Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Indoor Air Quality’

The Benefit of Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning

Monday, August 17th, 2020
interior-air-duct

If a drain gets clogged in your kitchen or your bathroom, you are going to notice its impact on your daily life. Similarly, if your home’s ductwork is packed full of dirt and debris, it will impact your comfort and your indoor air quality. A clogged dryer vent won’t have quite the same impact on your regular habits as these other systems but it can still cause plenty of problems, such as harming your dryer!

Did you know that your dryer vent can get clogged? The best way to circumvent ventilation problems with your dryer is to schedule expert dryer vent cleaning in Jefferson with our team.

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4 Ways to Boost Your Indoor Air Quality

Monday, August 3rd, 2020
dusty-surface-poor-iaq

If you walk into your home and it feels like you just walked into a wine cellar with how much dust you can feel in the air, something is wrong with your indoor air quality (IAQ). Likewise, if you notice that your home’s indoor environment is just as muggy as it is outside, then you have an IAQ problem. We have services and systems that will provide the solutions to these IAQ issues.

The technicians at Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing have the technology, tools, services, and know-how to address the worst indoor air quality situation. All you ever need to do is contact us for an appointment to get started. And of course, take a look at the services below that we can offer you.

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3 Benefits of an Air Purifier

Monday, March 16th, 2020
clean-pure-bedroom

It is nice to be able to relax in the comfort of your own home. At least it is nice when you home doesn’t act as just another place for allergens and particles to irritant your respiratory system. If you walk in your door and encounter a sneezing fit though, you may need to take a moment to consider your indoor air quality.

When you have poor indoor air quality in your home, it won’t usually be a place where you find the ideal amount of comfort. Thankfully there are ways to give your IAQ a little boost and thereby improve your home environment.

One such method is by using a whole home UV air purifier in Jefferson, MD. If you haven’t heard about these systems or aren’t sure how one might benefit you, we are happy to shed some light of the subject.

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Humidity Can Help Your Comfort!

Monday, January 20th, 2020
portable-humidifier

We know it sounds strange but hear us out. Humidity isn’t always a bad thing–it just depends on what you are looking for in terms of comfort. If you are looking to cool off, humidity is definitely a hindrance. However, humidity can offer a helping hand in the effort to keep you and your home warm.

If you are curious about the benefits of humidity in the effort to keep your home comfy during winter, we are happy to give you some information. On top of that, if you are looking for ways to improve the environment in your home throughout the cooler months of the year, our service technicians are ready to help.

For now though let’s discuss how humidity can actually be helpful for your comfort and your indoor air quality in Jefferson, MD.

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Why an Air Purifier Might be a Good Idea

Monday, November 28th, 2016

Every time you take a breath in your home, you’re inhaling millions of microscopic airborne contaminants. Some of these contaminants include dust, pollen, germs, mold spores, and dander. Normally, these contaminants are widespread enough that your body can easily defend against them. During the winter, though, people tend to seal their homes to make it easier to stay warm. When that happens, it makes it much more likely that you will experience the negative effects of those contaminants. Prolonged exposure to high enough levels of these contaminants can result in allergy attacks, flu, asthma, and a range of other health problems. The best way to handle these issues is to install an air purifier in your home.

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Purify the air in your home with the Air Knight

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Kill bacteria, mold, and odor  in every square foot of you home. Now the same technology used by the US Government, hospitals, cruise ships, and restaurant chains is brought to your home by Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating through Carrier Enterprises. The Air Knight’s Ultra-Violet Light technology works to purify the air in your home, noticeably increasing indoor air quality. This PHI Cell technology provides, “low energy air purification that has been proven to kill mold, odors, bacteria, and 88% of an airborne sneeze at three feet. Also VOCs, viruses and up to 99% of MRSA, H1N1 and the Norwalk Virus, to name a few”.

