Are Air Purifiers Effective in Winter?

The air inside your home can end up having poor quality during winter. Your heating system can blow dust, pollutants, and other particles around. With winter being cold and flu season, more germs are also around during this time of year. Using air purifiers might seem like a good way to improve indoor air quality (IAQ), but should you get one? Consider the following when deciding if you should get an air purifier for your home.

Allergens

Allergens, such as dust and pet dander, tend to build up more in homes during winter. Heating systems blow these particles around through ducts and vents, which can cause allergy symptoms to flare up more often. If you have asthma, you might also have a higher risk of asthma attacks with dust and other allergens floating around. Air purifiers can catch these allergens and remove them from your indoor air, which helps boost IAQ (indoor air quality). Keep your home clean through vacuuming and dusting regularly, which can make your indoor air even healthier.

Pollutants

Indoor pollutants can fill your home during winter, especially with doors and windows closed. Breathing in some of these pollutants can raise your risk of becoming sick. Using air purifiers can help lower your exposure to pollutants in winter until you can open your doors and windows again in warmer weather.

Germs

Viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens can circulate in your home when it’s all closed up during winter. Having your heating system on also helps these germs move around your home. Setting up an air purifier can help trap viruses and other germs, which can reduce your risk of being sick this season. Keep in mind that you should continue wiping down surfaces in your home to eliminate germs even more.

If you’re looking for air purifiers for your Broken Arrow home or other ways to improve IAQ, contact Air Assurance.

How to Avoid and Combat Mold in HVAC Equipment

Although your HVAC equipment can be one of your best weapons for combating mold, under certain conditions, it can also become a haven for mold. Fortunately, there are some reliable methods for treating and preventing mold in your HVAC system.

How to Detect Mold in HVAC

Generally, you can tell if you have mold in your HVAC system if you smell a strong, musty odor. Here are some other signs:

• Mold around air ducts or intake vents

• Leaks or puddles inside the HVAC or on the floor

• Household occupants are subject to coughing or congestion

Why Do You Have Mold in HVAC?

Mold usually occurs in the HVAC system because of these factors:

• Warm, damp conditions in the home

• Leaky ducts allowing damp air into the system

• An overflowing condensate drain

• A dirty air filter that prevents good airflow, resulting in excess condensation on evaporative coils

To get rid of the excess moisture in your system, have your HVAC consultant fix the disconnected or damaged ducts. If the condensate drain is plugged to overflowing, it's an easy fix with bleach and flushing it with water. And, be sure to change the air filter regularly. You might also need to have the evaporative coils cleaned now and then.

Other Treatments for Mold in HVAC

If your home has high humidity in the summer, you may want to address that. Besides the already-mentioned remedies, try removing humidity with a portable dehumidifier. If this doesn't help, you might discuss installing a whole-house dehumidifier with your HVAC consultant. Also, discuss installation of UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) lights in your HVAC to get rid of mold. 

Other actions you might ask your HVAC consultant to take:

• Treat the HVAC system with an EPA-approved disinfectant, manufactured for HVAC systems.

• Apply a mold inhibitor to all the components of your HVAC.

• Find which ducts are most affected by moisture and mold, and clean, fix, and replace them as needed.

• Have air intakes near areas where organic materials might accumulate checked and cleaned if needed.

For more on mold in HVAC, contact Air Assurance of Broken Arrow. 

How Do You Handle Mold in HVAC Systems During the Summer?

Mold colonies can damage property and possessions and cause health problems for those in your home. Significant mold growth will emit a foul, musty, and earthy odor. During the summer, mold in HVAC systems can also become a substantial problem that affects your home's indoor air quality, the health of its occupants — and your pocketbook. Read on to learn where to look for mold in HVAC systems and how to go about mitigating mold problems.

Mold in the HVAC Filter

The HVAC filter is an important device that protects vital parts and ductwork from dirt and grime buildup. However, the air filter also traps mold spores that can develop into mold growth. Check the filter and surrounding area each month for mold in HVAC filters. If you do see mold, remove the filter, clean the affected area, and install a new filter.

