How Indoor Air Quality Data Helps HVAC Technicians
When it comes to heating, cooling and ventilation systems, the energy-efficiency capacity is the biggest focus. Indoor air quality is the second. Today, HVAC units and real estate have been pushed to make hardware and homes as energy efficient as possible, and they are succeeding. Indoor air does not escape in newer homes, and outdoor pollution does not creep in either. You still drag particles into your Hudson, FL, home, though. There are other ways that particles sneak in, too.
At Mario's AC, we offer indoor quality services that help keep our customers comfortable indoors. Here is some information about indoor air quality and how related data helps HVAC technicians:
What Is Indoor Air Quality?
There is technology available today that measures the indoor air quality of a space. Devices measure the presence of:
- Soot
- Tobacco smoke
- Carbon monoxide
- Volatile organic compounds
- Radon
Some of these items, such as tobacco smoke, come into your home because you bring them. If you are a smoker and you smoke indoors, you are going to live with the smoke, especially in an energy-efficient home. Soot may be a result of having a chimney. Carbon monoxide is a gas that could result from a broken pipe in your home. Volatile organic compounds are emitted from solids and liquids. They come from cooking as well as aerosol sprays, cleaners and disinfectants. So, in a way, they cannot be prevented, but they can be monitored and managed.
Before a home or commercial building can be built, an environmental study of the soil is conducted. The goal is to eliminate hazardous waste and materials before people are going to spend several hours over that substance. Radon, for example, is a gas that comes from the soil. It can find its way into a home through cracks and crevices in the foundation.
What Are the Effects of Poor Indoor Air Quality?
Poor indoor air quality has the most negative impact on children, whose vital organs and brain are still developing. It also impacts a person who has a weakened immune system or who is older. Essentially, your body is not able to fend for itself against pollutants. The result, in most cases, is respiratory issues. In others, nausea, headaches and irritation are common.
Children may be predisposed to respiratory issues. If the quality of the air they breathe is monitored and kept healthy, asthma can remain dormant. Once respiratory issues are triggered, they have to be managed, and it takes a lot of work, medication and effort to calm it down to the point where they become dormant again.
How Is Indoor Air Quality Measured?
This is the technology era, and the HVAC industry is based on technology. The latest innovations in this field are a result of combining tech-based products with the internet.
Air quality in a home is measured by specific devices. More are making their way to the market. Their purpose is to collect data. That data is collected with the help of the internet, smart technology and sensors. The sensors may consist of a light that is programmed to measure the amount of pollution in a space. Then, a score is given.
Why Data Is Important?
Data is important because it helps detect trends. From those trends, forecasts can be made. If someone in the household is feeling sick and a doctor cannot pinpoint the trigger, it could be the indoor air quality. With data, a professional can take a look and can determine whether there is a high presence of hazardous particles. Smoking indoors, for example, has been something that health agencies have warned the public about for decades. Second-hand smoke has a significant negative impact on children.
For homeowners, data helps detect the presence of hazardous substances. Maybe you are living over soil that has traces of radon. Once your home’s foundation begins to give, the substance will make its way into your indoor air. Being able to detect these kinds of dangers based on data is a good thing.
How Data Helps HVAC Technicians
The particles that float around in the air are not visible. They are microscopic in size. When the air filter of a cooling system is cleaned. You see the dust because it has built up, but it is very difficult to spot every individual dust particle. When the sun’s rays are coming into your home, at the right angle you can spot each dust particle. When you are dusting or changing the bedding of your home, you may be able to spot it; you will definitely be able to notice that you breathed it in.
Data delivered by indoor air quality monitors helps HVAC technicians spot what they cannot see. You cannot see carbon monoxide. By the time you smell it, it may be too late. So, in many ways, like a lot of the work HVAC technicians complete, it is a preventive measure. Once these professionals understand what is happening with the indoor air quality of your home, they can determine what next steps should be taken.
Improving Indoor Air Quality Based on Data
There are several steps that can be taken to improve the indoor air quality of a home. They may include:
- Regular HVAC maintenance
- Investing in air purifiers
- Installing cooking vents
- Controlling humidity
Several factors are taken into consideration before a plan is outlined. These factors include air quality data, the size of the home and the number of rooms, as well as the existing HVAC system.
Air purifiers cannot trap 100% of the pollutants floating around your home. They can, however, reduce indoor pollutants by at least 50%. The latest tech-driven air purifiers are believed to trap up to 80%. Purifiers may or may not work for you. Something you can do is test one in your home in the spring or summer. Then, determine whether you feel better. If you do feel better, you can then invest in more. Air purifiers can only reach so far. You may consider placing one in your bedroom, your living area and your study. If you have children, placing purifiers in their rooms is recommended, too.
If there are no vents over your stove, you will be encouraged to have them installed. Cooking creates smoke and gasses. Even though you do not realize it, they float around a good portion of your home. It is best to confine that smoke and gas to your kitchen.
A great way to air out your home is to open a window. You ventilate the inside and allow the fresh air to enter. This is good for airflow and for disrupting any particles that have made themselves comfortable indoors. When there is pollen in the air, an air purifier can control the amount that sits in your home.
Regular cleaning and HVAC maintenance are two additional musts. Vacuuming, dusting and changing your bedding on a consistent basis lessens the amount of dust, particles and pollutants sitting around on your home’s surfaces.
To assess the indoor air quality of your home, contact us at Mario's AC in Hudson, FL, and schedule an appointment. HVAC maintenance, repairs and installations are other services we offer.
