Tag: indoor air quality

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AC Heating HVAC HVAC Upgrades Tips and Advice

All About Air Purification Systems

Clean air and a great HVAC system are extremely important, and both should work hand in hand! Your HVAC already has an air filter, but how clean does it really make your air? Is a normal HVAC air filter effective in removing everything from the air that enters your home? If so, why should you have a separate air purification system for your HVAC?

Until recently, indoor air quality wasn’t a big concern for most people. Yet this benign neglect could put our health at risk. According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside can be at minimum 2 to 5 times more polluted than outside.

It’s not only smog that threatens the safety of indoor air, it’s also mold, bacteria, and viruses. Now, with the pandemic raging around the world, it’s even more important for business owners and homeowners to do everything they can to ensure healthy indoor air within their spaces.

That’s a good reason to consider new technology that can improve indoor air quality, including an HVAC air purifier and air filtration system.

Why not just use a filter?

The pre-installed HVAC Air filter has one major disadvantage: It was designed to prevent collection of dust on the HVAC’s internal moving components and filter all incoming air to a certain degree. Beyond this, this mesh air filter cannot improve the quality or hygiene of air within your house.

While removal of dust from the home environment is ideal to prevent dust allergies and diseases such as hay fever that arise from these allergies, it is vital that your HVAC air purification system also have a filter to clean other microscopic contaminants which may lead to other diseases.

Why use an HVAC purification system? 

Here’s a list of what will be missing from your home when you install a good HVAC air purification system:

Dust mites – While a normal air filter can take care of dust mites, air purification systems do the job more thoroughly!

Bacteria and Viruses – air purification systems are designed to trap all microscopic organisms such as bacteria and viruses thus leading to cleaner, pure air.

Smoke – If you’re a smoker or you have a family member who smokes in your home, it can be detrimental to your health to inhale this smoke. An HVAC air purification system neutralizes all types of smoke – from cigarette smoke to fireplace smoke!

Odors – An air purification system helps to get rid of all odors from trash cans, stoves or even rotting fruit on your kitchen counter!

Pet Dander – Having a pet that sheds hair lowers IAQ, which is why you need an air purification system to remove pet dander from your living space.

Call Ellis AC and purify your air

An HVAC professional like those at Ellis AC can help you determine when your filters need replacing, based on your equipment and your air quality challenges. Ellis AC experts can also help you select an HVAC air purifier that is right for your home or business.

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AC Heating HVAC Tips and Advice

Why is Mold Growing on my Air Vents?

HVAC systems have evolved over time to cool your home while improving your indoor air quality at the same time. Unfortunately, you’re still bound to encounter problems with your system that need to be addressed right away to keep yourself and your family healthy. Here’s everything you need to know if you’ve noticed mold growing on your air vents.

Signs of Mold in Your Air Ducts

The first sign of mold in your HVAC system is often a moldy or musty smell when your system is being used. HVAC mold is usually able to be smelled before it’s seen, so turn your system off and inspect it right away if you notice the smell of must, mold, or mildew coming from your vents. 

If you notice visible mold on your air vents, in the ducts, or in drip pans, call a professional as soon as possible. Visible mold might mean the problem has become too severe to be taken care of on your own.

If your family starts showing symptoms like nausea, fatigue, headaches, sneezing, coughing, or dizziness only in the house or only when your HVAC system is running, it might be caused by mold in your air ducts.

Why Does Mold Grow on Air Vents?

Mold favors environments with high humidity. When air passes through your air ducts, especially if the air outside is humid, water droplets can form and the moisture can become the perfect spot for mold to grow. Additionally, mold can grow quickly in your air ducts and vents because it can feed on the dirt, dust, dead skin cells, pollen and dander that builds up in your ducts.

How to Remove Mold from Your HVAC System

It’s important to use the right cleaner for mold removal. Some cleaners don’t actually kill mold cells, and the moisture from these cleaners can even allow the mold to secretly grow. For the best results, we recommend using a mix of one tablespoon of household detergent, a half tablespoon of baking soda, and one cup of water. You can also use one part bleach mixed with 16 parts water on non-porous surfaces. 

Before you start cleaning, be sure to protect yourself with a mask, thick gloves, safety goggles, and some form of protective clothing. 

Start by turning off the heating and cooling vents. Next, remove the vent and scrub it with a rag and your cleaning solution. Do the same inside the vent and repeat the process in any vents you suspect might have mold. For heavy mold growth, we recommend cleaning the same area at least twice. 

Dispose of the rags, your gloves, and anything else that comes into direct contact with the mold. Be sure to use a trash bag that’s at least six mil thick, and remove the trash bag from your house right away.

If you can’t reach all the mold on your own, call an HVAC professional. All mold should be removed to prevent future growth.

Quality HVAC Services with Ellis AC

Ellis AC offers top-notch HVAC maintenance, repairs, and replacements at prices you can afford. Our skilled HVAC technicians are dedicated to quality service and client satisfaction, so call or visit our website for a free quote today!

