Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Tue, Aug 24, 2010
It’s hayfever season. For allergy sufferers, hayfever season is a misery of running, sneezy noses, itchy, watering eyes and scratchy throats. Fall flowering plants and weeds like goldenrod and ragweed waft pollen into the air, creating havoc with the sinus systems of hayfever sufferers. The simple act of taking a breath fills their sinus cavities with pollen-laced air, triggering an allergic reaction that causes sinus tissues to swell and itch, making breathing difficult. In defense, the body produces copious amounts of mucous in an attempt to wash away the offending pollens, causing constant sniffling, sneezing and nose blowing. For hayfever sufferers, the misery lasts through the first frost when the cold kills the offending plants, halting pollen production.
Pollen counts in Lorain County have ranged from moderately to extremely high since the start of hayfever season at the beginning of August. Unfortunately for Lorain County hayfever sufferers, weather forecasters expect pollen counts to remain in the very high range for the duration of the hayfever season. Pollen production is affected by weather, and our higher than normal summer temperatures, coupled with strong winds have created ideal conditions for pollen production and distribution in Lorain County.
Installation of a Carrier Infinity Air Purifier is the Most Efficient Way to Remove Pollen from the Air
The only effective way to alleviate hayfever symptoms is to remove pollen particles from the air. Installation of a Carrier Infinity Air Purifier by your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional is the most effective and most efficient way to remove pollen particulate from the air and create a healthy, breathable environment for Lorain County allergy sufferers. Adding an air purifier to the HVAC system in your Lorain County home is far more effective in cleaning pollen from the air than purchasing a portable room air purifier as it removes pollen from your entire home, not just a single room. Click here to find out more.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Wed, Aug 18, 2010
Pollen counts have been abnormally high since spring which doesn’t bode well for hay fever sufferers. Lorain County allergy sufferers are already stocking up on Kleenex and Benadryl in preparation for the sneezing fits, watery eyes and itchy noses that bedevil them in August and September until frost brings relief.
Prolific Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have Increased the Amount of Carbon Dioxide in the Air
Allergists say the warmer than usual winter and heavy spring rains encouraged explosive plant growth in Lorain County, allowing the pollen-bearing weeds and flowers that bother allergy sufferers to cover the landscape. As these plants go to seed in the fall, they are releasing copious quantities of pollen into the air. The problem is exacerbated by global warming, say environmentalists. Prolific greenhouse gas emissions have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, spurring plant growth and pollen production and fungal spores. The bad news for allergy sufferers is that if left unchecked, rising carbon dioxide levels could increase air-borne allergens threefold within the next 30 years.
Install an Air Cleaner on Your Heating and Cooling System to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Home comfort appliances that trap or kill pollen, mold spores and other allergens from indoor air can make a significant difference in the lives of allergy sufferers. Today’s energy-efficient air conditioners are equipped with highly efficient filters that trap and remove allergens from indoor air. Allergy sufferers will profit from constantly running the air conditioner fan. This keeps air circulating through A/C filters, continuously removing newly introduced allergens from the air.
A particularly successful way to improve indoor air quality is to have your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional install an electronic air cleaner on your heating and cooling system. Standard fiberglass mesh furnace filters trap only 15% of problematic air particles. Energy-efficient electric air cleaners can trap up to 95% of airborne allergens and other particles, including smoke, grease, bacteria and many viruses. Contact your Lorain County heating and cooling professional today about installing an air cleaner and start breathing easy!
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Thu, Jul 01, 2010
Climate Change Predicts Longer, More Severe Allergies
Climate changes spell more misery for allergy and asthma sufferers in Lorain County, Ohio. Climatologists are predicting ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the air we breathe. Lorain County allergists say this will mean longer and more severe allergy seasons for their patients. Increased carbon dioxide is good for plants, promoting faster growth and more pollen output. Unfortunately, that’s bad for allergy sufferers. It’s plant pollen that is most responsible for the sneezing, watery eyes and itchy sinus tissues that plague allergy sufferers. Adding insult to injury, researchers at the University of Maryland say elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide increase production of fungal spores, another significant cause of allergy reactions.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
High pollen and mold counts like those we’ve been having lately in Lorain County send allergy sufferers fleeing indoors to give their aching sinuses a rest. Energy-efficient air conditioners which filter out allergens and pollutants while circulating indoor air provide much needed relief to Lorain County allergy and asthma sufferers. Lorain County residents who have allergies or asthma should use allergen-reducing HEPA filters on their air conditioner and furnace. These fine-grained filters ensure that even small grains of pollen, mold spores and pollutants are trapped and removed from indoor air.
Call Raymond Plumbing For All Your Needs
Asking your Lorain County air conditioning professional to install a Carrier air cleaner can further filter and purify indoor air. Air cleaners are known to greatly increase breathing comfort for allergy and asthma sufferers. If you have problems with mold, you may also want to have your Lorain County heating and air conditioning professional install a Carrier UV Lamp on the indoor coil of your furnace/air conditioner. UV lamps kill dangerous mold spores and harmful bacterial, making your home a healthier, safer environment for the entire family.
