Improve your indoor air quality with better ventilation in Tacoma, WA. Indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the air outdoors. Since the average American spends about 90% of their day inside, that’s a lot of time spent breathing in unnecessary pollution. Higher-quality filters and UV lights can sanitize the air you breathe inside, giving you fresh air all the time.
Upgrading your filter can be straightforward, but for the best results you’ll want a system that works with your HVAC unit and for higher-rated filters, you’ll often need professional retrofitting. Talk with an HVAC and indoor air quality specialist to determine your options and the best ways to get cleaner air in your home.
Ventilation Experts in Tacoma
While Washington state generally has great air quality, areas like Tacoma may face seasonal issues and heavy pollution for high port traffic. Large tanker ships and the heavy equipment needed to move them off the ships mean a lot of pollution in the air. Good ventilation is a must to avoid increasing levels of trapped pollution.
If your home is too well insulated, the indoor air doesn’t freely exchange with the air outside, causing contaminants to recycle through your home. Good ventilation often starts with simple options such as installing more ceiling fans, putting in exhaust systems, or checking airflow in areas outside your home’s thermal pocket such as attics and basements.
You’ll want a professional to test how often the air in your home refreshes, so you have a better idea about the level of ventilation needed to ensure good indoor air quality.
How do you know you might have a ventilation problem in your home? Some of the signs include:
- Runny nose
- Sinus congestion
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Coughing
One of the most revealing symptoms of poor indoor air quality is the location. Do your symptoms go away or reduce in severity when you leave home? If they do, the environment at home is the likely cause of at least some of the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Upgrading Your Filters in Tacoma
With the heavy pollution that sometimes plagues Tacoma, it’s important to get rid of as many particles as you can when air enters your home. While you can’t put a filter on every window and door, you can install a top-notch filter on your HVAC unit, which will help clean the air as it cycles through your home.
Your HVAC system is responsible for much of the air exchange that happens, so cleaning air as it enters the system is a great way to improve indoor air quality. Most home heating and cooling systems come with filters that are MERV rated between 5-8 and generally less than 2 inches thick.
That means your unit is set up to work with that sized filter. Upgrading your filters to a MERV 13 can give you near HEPA quality filtration, but you’ll need help installing a new filter holder for the larger size. Talk with an HVAC pro about the option and its impact on your unit.
Why update your filters? There are many benefits including:
- Less frequent filter changes
- Lower levels of dirt and dust
- Fewer allergens in the air
- Odor reduction
- Less pet dander
- And more!
Use UV Lights for Better Health
Filters and good ventilation keep out a lot of pollution, but they don’t do much when it comes to mold, mildew, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. UV lights work on all of these health issues, giving you cleaner air that’s safer to breathe. UV lights kill bacteria, fungi, mold, and mildew. These lights also deactivate viruses.
The result is that a cough from someone with a cold doesn’t have to turn into a viral apocalypse for your family. When you have UV lights installed as part of the air intake or control system for your HVAC unit, every bit of air pumped through your home is clean and nearly particle free.
Ready to leave your allergies behind and enjoy deep, fresh breaths? Contact Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning today to find out how to improve your indoor air quality with better ventilation, filters, and UV lights today!