 

You probably know that there’s plenty of pollution in the air outside. But did you know that there could very well be even more in the air trapped inside your home? In fact government agencies from around the globe have named indoor air pollution as one of the major health risks we all face today. There are many reasons why your indoor air quality may be compromised, but there is something you can do about it.

If you live in the metropolitan Washington, DC area, investing in one of the many indoor air purification systems that Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating carries is a great way to start improving the quality of the air your family is breathing in every day. You may not have noticed that the quality of your indoor air was poor to begin with, but you’re sure to notice the difference when you have one of these systems in place to improve it.

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Kensington HVAC Question: What Is Air Purification?

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

The air around us is getting more and more polluted these days in Kensington, and people are trying to do more and more to combat it. Cars come with ratings like “ultra-low emission vehicle” and windmills generate power from moving air rather than burning coal. No doubt, these efforts help, but if you want to take an active role in improving the quality of air in your own home, consider an air purification system.

Simply put, air purification is the process of removing contaminants and pollutants from the air. There are a number of devices on the market that can purify the air in your Kensington home. While anyone can enjoy the benefits of cleaner air, they are of particular utility for people which suffer from asthma or allergies, or who live in areas with higher concentrations of outdoor air pollution.

There are three main kinds of air purifiers, categorized by the kind of technology they use:

  1. HEPA filtration
  2. Negative ion generation
  3. Electrostatic precipitation

HEPA filtration purifiers simply filter the air that passes through them using a sieve-like filter or series of filters. Depending on the efficiency of the device and the filter, some of these purifiers can trap not only solid and like particles, but also gases and odors. One advantage of this type of purifier is that the HEPA filters can last for years before they need to be changed.

Negative ion generation and electrostatic precipitation models are more complicated and technical because of the technology they use. Consult with a professional to choose which kind of technology is best for your needs, depending on the air quality problem you are experiencing. Some air purifiers can trap bacteria, viruses, fungi or chemicals, so there is bound to be one that will suit your needs.

After deciding on which type of technology you need, you will also have to choose whether you want a portable air purifier unit or a central system that covers the whole house. Obviously the former works well if you are only concerned about the air in a room or two, while the latter is better if you have chronic asthma or a more widespread air quality problem.

If you have any questions about how to improve the air quality in your house, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call today!

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HVAC Advice: Seasonal Air Quality Control

Monday, February 13th, 2012

For people who suffer from seasonal allergies in Bethesda, air quality is a key concern. Allergens in the air cause brutal bouts of sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and even sinus headaches. Even taking refuge indoors will often not assuage these symptoms, as indoor air is often comparable to outdoor air in terms of allergens and overall quality.

That is, unless you take care to control the seasonal air quality in your home, which can not only help ease the suffering of allergies, but also soothe asthmatics, keep out pollutants and generally promote better overall health.

How do you go about controlling the air quality in your home? To start, try these simple tips:

  1. Vacuum carpets regularly. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and invest in some allergen suppressing bags.
  2. Keep your vents clean. This is also a good maintenance practice to lengthen the life of your ventilation equipment.
  3. Dust hard surfaces and wash bed linens weekly.
  4. Install HEPA filters in your ventilation system, such as in air conditioners or other air handler units. Use a higher rated filter to keep out more allergens and pollutants.
  5. Invest in and use an air purifier. Again, make sure to get one with a HEPA filter.
  6. Have your home tested for radon and carbon monoxide. Have smoke, carbon monoxide and radon detectors working properly at all times.
  7. Use a humidifier to keep overly dry air from irritating sinus passages.
  8. Keep doors and windows closed tight, especially during allergy season(s).

By taking charge of the air quality in your Bethesda home, you also take control of a measure of your family’s health. Some of these measures require at least a bit of an investment – for example, higher rated HEPA air filters are often more expensive and need to be changed more frequently – but the benefits to your well being and that of your family are clearly well worth it. If you have any question about what type of indoor air quality system will work in your home, give Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating a call today!