Mold in the Evaporator Coil

One of the vital components of the HVAC system that the air filter helps protect is the evaporator coil. Mold spores that aren't trapped by the air filter can collect and grow on the coil. If you see mold on the evaporator coil, use a spray-on foam coil cleaner to destroy the mold and to remove dirt and grime.

Mold in the Condensate Pan and Line

The condensation that collects on the evaporator coil drips into a condensate pan. From there, condensation flows through a condensate drain tube. If you want to find and remove all mold in HVAC systems, you'll need to check the condensate pan and line. For mold removal, pour a quart of a 50/50 concoction of water and bleach into the pan.

Mold in the Ductwork

The air ducts are the lungs of your HVAC system, and they are just as susceptible to mold growth as the other HVAC parts are. Mold growth in the air ducts should be mitigated by a professional duct cleaning done by a professional, such as your HVAC contractor. Duct cleaning and mold removal will improve your indoor air quality only if it is done correctly.

If you need help mitigating mold on the HVAC parts and in the drains and ducts in your Broken Arrow home, please contact the HVAC professionals at Air Assurance right away.

How Much Trouble Can Mold Cause in Your HVAC Unit?

HVAC mold can reduce heating and cooling efficiency. What’s more, it can also be the source of allergic reactions and illness in certain persons with sensitivity to mold spores. Microscopic airborne spores that spread mold contamination easily infiltrates houses and are eventually drawn into the airflow of the home’s HVAC system. Here are some examples of the places HVAC mold can develop in cooling and heating units — and perhaps the problems it can cause for occupants of the house as well. 

• Ductwork. Airborne spores accumulating inside ductwork are often exposed to condensation due to high indoor humidity. This moisture triggers dormant spores to turn into active HVAC mold growth. Toxic reproductive spores may be spread throughout the house by contaminated ductwork and can be the source of serious allergic reactions in some individuals.

• AC coils. As airflow passes through the central air conditioner evaporator coil in the indoor air handler, spores present in the airflow contact condensation inside coil passageways. Resultant HVAC mold growth in the coilinhibits coil heat transfer and degrades cooling efficiency. In time, mold growth may obstruct AC airflow through the coil.

• Condensate drain pan. Situated beneath the indoor air handler, the condensate drain pan collects many gallons of condensation daily during summer AC operation, safely diverting the water into a plumbing drain line. Spores from the AC airflow may contaminate the wet pan and trigger active mold. This mold growth frequently clogs the condensate drain line, causing the drip pan to overflow, which can cause indoor water damage. 

To Prevent HVAC Mold

• Replace the HVAC air filter every month during the summer AC season and at least every other month when the furnace is running in the winter.

• Schedule annual preventative maintenance. This in-depth procedure provided by a qualified HVAC contractor includes inspection of the system for signs of HVAC mold in coils, ductwork, and the condensate drain.

• Reduce indoor humidity. To thrive, mold prefers humidity levels above 50%. If you live in a humid climate, consider a whole-house dehumidifier to reduce indoor mold contamination.

Ask the professionals at Air Assurance for advice and expert service to prevent or eliminate HVAC mold growth.

How to Prepare for Fall Allergens

Have you started to experience the annoyance and discomfort associated with fall allergies yet? Areas in northeastern and eastern Oklahoma rank among the top 15 areas in the U.S. where people suffer the most from allergies. Local culprits in the fall include ragweed pollen, the inevitable mold spores, and dust mites.Allergy season in this part of Oklahoma is long lasting, according to the Weather Channel who estimate it lasts from April through November. With such a long season, it’s worth considering what you can do to alleviate them using your HVAC system.Your heating and cooling system handles much of the air in your home and it’s the perfect place to start reducing the impact of fall allergies caused by airborne particulates by:

Upgrading the air filter.

A denser, higher quality air filter will trap more particles that will reduce your allergy symptoms. Look for one whose MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating is 8 or higher. You can also go by the manufacturer’s quality descriptions, which normally range from good to best.Upgrade the filter as long as your HVAC system can handle one with a MERV rating between 8 and 12 or qualified as “best.” It’s important to verify the maximum density you can use because installing too thick a filter will slow the air flowing through the air handler, which harms your equipment.

