Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Jun 02, 2010
This spring has been particularly trying for allergy sufferers in Lorain County, Ohio. Since grass, flower and tree pollens first hit the air in early April, pollen levels have frequently peaked above 10 on a 12-point scale, according to Pollen.com. The website, which collects and distributes pollen data nationwide, shows Lorain County pollen counts hovering between 9 and 11 over much of the past 30 days. Predominant pollen offenders right now are mulberry and walnut tree pollens and a variety of grass pollens. Many trees and grasses are pollinated by the wind, releasing pollen from small greenish flower-like catkins that appear before the tree leafs.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality This Summer With These Tips
Allergists are predicting higher than normal pollen counts in Lorain County into the fall. Allergy and asthma sufferers can take steps to allergy-proof their homes and minimize allergy symptoms:
- To keep pollen out of your Lorain County home, close windows and turn on the air conditioning. Running the fan will keep air circulating through the filter, removing pollen and contaminants from indoor air. Two-speed, energy-efficient Carrier air conditioners use 50% less energy while evenly distributing cool air throughout your home.
- Replace furnace filters with high-efficiency particulate air filters. These fine-screen filters remove tiny pollen granules and other allergy-aggravating particulate from indoor air as it circulates through your air conditioning system. Change air filters once a month or more frequently.
- Vacuum air ducts monthly and have ducts professionally cleaned annually if your allergies are severe.
- To prevent mold growth, keep indoor humidity below 50%. Carrier Performance Humidifiers provide adjustable whole-house humidification that allows you to increase humidity during dry winter months and decrease humidity during humid summer months for maximum comfort. Maintaining proper indoor humidity not only eases sinus irritation during allergy season, it alleviates over-dry sinuses during cold and flu season, improving your family’s health and comfort.
Your trusted Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor can perform an AirAdvice Indoor Air Analysis to measure and pinpoint the allergens in your Lorain County home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, May 18, 2010
In our last post we talked about indoor air pollution problems than can cause discomfort and unhealthy conditions inside Lorain County homes. Inadequate ventilation, poor humidity control, ineffective filtering and inefficient furnace or air conditioner operation are frequent causes of unhealthy indoor air pollution. Fortunately, your Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning professional can perform and AirAdvice Indoor Air Analysis to pinpoint the source of indoor air quality problems and recommend effective solutions.
Here’s a quick rundown on typical indoor air quality equipment and the problems they solve:
Air cleaners
Trap polluting particles, pet dander, plant pollen, mold spores and other airborne contaminants in fine filters and keep them from circulating in the air. Standard fiber glass-mesh furnace filters trap only 15% of airborne pollutants, leaving 85% of these particles in the air you breathe. Mechanical Air Cleaners use a heavy-duty media filter capable of trapping up to 28 times more particles than a standard fiber glass filter. Electronic Air Cleaners are even more effective in cleaning indoor air, capturing up to 95% of all airborne particles, including smoke, grease, bacteria and many viruses.
Humidifiers
Control humidity levels inside your home, increasing comfort year round. Because humidity affects the way our bodies feel heat, using a humidifier to maintain optimum humidity inside your home will also save on utility bills. Increasing humidity in winter when the air is dry allows you to feel comfortable at lower temperatures. Decreasing humidity in the summer increases comfort and allows you to set your air conditioner to a slightly higher temperature.
Ventilators
Regularly exchange unhealthy indoor air with clean outdoor air to create a healthier indoor environment in your home. Ventilators remove from your home harmful accumulated carbon dioxide, cooking fumes and gases from building materials and furniture and replace that spent air with clean, fresh outdoor air.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, May 14, 2010
Does your nose itch when you’re inside your home? Does your Lorain County home smell stale? Does someone in your family always seem to be sick? Do you suffer from a continuous cold? Is your skin dry and itchy? Do you suffer from frequent nosebleeds?