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AC Heating HVAC Tips and Advice

Why it’s Important to Regularly Change Your HVAC Filter

For most homeowners, the health of their HVAC system isn’t a top concern. It’s easy to forget about HVAC maintenance until something stops working, but ignoring regular maintenance until your system needs repairs can become expensive very quickly. Regularly changing your air filter is a great way to avoid system failure and improve your indoor air quality. Here’s everything you need to know about your air filter and the importance of changing it on a schedule.

The Purpose of Air Filters

Air filters do the very important job of removing contaminants like dust, mold spores, dander, pollen, pet fur, and bacteria from your home’s air. They’re usually placed in return ducts, which suck air in and push it through the filter with enough force to remove contaminant particles. The filtered air is circulated back through the vents and into your home.

How Often You Should Replace Your Filter

The time between filter replacements depends on a few things. Filters come in different strengths measured by MERV ratings. Lower MERV filters should be checked more often, while higher MERV filters might be able to go longer in between checkups. However, the most important consideration is the number of pets in your home. Houses with no pets can usually go 90 days without changing their filter. Single pet households should change their filters every 60 days, while homes with multiple pets should only wait 20 to 45 days between filter changes. For a quick checkup on your filter, take it out and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see through the filter, it’s time for a change.

The Consequences of Neglecting Your Air Filter

When you filter goes too long without being changed, contaminants like dust and pet fur will build up and be much harder for the air to penetrate. This can cause higher electric bills, poor temperature regulation, and lower indoor air quality. Air quality changes can negatively affect the health of the people in your home, especially those who have allergies or respiratory health issues.

How to Change an Air Filter

Before switching out your old filter, you need to get a new one. Look for the size of your filter, which is usually printed on the cardboard frame. If you want to improve your indoor air quality with a stronger filter, you should get one with a MERV rating of 10 or higher. Be sure to wear gloves and a mask when changing your filter.

Look for your air filter. They’re usually located in return ducts, which are much larger than other vents. If your home has more than one return duct, it might be a challenge to find the one that holds the filter. Start by turning off the power to your HVAC system to keep yourself and your equipment safe from harm. Open the vent and slide the old filter out of the slot holding it in place. Put it in a trash bag and dispose of it as soon as you’re done. Then simply slide the new filter in place, close the vent, and turn the power back on.

HVAC Maintenance and Repairs with Ellis AC

If you have any questions about air filters or need HVAC maintenance or repairs, Ellis AC can help. Our team is dedicated to top-notch service and client satisfaction, and we’ll always take the time to answer any questions you may have. Call or visit our website for more information or a free quote on our services!

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AC Heating HVAC HVAC Upgrades Tips and Advice

HVAC Maintenance to Improve Asthma Symptoms

Indoor air quality is an important part of keeping your family healthy. Poor air quality can worsen allergies, weaken your immune system, and make respiratory illnesses like asthma worse. Treatment plans and regular doctor visits are key for keeping asthma at bay, but HVAC improvements can help reduce symptoms of the disorder. If anyone in your family has asthma or similar health issues, here are a few things you can do to adjust your indoor air quality and improve symptoms.

Change and Upgrade Your Filter

Air filters are a part of your HVAC system designed to filter pollutants like pollen, dust, dander and pet fur out of the air before it gets released into your home. You should check on your filter at least once a month with a visual inspection. Hold the filter up to the light. If you can’t see through the filter, it’s time to replace it. Air filter quality is measured with MERV ratings. Anything with a MERV rating of 9-16 can filter out much smaller pollutants than lower rated filters, and might be better for the people with asthma in your home.

Adjust Humidity Levels

High humidity is a common asthma trigger. You can reduce your humidity by opening windows, moving indoor plants outside, turning on the fan when you shower, or investing in a smart thermometer. Smart thermometers usually display the humidity and the temperature, and some will allow you to adjust your indoor humidity. The summer months are typically when your indoor humidity will spike, and indoor humidity is usually the lowest during fall and winter.

Increase Your Home’s Airflow

Stagnant air is another common asthma trigger, which is why ventilation is great for improving asthma symptoms. Try opening windows or keeping fans running throughout the home. The exhaust fan in your kitchen is another way to keep air flowing in your kitchen. Airflow is especially important if you’ve made any recent renovations to the home, since strong fumes and dust can worsen asthma symptoms. 

Avoid Strong Air Fresheners

Air fresheners are a great way to keep your home smelling nice and fresh, but they can cause problems for people with asthma. Not only can strong scents make symptoms worse, but the smell of air fresheners masks other important smells. For example, you could miss a problem with your HVAC system because you didn’t notice it was emitting a smell right away. It’s best to catch and repair HVAC issues right away, or else they could cause bigger problems and worsen asthma symptoms. Try to avoid air fresheners, or only get ones that don’t have a very strong smell.

