The air inside your house can be more polluted than outdoor air and this can contribute to asthma, dry eyes, fatigue, headaches and respiratory ailments. Pollutants in the air inside your home may include mold spores, bacteria, algae, mildew and fungi. Sources of dirty air include pet dander, chemicals, smoke, pesticides and radon. Here are some ways to clean and sanitize your indoor air.
Air Duct Cleaning
Since houses now are almost airtight, dust in the air gets re-circulated through the HVAC system. Only one ounce of dust can hold around 40,000 dust mites so keeping your air ducts clean is essential to clean air.
Duct cleaning is recommended if any remodeling has been performed or if your family suffers from air borne allergies or respiratory conditions. It should also be considered it you see dust or debris blowing out of the registers or notice anything inside the ducts, like dead insects or mold.
Filters and Air Cleaners
HEPA filters, or high-efficiency particulate air filters, block 99.97 percent of all particles 0.3 micron or larger. A micron-size particle can’t be seen by the naked eye and is around .000039 inch in size. HEPA filters are very effective at filtering bacteria out of the air but let through gases and odors.
A whole house air cleaner can be more efficient than a one inch filter and effectively filter gases and smoke. It is installed as part of the HVAC system and would be essential if household members are particularly sensitive to allergens and other particulates in the air.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Treatment System
UV light kills mold and bacteria that are inside your HVAC system and circulating through your air.
There are two types of UV treatment. One sterilizes the air handler coils inside the return air duct, keeping them mold free. The other type is a light unit that treats all the air in the return air duct.
Sanitizing
Sanitizing is an add-on option after your ducts have been cleaned. It is especially necessary if there is evidence of microbial growth in the ducts. It will take care of any growth that is currently present and discourage future growth.
Sanitizing will eliminate microbes that can cause disease, such as:
- Aspergillus fumigatus
- Legionella pneumophila
- Mycobacterium bovis (Tuberculosis)
- Penicillium roquefortii
- Stachybotrys chartarum
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Trichophyton mentagrophytes
Want more information on air purification in your Greensboro area? Just call The Plumbing Service Company at