9 Out of 10 People are Breathing Unhealthy Air Inside Their Homes
If you’ve noticed any of these problems, the air quality inside your Lorain County home may be the culprit. Particles of dust, pollen, pet hair and dander, chemicals and gases can collect inside your home and pollute the air you breathe. In a 2007 study, AirAdvice found that 9 out of 10 people are breathing unhealthy air inside their homes. Inadequate ventilation, poor humidity control, infrequently changed furnace filters and inefficient furnace or air conditioner operation can all impact the quality of the air inside your Lorain County home and affect your comfort.
The most prevalent sources of indoor air pollution include:
- Combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal and wood used for cooking or heating release polluting smoke, fumes and particulate into the air, as do tobacco products.
- Building materials and household furnishings including asbestos-based insulation, wet carpeting, treated upholstery fabrics, some plastics and cabinets or furniture made of pressed wood emit chemical vapors.
- Household cleaning and maintenance products, personal care products and hobby materials release fumes and particulate into the air. Aerosol sprays, paints and thinners, even nail polish and perfume, are potent pollutants.
- Improperly maintained or older central heating and air conditioning systems, humidifiers and air cleaners may fail to adequately filter and distribute indoor air.
- Radon, pesticides and environmental air pollution can also foul indoor air if not properly screened or excluded.
Your trusted Lorain County plumbing, heating and air conditioning contractor can perform an AirAdvice Indoor Air Analysis to measure and pinpoint the probable sources of air pollution in your Lorain County home.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Apr 15, 2010
Improve Indoor Air Quality This Summer
Spring is in the air and that means it is time for pollen and allergies. Sneezing runny nose and congestion are common spring systems. It's as though the lawn and weed sprouted overnight.
If you want to breathe comfortably all summer long it is important to improve indoor air quality throughout your entire house.
- Americans spend 90% of their time indoors
- Indoor air is often is worse then the air outdoors
- It contains hazardous pollutants
- Listed as one of the TOP 5 environmental risks is indoor air pollution
John Hopkins released a study that found an association between increased levels of indoor air pollutants and severity of asthma symptomos amongh children. They follolwed 150 asthmatic children for six months, monitoring children's bedrooms at scheduled intervals. The conclusion, not surprising is the increase need for indoor air quiality services, because children spend so much time indoors.
Understanding the need for indoor air quality is important. By using trap and kill air cleaners like the Carrier Infinity or Aprilaire 500 you will improve your quality of life and reduce health problems.
Indoor Air Analysis
To find out if your home is a health risk, you should have it tested. We can perform a simple diagnostic test to determine levels of air pollution inside your home. Air advice offers indoor testing of 5 critical items, including temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, dust and chemical pollutants. It records and stores data so a time line can be established to determine what and when the indoor air pollution is occurring.
Are you worried about the air you breathe in your home? Find out if your home's air is polluted with a simple diagnostic test called the AirAdvice™ Indoor Air Analysis. Register with us online today!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, May 20, 2009
Spring Cleaning. It's dreaded, feared even, by the masses. But spring cleaning doesn't just mean rifling through your worn out wardrobe. A 2007 study by AirAdvice™ found that 9 out of 10 people are breathing unhealthy air inside their homes.
Most homes are not properly equipped to filter and purify air. Which means, your whole house, not just your closet, needs a fresh start this season.
Start with the inside and get your cooling system checked to ensure your system is in tip-top shape. Then continue in small ways, like dusting and wiping down infrequently used surfaces at least once a week. Look for leaky faucets in the kitchen, bathroom and utility room and replace with water conserving fixtures.
Then move on to bigger things. Evaluate your water heater, dishwasher and all other water consuming devices - check these regularly for cracks, leaks and low-efficiency to conserve your water use all year-round. When replacing old appliances look for appliances with high-energy efficiency ratings.
Finally, move to the outside. Test sprinkler systems for cracks and breaks. Check around your house, especially your sewer system and gutters to be sure tree roots have not found a water supply in your sewer or water pipes.
Raymond Plumbing and heating can help you with all your spring cleaning needs. Let our experts help you check the little things before they become big.