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Health & Wellness > Sick
and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?
By: Kelly McHenry from MC Mechanical Air Conditioning Services, Inc
Sneezing, sniffing, allergies ... Did you ever stop to think that it may be
associated with your indoor air quality? According to the EPA indoor air quality
is one of the top five environmental risks to public health. Some of the common
indoor air pollutants include dust mites, pollen, mold, chemical fumes,
cigarette smoke, and excessive carbon dioxide.
Did you know that indoor air pollution is generally double or triple of
the air pollution that we breathe outside?
There are several different reasons that these statistics are as high as they
are. One of the reasons lies within the conditioning of the air in your home.
Air conditioning systems which are the “lungs of your home” are known for
filtering the air in your home, yet most systems don’t help with the quality of
the air in your home. The reasons for this are simple. Poor filtration systems
and mold growth in your air handler and duct work are the major contributors to
poor indoor air quality. Because air conditioning systems are enclosed in a
cool, damp environment, the potential for mold to grow in your indoor system
over time is guaranteed. When this happens it not only affects your health but
also your air conditioning system. The EPA says that this type of mold can
create symptoms such as asthma, nasal irritation, and chronic sickness.
The best
way to find out if your system is creating health problems in your home is to
have a licensed air conditioning contractor do a complete evaluation of your
system to determine if mold is growing inside your equipment. Another way to
help prevent these types of issues is to have a regular preventative maintenance
program in place for your equipment. There are also many types of products that
can be installed on your current system to help prevent mold and to purify the
air you are breathing. UV lights are extremely important in helping kill mold
spores that grow in the air handler. RGF Air Purifiers are also a great after
market product that eliminates airborne bacteria, odors, and VOC’s in the air
that you breathe. Air filters also should be media or pleated filters with high
MERV ratings. This will help with “catching “dust and debris that filter through
your system into each room in your home.
Each home or occupant has different individual needs that have to be met.
The
simple and best way to make sure you are breathing clean, germ and mold free air
is to have an inspection of your equipment, change your air filters with high MERV rating pleated filters or media, and to maintain your equipment
semi-annually (which will also help with energy efficiency). After all, your
health is what matters most!
Sites to visit for more information:
www.rgf.com
www.freshaireuv.com
www.epa.gov/iaq/
www.iaqa.org
www.mcacservices.com
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