Worse, it’s unhealthy. Over 50 million Americans
suffer from allergies and 20 million have asthma. Tighter building envelopes in
the quest for greater energy efficiency are making things worse. We spend most
of our time indoors, surrounded by the indoor air pollutants. The larger
pollutants, less than 10 microns, are caught in our throats (by comparison, a
human hair is 30 to 120 microns in diameter). Smaller pollutants are inhaled
into our lungs where they can remain trapped for years.
There are four principle ways to fight indoor air pollution
and improve filtration in your home. These are source control, ventilation, air
filters, and air cleaners.
Source Control
The starting point for a home indoor air quality strategy is
source control. It makes sense. If you can control a pollutant before it
becomes airborne, you’re ahead of the game. Source control strategies include
the use of low emission paints, varnishes, and carpeting, no smoking, no pets,
maintaining optimum humidity levels, regular cleaning, and regular servicing of
combustion appliances, such as furnaces. Unfortunately, you cannot always
control pollutant sources.
Ventilation
After source control comes fresh air ventilation. According
to the EPA, the air inside your home is far worse than outside air. Yet,
when it’s really hot or really cold, who’s going to open the windows?
It’s uncomfortable and unaffordable.
There is a solution for some homes that improves
fresh ventilation without the comfort or energy costs. It’s called an
energy recovery ventilator. Not only can it improve air quality, it can
actually reduce utilities in certain circumstances.
Air Filters
Has your air quality remained the same, even after the
installation of that expensive filter? All filters have a “pressure
drop,” or amount of resistance. Even cheap throw-away filters can become
problematic if not changed on a regular basis. As dirt collects on the
filter, the pressure drop rises. Far worse than low cost throw-away filters are
the high pressure drop filters, which have pressure drops of 0.35” w.g. or
higher (some have pressure drops exceeding 0.5” w.g. by themselves). Homeowners
buy expensive filters because they want to improve the air quality and comfort
in their homes. Ironically, the filters often make things worse.
Look inside the panel of a furnace or blower for a central
air conditioning system and you will find the manufacturer’s rating
label. Typically, one of the ratings is “Total ESP .”
Total ESP stands for Total External Static
Pressure. When the Total External Static Pressure is exceeded in a home comfort
system, the fan slows. When the fan slows, there are a couple of possible
consequences. First, there may not be sufficient air flow to ensure
enough air is delivered to the end of the longest duct runs. When this
occurs, these rooms may feel stuffy and too hot or cold, even though the
temperature is comfortable elsewhere. Second, the air flow passing over the
evaporator coil may be insufficient to ensure proper dehumidification. If the
evaporator coil doesn’t fully dehumidify, it and/or the surrounding plenum box
can become a breeding ground for bacteriological growth and contaminants.
Fortunately, the HVAC industry has a number of excellent
solutions for homeowners who want better filtration than the minimal amount
found with a throw-away filter, but do not want the comfort or bacteriological
problems of a high pressure drop filter. These include residential HEPA (high
efficiency particulate arresting) filters, deep pleated media air filters, and
electronic air cleaners.
Air Cleaning
The fourth way to fight indoor air pollution is air
cleaning. Do not buy the cheap tabletop and gadget air cleaners you hear
advertised. They are a waste of money. According to an American
Lung Association® report, “The reviewed data provide little reason to endorse
the use of inexpensive tabletop, appliance-type air cleaners, regardless of the
technology they employ. In general, high-efficiency particle collection
requires larger filters or electronic air cleaners.”
We recommend a whole-house approach with a duct mounted UV
light and either a HEPA filtration system or an electronic air cleaner. The
installed cost of an electronic air cleaner is roughly 30 cents a day over the
life of the air cleaner. What’s appropriate for your home depends on your
budget, comfort system, and family.
Whether it’s installing a new ventilation system, filtration
system, or air filter Elite Service Company is happy to help with all of
your comfort system needs. Call us at 918.610.7300
© Service Roundtable
© Service Roundtable
