There's a lot of information available about how indoor air quality affects family members in your Manassas-area home. The articles on indoor air quality usually discuss steps to take to minimize dust, humidity, mold spores and other allergens, including proper cleaning and effective heating and cooling system design and operation. But, it's not as common to see anyone discuss how indoor air quality affects the heating and cooling system itself.
Types of Air Pollutants
There are many types of indoor pollutants. Whether one is harmful to you and your family or HVAC equipment depends on several factors. Mold spores may be a serious allergen to some people while posing no threat to others and doing little harm to HVAC equipment. Dog and cat hair may be little more than a minor annoyance to you, but it can cause allergic reactions in others and pose problems for air handling equipment and ductwork. An air conditioning system that provides poor humidity control not only provides lackluster comfort, but it can also lead to deterioration of insulation and other moisture damage inside ductwork and HVAC equipment. Dust and grease buildup inside ducts, on motors and blowers and on A/C coils reduce energy efficiency.
Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
Simple steps to improve your home's indoor air quality include the following:
- Keep your house clean. Pet hair, dust and other pollutants won't damage the HVAC system if you keep them out of ductwork in the first place.
- Change the air filter at proper intervals. A clogged air filter can lead to reduced energy efficiency and strain air handling equipment.
- Ask your HVAC contractor if the air conditioner is sized properly. A right-sized A/C system will control indoor humidity much better than an undersized or over-sized system will.
Call the home comfort professionals at Griffith Energy Services, Inc. for information about how indoor air quality affects the heating and cooling system in your Baltimore area home.
