 | Robert Freeman
is president and co-owner of Fenix Heating and Cooling. Robert, along with other principals, stared Fenix Heating Cooling in 1988, and is now one of the top 130 Lenox dealers in the U.S. Fenix specializes in residential and commercial installation for both remodel and new construction. Robert can be contacted at Fenix Heating & Cooling, 802 W. 2nd, Wichita KS 67203, by phone at (316) 945-4842, or by fax at (316) 265-4768. |
Heating & Air Conditioning
2002-06-01 17:41:00
Better air quality a must
Question: It seems like members of our family suffer from more allergies than most. Additionally, our youngest daughter has asthma. What can we do to reduce the symptoms?
Answer: The question you have asked is more complex than it appears. Rather than take all of the space here to answer it all, part of your answer will appear this month and the remainder will appear next month. First we need to discuss a bit about air filtration. Later we will talk about air purification and humidification.According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, your exposure to air pollutants can be more than 100 times higher indoors than outdoors. The first step to better indoor air quality is by identifying and eliminating the sources of indoor air pollutants. Eliminating indoor pollutants, to the extent feasible, is the most effective way to clean your air. For example: If you presently allow smoking in your home... discontinue it immediately. If possible, keep pets outside. Also, make a habit of cleaning your living spaces frequently. Use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter to permanently remove small dirt particles rather than simply redistributing them, as is the case with a conventional vacuum cleaner. Use products that minimize contaminate levels in the air. Minimize mold by controlling moisture.Ventilation can reduce contaminates in the home. Natural ventilation can be used by opening windows (unless you or your family are sensitive to pollutants in the outdoor air.) Exhaust fans, which vent stale or contaminated air to the outside, should be installed in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry areas. Replace the furnace filter every 30 days. A dirty filter can add more pollutants to your home. Purchase a filter of reasonably high quality. Disposable "throwaway" filters are generally made of coarse fiberglass mats in a frame mounted on a filter rack. These "throwaway" filters may not clean the air as effectively as you need, and may also need to be replaced more frequently. The "throwaway" filter is generally designed to filter the air for the HVAC equipment only. It does not provide well filtered air for your home. Reusable foam filters have a slightly higher performance capability, due to the use of the oils and adhesives applied to the filter, which cause the particles to adhere better. Electrostatic filters have a means for electrically charging the filter to attract particles. Electrostatic filters may capture more particles, but are not recommended, because the density of the filter restricts air flow. The filter most recommended by the HVAC industry is a 1" "throwaway" filter that carries at least a MERV 8 rating (MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) and is the newest way of rating filter efficiency. Other air filtration products include High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters and electronic air cleaners (EACs). HEPA filters are considered to be very effective at small particle removal.Remember, a healthy indoor air climate can only be sustained with regular maintenance of your home system.Next time we talk more in depth about EACs, along with, air purification and humidification.