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Indoor Air Quality FAQ: Things Your Air Filter Can’t Filter

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Air filters are great to have in your Chevy Chase home. Many people who own air filters, especially those who suffer from allergies or asthma, swear by them as being very beneficial to their health and general well-being. They help you feel comfortable knowing that your air is clean and fresh.

But how confident should you be in your air filter? Is there anything your air filter is missing? Can you be sure that your air is as clean as can be?

Well, all air filters have limitations, and many do particularly well at trapping and removing certain types of air pollutants, but at the expense of letting others pass. What your air filter can and cannot do depends on what kind of equipment you have.

A conventional air filter, like the pleated kind you may have in your air conditioner, is designed to trap particles in the air. Pollen, dust, dander and other small but solid pollutants and irritants get trapped in their close-knit fibers. The thing to pay attention here is the filter’s HEPA rating—the higher it is, the smaller the particles it can trap. So, if you are using a lower rated filter, you may be trapping pollen but still breathing in smoke particles. Also, sometimes large, heavy particles settle before reaching the filter and can’t be trapped.

A less common option is the gas-phase air filter. As you may guess from the name, these filters are meant to filter out harmful gases in the air. They do not trap particles and usually have a short life, so they need to be replaced frequently.

In addition to filters, there are other air cleaning options like ultraviolet germicidal (UVG) lights and photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) cleaners. PCOs are meant to filter out harmful gases, but have limited use in homes. UVG lights use radiation that is harmless to people but deadly to microorganisms to pure air of bacteria and other pathogens.

In sum, if you are concerned about the quality of the air in your home, the best strategy is probably to use multiple solutions, such as a combination of an air filter and UVG lights, in order to get rid of as many pollutants as possible. Keep in mind, though, that no system is perfect in keeping everything out of your air. If you need help choosing the right system for your Chevy Chase home, call Tuckers Air Conditioning & Heating today!

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Essential Components of a Home Comfort System

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Indoor comfort is defined by several factors: temperature, humidity, and air quality. If any one of the three is out of the “normal” range it can affect the quality of life in your Spencerville home.

The ultimate goal of any heating & cooling contractor is to ensure that customers are comfortable – meaning that all three factors are addressed when servicing, replacing, or installing new equipment in a home. This equipment includes furnaces and air conditioners but also extends to humidifiers, electronic filters, ultraviolet (UV) lighting, infrared heating, etc.

Obviously, the essential component for most U.S. households is a furnace. Air conditioners may not be essential for all parts of the U.S., namely the northern states, but are still considered an integral part of any home comfort system.

Let’s look at the furnace first. There are several choices but most can be found in two different classifications: single-stage or variable speed two-stage. Your choice depends on the indoor square footage, your own comfort needs, and possibly the cost of energy units (gas or electric for example). Forced air is a common method of moving heated air to all parts of the home via an air handling unit and through a duct system. But gaining in popularity is radiant heat (electric), which does not utilize a duct system.

Air conditioners also come in a variety of sizes, including window/room air conditioners or central air conditioning, which is likely a “split” system including an outdoor unit and indoor coil. The size of the air conditioner is determined by square footage, which is part of a load calculation performed by qualified heating & cooling contractors while planning the equipment replacement or new installation. An oversized air conditioner may produce high humidity levels and an undersized unit may not provide enough cooling to all areas of the home. High humidity levels contribute to higher indoor temperatures in the summer, and can also lead to respiratory problems.

If someone in your home has allergies or is sensitive to certain pollutants in the air, it may be important to include extra filtration in your heating & cooling system, such as electronic filtration and UV lighting mounted in the buildings duct system, to kill germs and contaminants.

And speaking of an essential component, duct systems are keys to maximizing efficiency and comfort. Properly sized, insulated, and sealed, the duct system is a key to comfortable, healthy indoor air – and energy efficiency. It is also important to keep your duct system clean, too.

As always, it is best to consult with a Spencerville licensed heating and cooling contractor who can offer the best solutions for your home comfort system.

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