Why should you keep your home’s air clean?

Poor air quality can lead to poor health. 

Pollutants in your home’s air can cause dizziness, headaches, nasal congestion and fatigue, plus they can aggravate allergies and asthma. 

CAUSES OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS
Pollutants can come from many different sources inside and outside the home. For instance, furnishings, such as upholstery may release chemicals into the air. These pollutants circulate through ductwork, entering every room and living space. And if ventilation is inadequate, the pollutants multiply. High temperature and humidity also increase concentrations of some pollutants. 

HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF UNHEALTHY AIR

Odors/Chemical Vapors (Perfumes, cleaning supplies, solvents, pet odors, cooking fumes) Airborne chemicals can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, rashes, dizziness and, in some cases, severe illness.

Purification – To combat toxins like chemicals, you have to destroy them. The PureAirTM air purification system safely and effectively removes and destroys chemical vapors and odors.
Ventilation – These systems replace stale indoor air with fresh air from outside, which helps dilute the power of toxic chemicals  commonly found in household furnishings.

Particles (Pollen, dust mites, dirt, pet dander) Small, respirable particles can aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions.

Filtration – High-efficiency filtration products are designed to capture small particles and keep them from recirculating back into your home’s air. This also helps maintain the efficiency of your HVAC system.
Humidity Control – Products like the Humiditrol® whole-home dehumidification system help prevent moisture buildup, which can promote the growth of mold and mildew.

Bioaerosols (Bacteria, viruses, mold spores, fungi)

© Lennox Industries Inc. 2008
Visit us at www.lennox.com
23W33 IAQ 1/08 PC52573

Dirty filters = Dirty air

Last week we touched on air filters just a bit and now we found a couple of examples on dirty filters.  Have a look at why you need to change these periodically.

Great filters!

We touched on the 3M filters on our Facebook post today but fund more info on the website for 3M.  Give us a call and lets talk about getting you on a maintenance plan using these fantastic filters.

http://tinyurl.com/74jvpte

 3M's best performing Filtrete filters help attract and capture allergens from the air passing through the filter including mold spores, pollen, pet dander, dust, smoke, smog particles and particles that carry bacteria and viruses.

Carries a 1900 Microparticle Performance Rating (MPR)

Attracts and captures 93% of large particles like mold spores and, dust and pollen from the air passing through the filter

Attracts and captures microscopic allergens like pet dander, smoke and household dust and microscopic particles that can carry bacteria, viruses and odors

Almost twice the small particle filtration than our 1000 performance level filter

Lasts up to 3 months

Meets the indoor air quality guidelines of the American Lung Associationof the Upper Midwest Health HouseProgram

For residential use only

Manufactured by 3M

Credits? Rebates?

Don't miss an opportunity to keep more of your money... Check on energy and utility rebates that may be available to you.

Here is where you need to start looking:  http://tinyurl.com/8smses5

Check it out...

We did some looking around and found these gloves:  http://goo.gl/R0EG1

Anything that helps keep our technicians and installers a little safer... We are going to appreciate.  These are awesome!  Nice work DuPont/Ansell!

Seven Things to Look for in a Home Comfort System

1. Reliability
Chances are, your heating and cooling system is the most expensive equipment you will purchase for your home. That’s why it’s important to choose proven products from a reputable manufacturer. 

2. Efficiency 
A new ENERGY STAR®-labeled system, when properly sized and installed, can save you up to 20% on your annual heating and cooling costs.* Plus, it may qualify you for utility rebates** and tax credits.*** 

3. Quiet operation
The sound of a standard furnace can be as loud as 100 decibels, comparable to the sound of a kitchen garbage disposal! Air conditioners can produce sounds as high as 80 decibels. Look for technologies and features that help keep operating sound at a comfortable level. 

4. Consistent temperatures
With a typical furnace or single-speed air conditioner, indoor temperature can vary as much as seven degrees from the thermostat setting. Variable speed and/or two-stage systems give you the assurance of precise temperature control. 

5. Balanced humidity
To maintain proper moisture levels in your home, choose a thermostat that controls both temperature and humidity. You might also consider a variable speed and/or two-stage comfort system and dehumidifier. 

6. Proper Airflow
A typical furnace motor runs at one speed and circulates a constant volume of air, so it responds to changing comfort demands by repeatedly cycling on and off. This frequent cycling increases air stratification and stagnation. For optimal air circulation, choose a variable speed model. 

7. Healthy air
One of the best ways to combat indoor pollution is to attach an air cleaner to your furnace or air handler. That way, you can have peace of mind knowing your system is working to capture small contaminants in every room of your home.

*Source: www.energystar.gov
**Check with your local utility about rebates in your area.
***Tax credits are available for certain high-efficiency cooling and heating equipment under the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005. For details, go to www.irs.gov.

Good 'ole days... PART II

We found this early HVAC image out in cyber space and thought we should share.

1899 - This is a down drought system from long ago.  Simply amazing how far we have come!

Good 'ole days...

Way back when...

In 1758, Benjamin Franklin with the help of a chemistry professor at Cambridge University, conducted an experiment to explore the principle of evaporation as a means to rapidly cool an object. Franklin and Hadley confirmed that evaporation of highly volatile liquids such as alcohol and ether could be used to drive down the temperature of an object past the freezing point of water.  Franklin concluded, "From this experiment one may see the possibility of freezing a man to death on a warm summer's day"

Pleasant thought... but the beginings of Air Conditioning wereunder way.

Thought we might share a little A/C history for ya!