HVAC Maintenance and Repairs with Ellis AC

If you’re trying to improve your indoor air quality, Ellis AC can help. We offer top-notch HVAC maintenance, repairs, and replacements with high client satisfaction, all at a reasonable price. Our experienced HVAC technicians are dedicated to helping you improve your health by improving your air quality. Call or visit our website for a free quote today!

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AC Heating HVAC HVAC Upgrades Tips and Advice

How to Choose the Best Air Filter

Air filters play a very important role in your HVAC system, but they can be easily forgotten or overlooked. Different homes also need different levels of filtration, which can make shopping for a new filter feel overwhelming. Going too long without replacing your filter, or using the wrong quality filter for your home and air filtration needs, can cause health and sanitation issues for your family.  Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the best air filter for your home.

The Purpose of Air Filters

Air filters can be made of fiberglass, cloth or pleated paper, which is usually surrounded with wire and secured in a cardboard frame. Filters are responsible for cleaning contaminants out of the air that circulates through your HVAC system. When air is taken in, it’s blown through the filter and back out through the vents, cleaning the pollutants from it. Contaminants like dust, pollen, mold spores, lint, dander, pet fur, and bacteria can all be filtered out of your indoor air with the right air filter. This helps to improve your air quality, which can be beneficial for people with asthma, allergies, and weakened immune systems.

What is a MERV Rating?

The strength and efficiency of air filters are measured with a minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV rating. Most filters score between 1-16 on the MERV scale. The number is used to indicate how well the filter will remove pollutants from the air. MERV 1-4 are basic filters, and they cost the least. MERV 6-8 filters can remove more particles from the air and are the most common filters for residential use. MERV 9-12 filters are at the higher end, and they can filter anything that’s one micron or larger. Finally, MERV 13-16 are the highest quality standard filter and can filter out any particle that’s 0.3 microns or larger. 

Maintaining and Replacing Your Air Filter

It’s extremely important to change your filter regularly, or else your air quality can quickly decline. All the air in your home comes into contact with the filter eventually, and a dirty or clogged filter can cause airflow issues and leech pollutants into your home’s air. Your HVAC system also has to work harder when the filter is clogged, which can spike your electric bill. Check your filter every month or so with a visual inspection. If you hold the filter up to the light and can’t see through it, it’s time for a replacement.

HVAC Maintenance and Repairs with Ellis AC

Ellis AC offers quality HVAC repairs, maintenance and replacements at reasonable prices. We value great services and client satisfaction above all else, and we’re always doing everything we can to keep our clients informed and educated. Our experienced HVAC technicians work hard to help your system last as long as possible, and they’ll take the time to tell you everything you need to know about maintaining it. Call or visit our website for a free quote on our stellar HVAC services!

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AC Heating HVAC HVAC Upgrades Tips and Advice

How to Increase Your Home’s Humidity Level

When the seasons transition into fall and winter, the humidity in our air drops dramatically. The Mayo Clinic recommends a home humidity level between 30-50%. Anything above that can cause mold and bacteria to grow, and anything below can lead to dry skin/lips, nosebleeds, a sore throat and difficulty sleeping. Your indoor humidity can easily stay within the recommended range during spring and summer, but it quickly dissipates during the colder months. Here are a few ways you can improve your home’s humidity when your air dries up.

Invest in A Large Humidifier

This is the most effective trick on the list, but it’s also the most expensive. The best way to quickly boost your indoor humidity to invest in a humidifier large enough for the job. Most small, affordable humidifiers fail to make significant humidity changes in larger rooms or throughout your home, so spend the extra money to get one large and strong enough to suit your needs.

Houseplants

If you don’t have the money or space for a heavy-duty humidifier, buy some houseplants instead. They look nice in your home and they naturally release moisture into the air through a process called transpiration. Research different plants and their requirements beforehand and only choose plants that can thrive indoors, and that aren’t too difficult for you to look after.

Use an Indoor Drying Rack

Save money and improve your humidity at the same time by using an indoor drying rack. These can be found online or at home improvement stores for anywhere between $20-50. Just load your fresh-washed clothes onto the rack and position it anywhere in your home that needs to be humidified. When your clothes are done drying, these racks can be easily folded and stored away in your closet.

Make the Most of Showers and Baths

Try showering with the bathroom door open to let the steam out. If you have family members or roommates, you might want to let them know beforehand so they don’t unexpectedly walk in. When taking baths, let the water sit in the tub for a while before draining it. The excess steam will evaporate into the air instead of fogging up your mirror, and you’ll be able to get the most out of the water you use on a daily basis.

Let Bowls of Water Evaporate

The last tip on this list is probably the cheapest and easiest one. All you have to do is fill some bowls with water and place them near heat sources and sunny spots. Let the water evaporate and refill the bowls when they’re empty to maintain your home’s humidity.

Improve Indoor Air Quality With Ellis AC

If you’re struggling to improve or maintain your air quality, your HVAC system might be the problem. At Ellis AC, we offer a wide range of quality HVAC services at affordable prices. Our clients come first, and we always strive to give the most helpful service at the best rates. Call or visit our website for a free quote today!