Maintaining the HVAC system.

Ask your HVAC contractor to service your system, which reduces the amount of dust and pollen inside it. They're able to access every part of the system for cleaning and adjusting,

Ductwork inspection.

Have your HVAC pro check the ducts for dust. You may need to have the ducts professionally cleaned to clear accumulations of dust and debris. If you or a previous owner have run the system with dirty air filters, allergens can easily collect inside the ducts. Besides clearing the air, clean ducts deliver air more efficiently and quietly.

For more information about managing fall allergies with your HVAC system, contact Air Assurance, providing HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.

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). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Considering UV Lights to Improve IAQ? Here's What You Need to Know

Using ultraviolet light to sterilize air and water is nothing new. It's been a proven means to control living organisms such as mold, mildew, fungus, bacteria and viruses for several decades in hospitals and in industrial and research settings. UV lights can also be installed in your home's HVAC system as a means to control these pollutants whenever they threaten your indoor air quality.

How UVGI Works

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) technology is pretty simple. Focusing light from the ultraviolet section of the light spectrum, UVGI bulbs destroy the reproductive ability of living microorganisms by penetrating cell walls and disrupting their DNA. UVGI air cleaners basically consist of strong light bulbs, installed near the evaporator coils of the HVAC system, and in the ducts. The bulbs shine on the damp areas of the evaporator coils, where condensation may lead to a buildup of mold and mildew. They may also be focused on the surfaces of the ducts, where they sterilize the return air as it passes into the system, killing microorganisms before they can be redistributed into your home's supply air.

Facts About UVGI

1. Before you install UVGI technology, be sure you address any excessively moist conditions in your home. High humidity is usually caused by leaking plumbing, leaks in attics or flooding in basements. Fix these problems so that you can maintain balanced humidity in your home. If you suspect mold or mildew (a musty smell and the visual presence of mold are key), UVGI lights should be used in conjunction with efforts to reduce high humidity.

2. UVGI lights have been shown to be effective at reducing microorganisms that aggravate allergies, asthma and other respiratory issues.

3. UVGI systems are fairly easy to install and use, although installation can be a bit pricey.

4. Ultraviolet light bulbs should be changed annually, as they are only effective when the light is strong.

5. Never look directly at a UV light. Although they do not burn hot, the light can damage the retina.

For more information on UV lights, contact Air Assurance. We've been serving Broken Arrow and the surrounding area since 1985.

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). For more information about UV lights and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “geralt/Pixabay”

Consider UV Lights Alongside HVAC Equipment

Research has shown that indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than the air found outdoors. Considering that people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, inferior indoor air quality can present a major health threat. Adding ultraviolet (UV) lights to a heating and cooling system can be an excellent way to combat poor air quality and increase the comfort level in homes and other buildings.UV light air-purification systems clean indoor air by eliminating harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, germs, mold and other allergens. As these health-threatening microorganisms travel through the UV light, their molecular bonds are broken down and their harmful effects are destroyed.The Lancet (a world-renowned medical journal) conducted a study that explored the effectiveness of UV light systems. The study placed ultraviolet light purification systems in a number of different office buildings and evaluated the health of people who worked in the buildings over the course of a year.At the end of the year, it was determined that the sickness level of the workers was lowered by 20 percent. They also saw  a 60 percent drop in respiratory problems. Additionally, the UV lights assisted in reducing the amount of muscle-related problems by half. The study also concluded that nonsmokers and the workers who suffered from allergies benefited the most from the UV light purification systems.If your home's air quality is less than optimal, you should consider adding a UV light purification system to your home comfort equipment. As research has shown, UV lights can work exceptionally well with a heating and cooling system to improve indoor air quality.If you determine that a UV light system is right for you, ask for expert assistance in finding the unit that would work the best. The professional technicians at Air Assurance are trained to help you in choosing the proper heating and cooling equipment for your home, and in cleaning up indoor air. Contact us today for further information. We're always happy to help.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

