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Improving Your Heating and Air Conditioning System
Your furnace and ductwork can become contaminated with dust, dirt, pollen, and other debris. When this happens, these contaminants circulate around your home and can cause asthma, allergies, and other symptoms.
Lexington Heating and Air uses electricity and refrigerant to turn air into warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer. This process is based on the principles of thermodynamics.
You breathe in about 11,000 liters of air a day, and it’s important that the air inside your home or business is healthy. If it’s not, then you might experience a variety of symptoms like irritated eyes and throat, fatigue and even respiratory problems. The good news is that taking proper steps to improve indoor air quality helps alleviate these symptoms and prevent them from developing into more serious health issues down the road.
One of the most common ways to improve your indoor air quality is to control humidity. Having too much humidity leads to excess moisture, which can promote mold growth and increase dust mite populations while also attracting pests. While having too little humidity can cause itchy, flaky skin and static shock while increasing dust levels. A properly functioning heating and air conditioning system balances the level of moisture in the air, ensuring that it is neither too dry nor too humid.
Improving your indoor air quality can help with allergies too. Airborne allergens such as pollen, mold spores, animal dander and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known to trigger allergic reactions in building inhabitants. Good ventilation systems remove these irritants from the air, helping reduce the amount of allergy symptoms that people experience such as sneezing, coughing, itching and irritation.
Other factors that can affect indoor air quality include temperature and humidity control, ventilation rates, the use of odor-reducing cleaning products, and the operation and maintenance of HVAC systems. Having these systems working as they should can make a significant impact on your indoor air quality and ultimately help you achieve a more comfortable home or office.
With summer approaching, the 60 million Americans that suffer from seasonal allergies will be battling their symptoms. Tree pollen, neighbor’s mowing lawns and professional golf on the television are just some of the reasons you may find yourself reaching for a tissue or running to your medicine cabinet to relieve itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing and nasal congestion.
These allergens can make their way into your home on your shoes and clothing, as well as through the ventilation system and even through your pets, who shed pet dander. You can significantly reduce the amount of allergens in your home by regularly dusting, vacuuming and mopping. A filtration system is also a must, and a humidifier can help keep the air in your home at a healthy relative humidity level.
These allergens can enter your house through the ventilation system, your clothing and shoes, your pets’ hair, and even through your pets themselves. By routinely vacuuming, mopping, and dusting your home, you can drastically reduce the number of allergens present. In addition, a humidifier can assist in maintaining a healthy relative humidity level in your home’s air. A filtration system is also essential.
Unfortunately, these strategies only go so far. Your HVAC system can help reduce allergy-causing airborne pollutants in your home by providing an effective filtration and cleaning process. Regular filter changes, a high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA filter and duct cleaning can dramatically increase your indoor air quality and eliminate many common allergens such as dust mites, mold spores and mildew spores.
It is also important to keep your windows and doors closed when pollen counts are high, and you should avoid using fans that stir up dust and pollen from surfaces in your home. An air conditioning unit with a UV sanitizer is another great addition to your HVAC system because it kills bacteria, viruses and mold spores in the ductwork. An air purifier with a MERV rating of over ten is another helpful device to combat airborne pollutants that your furnace and standard air filters cannot.
When pollen counts are high, it’s also critical to keep your windows and doors closed and to stay away from fans that could potentially stir up dust and pollen from surfaces inside your house. Another fantastic addition to your HVAC system is an air conditioner with a UV sanitizer, which destroys mold spores, viruses, and bacteria in the ductwork. Another useful tool to fight airborne pollutants that your furnace and ordinary air filters cannot handle is an air purifier with a MERV rating of more than ten.
Many people use pesticides to eliminate bugs that scurry into air conditioning vents, and while these sprays can effectively kill the pests, they cannot reach all of the bugs hiding within. Plus, spraying a home with fungicides causes those chemicals to recirculate throughout the house, exposing people and pets to harmful levels of poisonous substances.
