When temperatures fall in Nashua, NH, the biggest worry is whether you will have ample heat for the winter. However, many homeowners neglect their indoor air quality (IAQ) and how winter may affect it. In the cold season, your windows and doors stay completely shut most of the time. Your HVAC unit can blow dust and pollutants through your vents, and mold and bacterial growth may spread. At Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc., we want to help you improve your IAQ in the winter. Let’s go over some practical steps you can take to improve your air quality without sacrificing warmth.
Replace Your Air Filters Regularly
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve IAQ is to keep a close eye on your HVAC air filters. Your heating unit pulls in air to heat it before forcing it through your ductwork. This causes every pollutant in the air to be sucked up into the filter. If your filters are too dirty, some of that gunk forces its way through. That means it’s blowing back through the heater and into your home. Also, some pollutants are so small that they get through the filters anyway.
Dirty filters also force your heating unit to work harder. Since the furnace cannot pull in enough air, it must continuously pull air in. Aside from the dirty air, this extra effort will cause your energy bills to increase. It also puts wear and tear on the unit and can cause a breakdown. It’s a good idea to purchase high-quality filters and check them at least once a month. You should clean or change them when they’re dirty. Look for filters with a high MERV rating. The higher the rating, the more airborne pollutants the filter will trap.
Schedule a Professional Heating System Tune-up
Scheduling a tune-up with Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. is a great way to improve your IAQ. Our technicians clean the system and make sure your filters are fresh. A professional tune-up also fixes minor issues before they become major problems. Your indoor air can suffer if your heating unit isn’t running properly. Combustion issues, for instance, can be very dangerous and blow carbon monoxide through the home.
By scheduling regular maintenance with a trusted HVAC contractor, you are investing in both your comfort and your safety. The idea here is not allow your heating unit to become compromised. You can avoid more costly repairs and serious IAQ issues by having regular proactive maintenance performed. In the fall, before the winter settles in, is a great time to have a tune-up performed.
Manage Indoor Humidity Levels
Humidity levels in your home need to be balanced. Air that is too dry is harmful, and air that is too humid can also be dangerous. The more common issue in the winter is dry air. There’s not much moisture in the frigid air to begin with, and your heating unit can suck more out of it. Heat is produced and forced through ductwork via a blower fan. This air is usually completely dry. Air that is too dry can cause dry skin, nosebleeds, annoying electric shocks, and even furniture damage.
Many homeowners realize this, and they compensate with humidification. An issue here is that some people get carried away and make their homes too humid. Humidity makes the air feel warmer, so it’s common for homeowners to heavily saturate their air. This can promote the growth of mildew and mold. These substances are horrible for your indoor air. We can help you choose the right humidifier for your home and help you with the proper settings.
Invest in an Air Purification System
HVAC filters are great, but they were not designed for the quality of your indoor air. They were designed to protect the machinery from dust and debris. If you really want to make IAQ improvements, the best way might be to go with a professional whole-home air filtration system. You can find HEPA filtration models and even models that use UV light to neutralize biological contaminants.
At Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc., we offer a variety of indoor air quality solutions designed to target specific concerns. Our systems can help with pollen, dander, stubborn odors, chemicals, and more. These units were designed to purify the air you breathe. They are far superior to the filtration features that come standard with home comfort systems.
Keep Your Air Ducts Clean
Your air ducts act as the circulatory system of your home. Any sort of dust, mildew, or mold in these ducts will be blown out into your living space. Cracked or separated ducts can also end up filled with dust from your attic. This debris flows through the home, in through the return registers, and makes its way back to the heater. So, not only are you dealing with polluted air, but your HVAC suffers, too.
It’s a good idea to have your ductwork inspected. You can call us in to give it a look. Not only will we be able to locate and clean any issues, but we can also spot and fix gaps and cracks.
Use Exhaust Fans in Kitchens and Bathrooms
Humidity created in the kitchen and bathroom can be dangerous for your IAQ and your overall health. Steam from the shower, for instance, can create moisture in the bathroom that never dries. This can lead to the growth of harmful mold. Spores become airborne, and that mold spreads all around the home. The best way to handle this is to use exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen.
The same is true for the kitchen. Steam rising from your stove can ultimately cause mold growth behind cabinets and in cool, dark places. Make good use of your exhaust fans to help avoid this issue. This isn’t an extra feature you need to buy. You just need to remember to flip the fans on.
Minimize the Use of Harsh Chemicals
Many common household products, such as scented candles, air fresheners, and certain cleaning supplies, release pollutants into the air. This isn’t an issue in the spring and summer. You likely have your windows open or the door cracked. This allows for air circulation, and harmful chemicals aren’t building up in the air. In the winter, however, when everything is shut, these chemicals can harm your IAQ.
Most of those candles and spray fresheners use chemicals to give them the scent. You aren’t actually burning apples and cinnamon. You’re burning chemicals designed to recreate the desired fragrances. A buildup of these chemicals can also affect your health.
Making a Real Difference With Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc.
At Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc., our goal is to help homeowners with all of their home comfort needs. As a full-service HVAC contractor in the area, this also includes your indoor air quality. There are many small tweaks and changes you can make to improve your IAQ. If you need maintenance, duct cleaning, humidifiers, or filtration systems, we can certainly help with those, too. Overall, we handle a broad range of heating and cooling services, including furnace repairs and system installations.
Contact Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. today to find out more about your indoor air quality and how we can help.
