Three Pollutants Homeowners Should Monitor For

The air quality in your Oklahoma home is important. Any number of pollutants could be hanging around waiting to cause trouble. Among the most concerning pollutants that homeowners should worry about are radon, carbon monoxide and mold.

Radon: This odorless, colorless gas naturally rises from soil and bedrock. It makes its way into the home through cracked floors, dirt floors and poorly sealed basements. High levels of this gas can increase a person's chance of developing lung cancer. Radon detectors can be found at most hardware stores and are the only way to test for the presence of radon in your home. You can prevent the buildup of radon in your home by properly sealing windows, doors and any cracks in the basement and foundation of your home.  Luckily for the Tulsa area, this is not a common pollutant we are faced with.

Carbon Monoxide: Also called CO, carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas. CO is generated by the fuel-burning process, such as gas stoves, furnaces and water heaters. Over-exposure to the gas can cause CO to build up in the blood stream, resulting in headaches, nausea, dizziness and even death. The only way to detect CO in your home is with a carbon monoxide detector. Avoid high levels of CO by properly ventilating your home. You should also only use approved heaters and furnaces to heat your home. If you believe there are high levels of CO in your home leave the house and call local professionals.

Mold: Mold is a biological pollutant that grows in damp conditions. These conditions can be caused by high humidity, leaking pipes or a high condensation rate. Mold can cause an array of heath problems, from simple eye irritation to life threatening allergic reactions. Signs of mold growth include a musty smell and discoloration of floors, walls or ceilings. You can remove small growths of mold through aggressive cleaning. The best way to control mold growth is through proper ventilation, not allowing wet conditions to prevail in the home and by the use of ultraviolet light irradiation technology in the HVAC system.

To find out more about common air pollutants and other HVAC information contact Air Assurance, serving the Broken Arrow area for more than 20 years.

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Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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Five Types Of Air Filters You Need To Know

When deciding what kind of HVAC air filter you want to use, there are a number of factors to consider.  Some are designed to be cleaned more frequently than others while some are more efficient.  Here are five of the most common types of air filters for use in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow region.Disposable FiltersThese are the most common air filters that are used because of their economical pricing and ease of use.  They should be replaced every six to eight weeks for maximum efficiency.  They are not designed to be washed.  This will only create holes which will make them less efficient.  As for efficiency, these are what is described as "boulder catchers".  They can only filter the extremely large particles flowing throughout your system, for instance, many can't stop salt when sprinkled on top of them.Permanent FiltersThese come in various sizes to fit your needs and do not need to be replaced.  They are easily removable to allow the user to clean them.  It is recommended that you clean them every 30 to 60 days to keep them operating at full power.  These are normally the most restrictive type air filters due to the long lasting fiber the filter is made out of.  This can put a major strain on airflow, causing increased dust, reduced comfort, and potential harm to the system.Hammock FiltersThese come in a  20-foot roll, allowing you to cut the filter to the appropriate size for a your hammock frame.  Once cut, you simply place them in the frame and trim any excess.  They should be disposed and replaced every 60 days. This is similair to the disposable in efficiency.  Most homeowners are bothered by the time it takes to maintain these.Electrostatic Air CleanerThese use electrostatic attraction to trap charged particles in the air and are very efficient at arresting dust, pollen, bacteria and other airborne pollutants.  They are permanent and can be easily washed every month.  Again, these type of filters are extremely restrictive to air flow.Large Pleated Media FiltersThis type of filter is popular because of the low maintenance required to keep them lasting for at least five years.  They tend to have very high efficiency levels and use a media cartridge that has to be replaced only every six months.  There are several different "levels" of pleated media.  You don't have to get the most expensive!  Usually those are very restrictive as well.If you are wondering what type of filtration system is best for your and your family, just ask your technician.  And by the way, Air Assurance has designed their own filters.  They're called Clean-Climate and we've tested them to make sure you get the optimum value of low resistance, high efficiency cleaning, as well as economic pricing.Air Assurance has been serving Oklahoma residents for more than 30 years. Experts are available to answer any questions you may have and provide any services you may need.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.