Most often, bugs move into AC vents because they have easy access to a resource: water. Cockroaches and other insects are especially drawn to water leaks because they provide a moist environment where they can reproduce easily. So, if you notice any leaks in the walls or ceiling around your home, make sure to seal them as soon as possible.
In addition, if you have outdoor air conditioning units, it is important to keep the area surrounding these clean and free of overgrowth. There should be a 3-foot clearance between the outdoor unit and bushes, flowers, trees, and shrubs to prevent insect migration through these vents into your home.
Another simple way to stop bugs from entering the air conditioning system is to cover all vents with mesh screens, which can be found at most hardware stores and are a cheap and effective solution. Additionally, it is important to explore the outside of your house and check for any cracks or crevices that could allow bugs to enter. Fill these areas with caulk that is safe for your home’s wall material. Finally, if you have a garden, be sure to regularly sweep up leaves and debris to prevent them from accumulating near your home. This will also help deprive critters of their preferred food source and discourage them from moving up to your air vents.
When your HVAC system isn’t running properly, it has to work harder and use more energy. That extra strain costs you in higher electric bills. A yearly AC tune-up by professional technicians will help you save money over time with a well-functioning system that uses less energy to heat and cool your home. You can also save by keeping up with the basic maintenance, like vacuuming your ductwork regularly and keeping furniture away from registers. Also, consider a smart thermostat that allows you to control your air conditioning with a mobile app from anywhere.
According to the Energy Department, your HVAC system consumes 12 percent of your household energy – more than a quarter in hot, humid states. You can reduce your energy consumption by installing a high-efficiency unit with a SEER rating of 16 or higher. Upgrading to a new system will save you more than $660 a year, or $13,000 over 20 years at today’s electricity rates.
Many utility companies offer incentives for homeowners who are willing to go green. If you upgrade to a high-efficiency system and take other energy-saving measures, your utility bill will plummet, and you’ll have a home that’s more environmentally friendly. That’s an investment that will pay off in both the short and long term of homeownership and will improve your home’s value if you ever decide to sell. You can even qualify for tax breaks on your new HVAC system if it meets certain criteria. Contact your local utility company to find out more about their discounts, energy efficiency programs and budget billing options.
The Benefits of Air Conditioning
All Temp Air Conditioning & Refrigeration employs cooling the air in a building or home. That is accomplished by blowing air across cool pipes filled with refrigerant. Heat is absorbed from the air as it passes over these coils, which causes the refrigerant to change from liquid to gas.
With advanced filtration systems and fresh air ventilation, air conditioning greatly improves indoor air quality. It helps reduce irritants like pollen, dust, pet dander, and volatile organic compounds from household cleaning products. Air conditioning also ensures a healthy humidity level to prevent mold, mildew, and the proliferation of other harmful microorganisms in the home.
Regular maintenance of an air conditioning unit, including clean filters and duct cleaning, can help to keep indoor pollutants under control. Investing in a whole-home air purification system connecting directly to an AC system can enhance indoor air quality and significantly reduce toxins.
Enhanced indoor air quality improves health and comfort, particularly in those with respiratory issues. It can also lead to better sleep and a more productive working environment.
With much of the extreme air quality being affected due to wildfire smoke, using your air conditioning units with recirculating settings is recommended to minimize exposure to outdoor pollution. However, if you do not have a window AC unit with recirculating capability, opening doors and windows can provide an additional source of fresh air. Having the right air conditioning solution in place for your unique needs and circumstances is important. Be sure to work with an HVAC professional to ensure the proper installation of a filtration or air quality system. That will ensure your system operates effectively and efficiently to deliver the best possible results. It will also help reduce energy costs by keeping indoor environments comfortable and contaminant-free.
During the summer, many people struggle to work efficiently in hot environments. That is because the heat can cause people to feel exhausted, sluggish, and distracted, negatively affecting their ability to complete tasks.
Moreover, it can also cause them to take more sick days from work due to respiratory problems, leading to decreased productivity for the company. Installing an air conditioning unit will allow employees to work in a comfortable environment, increasing their overall productivity.