Duct Sealing: Proven Energy Savings

Are you considering replacement of your heating or air conditioning system?  Do you want better performance from your HVAC system?  You should consider duct sealing to boost your system’s efficiency. In areas like Oklahoma where temperatures can range from very hot to very cold, getting the most out of your heating and air conditioning system is critical.  In fact, duct leakage can account for over 50% of your cooling/heating bill if problems are evident.Duct sealing is performed by your air conditioning professional and includes sealing all ductwork with gaskets, welds, tapes and mastic (adhesive) fabrics.  By sealing your ducts, heated or cooled air can travel into your home without escaping through the ductwork.  Note that duct tape is not really a sealant – a professional will use the appropriate materials to insure the ductwork is sealed properly.While this task can be performed on existing systems, it is a best practice to have duct sealing done as part of a new system installation.  In some situations, going back to seal existing ducts is cost-prohibitive because access is more difficult.  Therefore, getting the ducts sealed at installation is the best choice.A professional HVAC company like Air Assurance can make sure the job is done right the first time.  Proper steps are taken to make sure attics and crawl space ducts are sealed with materials to prevent heat loss during the winter season as well as cool air loss during the summer months.If you are not sure if your ducts are sealed properly, or if you are replacing your existing heating and air conditioning system, be sure to ask about having your ductwork checked.  The investment in duct sealing can make sure your system does not waste energy and clean air is circulated with minimal dust particles or allergens leaking into the ducts.  Also note that if there are serious leaks in the ducts, a home could fail to qualify for the Energy Star Homes program.  Have your system checked by Air Assurance today.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.

HVAC Terms Every Oklahoma Homeowner Should Know

HVAC technicians go through years of training because there’s so much knowledge to take in. It’s not practical to expect the average Oklahoma homeowner to have all this information. However, Air Assurance has some terms that can give consumers a great advantage in finding the best equipment, service and savings.AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. It’s a measurement for a furnace’s efficiency. AFUE percentages rate how much heat the furnace produces compared to how much energy it takes to operate. A high efficiency furnace with an AFUE of 95 percent converts 95 percent of the fuel it consumes into usable heat.  So in simple terms, for every dollar you pay the gas company to heat your home, $.95 cents is actually getting into the home while only $.05 cents is wasted.  A unit that is over 20 years old is typically rated around 60 AFUE.  This means that $.40 cents of every dollar is wasted through flu venting, pilot lights, insulation of the furnace cabinet, or thicker heat exchangers that trap the heat longer.SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. SEER measures the efficiency of air conditioners. It is similar to AFUE in that it measures how much cool air the units produce against how much energy they consume. High efficiency air conditioners with SEERs from around 16 to 23 get great “miles per gallon.”  A system that is 20 years old is typically rated around 6 SEER. The minimum manufactured SEER rating today is 13.  This could equal nearly 40% in cooling savings annually!MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. This measurement applies to air filters. A high MERV rating means the filter traps more particles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using a MERV 13 is ideal, as it can trap many airborne particles and allergens.Higher MERV filters are more restrictive, and can inhibit airflow in your system. This can strain your equipment, so before running right out for a high MERV, be sure to get the advice of a qualified technician who can match a filter to your system.  Note: Interesting point, Merv ratings are not governed, therefore each manufacturer can claim different Merv ratings according to different variables such as slower air flow, particle size, etc. Air Assurance has done the testing on all the filters available which is why they recommend the filters they do.  This is also the reason our technicians carry our own Clean-Climate Filters.  Built to our specs according to the most efficient air flow and particulate cleaning possible without harming your system.NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence. NATE is a third-party, non-profit organization providing testing and certification to HVAC technicians nationwide. The tests cover areas of the HVAC field, such as heat pumps, air distribution and air conditioning. When you work with a certified NATE technician you can be sure the service is up to national standards, and that you’re not taking chances with your contractor.  Air Assurance was the first company in the country to offer their customers 100% NATE certified technicians.Understanding these four terms can help you make an educated decision on equipment and contractors, so you’ll be sure to get the most “bang for your buck.” Call Air Assurance if you have more HVAC questions. We’re happy to help!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.