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WHAT IS INDOOR AIR QUALITY?
Why is it important for me and for my family?
Air pollution surrounds us daily... car exhaust, smog, indoor air.
Indoor air? Yes, indoor air quality is important to your health, and in today's homes, the air can be up to 70% more polluted than the outside air. The American Lung Association estimates that most people spend 90% of their time indoors. So clean, healthy indoor air is important.
WHAT CAUSES INDOOR AIR POLLUTION?
Many everyday, unsuspected household items contr ibute to poor indoor air quality. Chemical compounds found in common building and decorating items such as glue, plywood and carpet
constantly "off-gas," or emit fumes. The components used to make household items can reach harmful levels if indoor air quality is not maintained.
Newer, more energy-efficient homes do
not "breathe" like older homes. Things like weather-stripping and storm doors keep indoor air in, and outdoor air out. This provides energy
savings, but the limited exchange of outdoor and indoor air can mean a build-up of contaminants inside your home.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CLEAN AIR
Allergies and asthma are two health problems that can be helped with clean indoor air. When airborne irritants are removed, allergy and asthma
sufferers often find relief from their symptoms. Even healthy people who have never suffered from allergies can benefit from clean air. Dust, smoke
and other particles float around in the air for limited times, then they fall out of the air. This is why drapes and furniture gather dust, and wallpaper
begins to look dingy. Removing airborne dust particles reduces the amount of exposure your respiratory system is subjected to, allowing it to remain in a more healthy, strong condition.
HOW CAN I IMPROVE INDOOR AIR?
One way to clean indoor air and keep indoor air at a high quality is with an air cleaner. An air cleaner can remove dust, smoke and other particles
that settle in your house and age your furnishings. If you remove these pollutants, you also remove major cause of dirt in your home. Even though
all comfort systems have an air filter, this only protects your equipment from dust and large particles. It is not designed to clean indoor air.
Air cleaners are designed to take harmful particles out of the air and improve indoor air quality and come in a variety of types and styles.
Media filters remove many airborn e pollutants, including dust and pollen. Media filters are effective in removing
these larger particles, but they must be replaced periodically.
Electronic air cleaners, on the other hand, remove smaller and many more airborne particles than media filters.
Electronic air cleaners can even remove mold spores and most smoke. These air cleaners do not have to be replaced; they can simply be cleaned and returned to the filter case.
EVALUATING AIR CLEANERS
Selecting and air cleaner can become confusing because of the wide range of air cleaners today. Many claims are misleading or just
advertising hype. The only official measure of an air cleaner's efficiency is the Dust Spot Test Rating. This measure is endorsed by the American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Other tests and efficiencies are simply not an "apples to apples" comparison.
Look for a Dust Spot Test Rating of 25% or higher when considering and air filter. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare recommends
this and the minimal level for an air cleaner to be truly effective.
OTHER WAYS TO IMPROVE INDOOR AIR
Contaminants can collect on your heating and cooling equipment and
continue to recirculate throughout the house every time the equipment runs. Cleaning your comfort equipment at the beginning of both the heating
and cooling seasons can also help indoor air quality. Your serviceman can clean all comfort equipment when he comes for a routine service call.
Improving the air we breathe indoors is important. Considering ways to clean indoor air becomes increasingly important as homes are made more and more airtight.
MEANINGLESS TERMINOLOGY
Ignore the following terms when considering and air cleaner, unless it is Dust Spot Rated. These non-technical, general product descriptions are meaningless without an official Dust Spot Test Rating.
.. Removes smoke, dust and pollen
.. Eliminates up to 100% of irritants from indoor air
.. Removes particles as small as one micron
.. Effective on cigarette smoke and mold spores
.. Up to 99% effective
.. Recommended by allergists
Be sure to read all available information and weigh all factors before purchasing and air cleaner.
Consider an air cleaner when you purchase your new comfort system, or ask your independent Lennox dealer about adding one to your current
system. Either way, the benefits you'll feel and see are worth it!
WHY IS VENTILATION IMPORTANT FOR PROPER INDOOR AIR QUALITY?
We were once able to achieve natural ventilation in our homes by merely
opening a window. However, with the concern for energy efficiency in the recent years, we have been busy making homes "tighter" from an energy
standpoint. Armed with weather-stripping and caulk guns, we have eliminated air leaks from our homes. Unfortunately, that has also
eliminated the opportunity for outside ventilation that could help to reduce the concentrations of indoor contaminants. But, thanks to some innovative
engineering, it isn't necessary to throw energy efficiency out the window in order to grab a breath of fresh air.
HOW CAN I VENTILATE MY HOME AND STILL BE ENERGY EFFICIENT?
It is now possible to exchange stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air without
compromising the energy efficiency of your home. With heat recovery ventilators (HRV's) and energy recovery ventilators (ERV's), it's out with the bad air and in with the good -- all without
wasting energy. HRV's and ERV's are electronically powered units that circulate air throughout your home, using the existing forced air system or
specially installed ducts. The units pump stale air out of your home and replace it with an equal volume or fresh outside air.
PROVIDING FRESH AIR FOR EXCHANGE
The HRV uses virtually noise-free fans that draw in fresh, cool outdoor air while it removes stale, heated indoor air. The ERV performs the same function, only utilizing a rotary energy recovering wheel.
WHY IS MY THROAT SO DRY?
Dry air in your home can make your throat feel dry, and cause or aggravate respiratory ailments. A humidity level of 35% to 65% is
considered optimum, but central heating can lower humidity levels in your home to as low as 10%. A humidifier adds moisture your indoor air, and can help relieve ailments related to dry membranes.
HUMIDIFIER HEALTH BENEFITS
Conditioning the amount of moisture in the air is necessary for your family's health. One of the major causes of respiratory infections is
excessive heating during cold weather. The start of furnace heating each fall causes many people to begin having repeated attacks of winter colds.
Winter weather is blamed for these problems, but, the actual cause is dryness which develops in the membranes of the nose, throat and bronchial tubes, due to the dry air produced by artificial heating.
OTHER BENEFITS
Static electricity is a direct result of very dry air. And houseplants can suffer from the "winter drought" caused by central heating. A humidifier
keeps the indoor air comfortably moist, despite high heating demands.
HOW DOES A HUMIDIFIER WORK?
Whole-house humidifiers work like the old-fashioned room humidifiers;
they put moisture into the air, making harsh, dry air easier to breathe. But whole-house humidifiers use water mist, instead of hot steam, and they keep the entire house at a desired humidity level.
A humidifier is installed in the ductwork, right beside your furnace. Just select the desired amount of humidity and enjoy the moist, naturally healthy
air that circulates through your home this winter.
HOW MUCH WATER DOES A HUMIDIFIER USE?
Depending on the model you choose, a humidifier uses from 1.5 to 22
gallons per day when the furnace is operating. This minimal amount of water is plenty to raise the humidity to your desired level, but not enough for you to even notice a difference on your water bill.
HUMIDIFIER INSTALLATION
Installing a humidifier is an easy job if you are replacing your furnace. But you can have a humidifier fitted to your current system, with minimal labor,
since it is installed in the ductwork.
Call us for more information on humidifiers and other Total Comfort
(TM) accessories. Your home will be more comfortable with Total Comfort accessories!!
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