The main reason that air conditioning can help boost productivity is because it helps to keep humidity levels optimal. Excessive humidity can lead to discomfort, dampness, and mold growth, which are all things that can affect health and productivity. Air conditioning units help maintain a healthy humidity level, making it easier for people to work and live in an environment conducive to productivity.
In addition, air conditioning can help to remove pollutants from the air, which can also harm productivity. Studies have shown that workers exposed to air pollutants experience symptoms like dry eyes, a sore throat, and fatigue, impairing their work performance. That is why it is essential to have an air conditioning system to eliminate harmful pollutants from the air and ensure that employees work in a safe environment.
Despite being created initially to help cool machinery, commercial air conditioning has been proven to boost productivity in office spaces and factories. That is because people who work in climate-controlled environments can focus more effectively and work more quickly than those who do not have access to air conditioning. That is because the temperature stays consistent, distracting employees and hindering productivity.
When you’re trying to work in a hot and sticky environment, it can be hard to concentrate. This lack of concentration can be a huge deterrent when working on something important, such as artwork for a show or a report for your boss. Air conditioning helps to relieve this stress by allowing you to focus on the task without feeling overwhelmed.
In addition to helping you work more efficiently, air conditioning also helps reduce the amount of stress your body experiences. High temperatures can cause sweating, increasing the pressure on your body’s organs. That can lead to a variety of health problems, including heat exhaustion. Air conditioning helps to prevent this by keeping your body temperature cool.
Similarly, air conditioning can help reduce the amount of stress your body feels when trying to sleep. A warm and humid atmosphere can make it difficult to achieve REM sleep, leaving you tired and irritable the next day. Air conditioning creates a cooler sleeping environment, which allows you to sleep soundly at night and feel refreshed in the morning.
Another way that air conditioning can reduce your stress levels is by creating a safe space for exercise. Exercising in a hot environment can be extremely stressful and cause you to lose focus. With air conditioning, you can maintain a comfortable temperature in your house, allowing you to hit the free weights or treadmill after a long day at work. That will increase your motivation to stay active and improve your overall well-being. In addition, an air conditioner can help to preserve your furniture and electronics by keeping them at a cool temperature.
Air conditioning provides a comfortable environment for sleeping and helps regulate your body’s temperature, which is important for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle. It also prevents bed sheets from sticking to your skin due to excessive sweating.
You should keep your bedroom temperature at around 65 to 68 degrees. This cooler temperature helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep overnight. It also lets you feel refreshed and ready to start your day.
Many modern AC units have sleep mode features that help you relax and enjoy a good night’s sleep. Activating the sleep mode feature allows the unit to adjust the cooling temperature and flow to create a comfortable sleeping environment. In addition, this feature helps you save energy and money without sacrificing your comfort.
Aside from temperature control, AC affects your sleep by adjusting humidity and air quality levels to create an ideal sleeping environment. Humidity below 50% is preferred for sleeping, as higher humidity levels can cause irritated respiratory systems. Air conditioning systems with a high-quality air filters can reduce respiratory irritation and other conditions caused by allergens and pollutants.
A good sleep is crucial to your overall health and well-being. It helps increase your productivity at work and home and maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you are zoning out at school or during the day and struggling to focus, your sleep could be better. Getting the best air conditioning system for your home can give you a better night’s sleep to be happy, healthy, and productive.
Exercising in hot environments can cause discomfort and distraction, making it difficult to focus on your fitness goals. Air conditioning can provide a cool and comfortable workplace space, encouraging you to push yourself harder and achieve greater results.
Additionally, air conditioning can prevent excessive sweating and dehydration, which can be harmful if you suffer from health conditions. Sweat can also trigger joint pain, aggravating existing pain or increasing discomfort. Creating an air-conditioned, safe space can help you feel more secure and grounded, reducing the intensity of intrusive thoughts between EMDR sessions.