lot of money over time. Your energy bills will be lower because of how efficiently the whole system is running. You will spend less on maintenance and repair costs, because the system is being well-maintained. And, as an added bonus, your ducts will last longer because of the decreased risk of corrosion and damage from being dirty.
Health – Last, but certainly not least, clean air ducts mean clean air, which is important for your health and your family’s health. Especially if you have pets, if you smoke or live with a smoker, or if anyone in the house has allergies or asthma, cleaning your air ducts is a must. You could even include the decreased frequency of doctor visits under the savings mentioned above!

Clean air ducts go a long way toward making your home a pleasant place to live, as well as making home ownerships as worry-free as possible. Yes, it entails some extra work and/or expense, but in the end the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Tags: Air Duct Cleaning, Clackamas, Hillsboro, Indoor Air Quality, Lake Oswego
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4 Ways to Improve IAQ and Reduce Air Pollution

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

Your Gresham home could be a haven for pollutants that can cause irritation to the upper respiratory system of anyone who comes inside. These allergens and pollutants are easy to remove however by taking some simple steps such as the four listed below:

HEPA Filtration – Step one is to use HEPA filtration to remove as much of what is on the floor as possible through vacuuming. HEPA vacuum cleaners can remove years of cleaners, solvents, dander, mineral build ups and other toxins that tend to accumulate in spaces that normal vacuums cannot reach. It may be a bit of an investment, but a high powered vacuum cleaner can have a tremendously positive impact on your lifestyle and reduce pollutants.
Stop Outside Stuff from Coming In – Some of the worst pollutants your home will face are from outside. So, make sure you have doormats at every door and that your family and friends remove their shoes before coming inside. You can have a second mat inside as a friendly reminder that cleaning the shoes is not an option but a strict necessity.
Humidity Helps – Humidity levels between 30% and 50% reduce the presence of dust mites, molds, bacteria and many other indoor pollutants. Air conditioning in the summer is helpful to reduce humidity, though a dehumidifier is recommended for those days when the temperature doesn’t justify full blown air conditioning. Additionally, look for sources of excess humidity like leaky pipes, standing water, or clothes drying.
Cut the Chemicals – There are a number of high quality household cleaners that don’t contain chemicals. Avoid ammonia, bleach and other chemical laden cleaners that can inflame allergies and pollute the water supply. Your home will be just as clean and you won’t feel uncomfortable afterwards.

Proper cleaning and careful selection of compounds and what goes into your air will help you avoid creating new air quality problems in the house. Done right, this process will make everyone in your home feel more comfortable.

Tags: Gresham, Happy Valley, Indoor Air Quality, Tualatin, Washington County
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The Effect of Dust Mites on Indoor Air Quality

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

There are three types of indoor air pollutants in your Oregon City home – particles, bioaerosols and gases. Dust mites are a special case because they are nearly invisible to the eye, but represent a substantial bioaerosol that can make it harder to breathe and result in a number of sometimes debilitating symptoms.

What Are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are tiny arachnids related to ticks and spiders that cling to fabric like curtains, carpet and upholstery. They resemble dust in the air and thrive in high humidity conditions. So, the easiest way to treat a dust mite problem is with proper dehumidification. Knowing whether dust mites are a real problem if you simply have a lot of dust and pollen floating around is tough. Here are some common symptoms to look for:

Dizziness
Nose Irritation
Respiratory Irritation
Cough
Chest Tightness
Asthma (made worse)
Allergic Reactions

Because dust mites are alive when you breathe them in, they can cause severe irritation to your throat and lungs and result in a number of uncomfortable reactions – ranging from a runny nose to a full blown allergic reaction.

Getting Rid of Dust Mites

So, how do you get rid of these tiny arachnids? The first step is to improve the humidity level in your home. Anything under 50% humidity makes it impossible for dust mites to survive, so air conditioning in the summer and dehumidification in the spring and fall are the best steps to remove the threat of these little bugs.

Tiny dust mites are among the larger air pollutants and can be captured by most MERV 10+ filters on the market. A HEPA filter will absolutely remove them as well, along with any other particulate or bioaerosols in your home. You might also consider an air cleaner.

Tags: Damascus, Indoor Air Quality, Oregon City, Troutdale, Yamhill County
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How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Monday, September 19th, 2011

When we think of air pollution we often think of outdoor “smog”, but the air in your Aurora home or office may also be polluted, even if it looks clean. Sources of indoor pollution include

Mold
Pollen
Cigarette smoke
Household cleaners
Household décor and furnishings (like rugs and paint)
Household pesticides (like rodent or ant-killers, or plant sprays)
Radon
Carbon monoxide
Building materials (like asbestos and lead)

Indoor air quality is of particular concern in newer, better-insulated homes, or in older homes that have been recently weatherized. The “tightness” of modern houses means that any pollutants that get into the home stay there – and perhaps even increase in concentration over time if the source of the pollution is inside the house.

Indoor air quality problems can cause discomfort and even serious disease, especially in children. The good news, though, is that there are many effective ways to improve indoor air quality.

There are two basic strategies for improving indoor air quality:

Air purification. Air cleaners range from small tabletop models to full-house models that are part of the central heating and cooling system. Small air purifiers are typically not very useful, but central air filters can be very effective at removing airborne contaminants. If your heating and cooling system does not include central air filtration, you should consider an upgrade to a new system.

It is important to note that air purification will not remove gases like carbon monoxide or radon from your home.

Source control. This is the most important indoor air quality strategy, and in many cases, the simplest one. Source control is definitely the most cost-effective strategy for improving indoor air quality, because purification requires a constant use of energy.

Switch to all-natural household cleaners, buy household furnishings made of natural fibers (instead of synthetic fibers that can “off-gas” volatile organic compounds). When painting, use VOC-free paint. Quit smoking, if you haven’t already.

And, don’t forget to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home, ideally next to the sleeping areas.

Tags: Aurora, Clackamas County, Colton, Indoor Air Quality, Sandy
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