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 Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Most Lorain County residents understand the importance of scheduling seasonal performance checks of their Lorain County furnace and air conditioner. Regular performance checks keep home heating and cooling appliances operating smoothly and at peak efficiency all through the year. But the ducts through which that equipment pushes the air that heats and cools your home are taken for granted. You might run your duster or vacuum head over the vent grates when they look dirty, but most Lorain County homeowners tend to ignore heating and cooling ducts.
What Lorain County homeowners don’t realize is that dust buildup in their duct work can negatively impact both their health and their wallets. When dust accumulates in heating and cooling ducts, it traps allergens which are then blown through the home every time the furnace fan turns on. Dust, mold, pollen and other allergens are distributed through your home along with cold or warm air. Not only does dust build up impact indoor air quality, but it also impairs the performance of your furnace and air conditioner and can eventually shorten equipment life.
Seasonal cleaning of the air vent system in your Lorain County home will improve indoor air quality and ensure that your furnace and air conditioner run at peak efficiency all season long. Cleaning ducts can be a little time consuming – about 15 minutes per unit – but is not difficult.
- Turn off your furnace or air conditioner while cleaning.
- Using the crevice tool, vacuum floor, baseboard and ceiling vents. If your vacuum tool won’t reach upper vents, use a duster with an extension pole.
- Remove vent covers with a screwdriver and wash with dish soap. Use a sponge-type paint brush to get between slats.
- Using crevice tool or cobweb duster, clean inside ducts as far as you can reach.
- Replace vent covers when dry.
Maintaining your air duct system in good repair with annual spring and fall performance checks helps to ensure that your air conditioner and furnace will work efficiently all season long.
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 Fri, Apr 02, 2010
Beat the Heat with an A/C Peformance Check
In Lorain County we’ve been looking forward to the first warm days of spring for months. Now that they’re finally here, it’s time to think about calling your Lorain County air conditioning professional to schedule your annual A/C Performance Check. Spring doesn’t last long in northern Ohio and the hot, steamy days of summer will be here before you know it. An annual air conditional performance check ensures that your air conditioner will keep you and your family cool and comfortable all year round.
Getting your cooling system checked annually is important. That is why each month we are giving away two FREE A/C Performance Checks! Sign-up to win.
Install a Carrier UV Lamp on your Air Conditioner
Lorain County residents who schedule their A/C Performance Check early before our crews get busy with break downs and air conditioner replacements can save $20 off our regular price. Instead of $98.50, if you schedule your A/C Performance Check with Raymond online, you’ll only pay $78.50. While our technician is at your home, consider having him install a Carrier UV Lamp on your air conditioning unit. Ultraviolet light kills the bacteria and mold that is apt to grow on your air conditioner components during Lorain County’s muggy summers. Installing a UV Lamp on your air conditioner improves air quality and guarantees a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.
Purchasing an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner May Qualify for a Tax Credit
If your air conditioner uses Freon refrigerant or is nearing the end of its useful life, this is a good year to consider replacing it with an energy-efficient Carrier air conditioner that uses environmentally friendly Puron. Freon in being phased out by the EPA which means that Freon-charged air conditioners are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The federal government’s Tax Credit program for energy-efficient home improvements makes this an excellent year to replace your old, polluting air conditioner. Under the Tax Credit program, you may be eligible for a 30% income tax credit up to $1,500 on your 2010 taxes if you replace your air conditioner with an energy-efficient model. Raymond will be happy to provide you with a free estimate.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Mon, Mar 29, 2010
Allergies and Asthma Continue to Increase in the U.S.
The trees are starting to bud and flowers are beginning to bloom. Spring is in the air and Lorain County allergy sufferers know that pollen is not far behind. The number of people in the U.S. who suffer from allergies has risen 25% in the past four years, affecting an estimated 60 million Americans. One in four Lorain County residents is apt to have at least one allergy, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. The incidence of asthma in the U.S. has tripled over the past 25 years and now affects more than 22 million Americans.
Researchers say climate change is partly responsible for the dramatic increase in the number of allergy sufferers. Global warming has extended pollen-based allergy seasons in the U.S., though scientists believe that other as yet undiscovered factors may play a role in increased allergy suffering.
“Allergies and asthma seem to be increasing everywhere, and we don’t know why that is,” David Rosenstreich, director of allergy and immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, told USA Today in a March 15, 2010 online article. Rosenstreich said a variety of factors seem to be creating a “perfect storm of allergy and asthma.”
Add a Air Cleaner to your Cooling System and Breathe Easy
For now, it appears that the best offense against allergies in Lorain County is a good defense. Adding a Carrier air cleaner to your heating and cooling system can improve indoor air quality throughout your entire house. Carrier’s Infinity Air Purifier gets top ratings in providing healthier air and cleaner air. MERV 15 efficiency captures and kills airborne allergens and germs allowing you and your family to breathe easy, whether you have allergies or not.
If you want to breathe comfortably all summer long, ask your air conditioning professional to install a Carrier air cleaner on your system while he’s there for your annual air conditioner performance check.
Posted by Raymond Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning on Fri, Feb 05, 2010
Install Ventilators to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Back when energy was cheap, many U.S. homes were not insulated or weatherized. Homeowners didn’t need to worry about indoor/outdoor air exchange. Plenty of fresh air seeped into older homes through unsealed windows, doors, chimneys and roofs. Back then, homeowners didn’t have to worry about stale air, humidity buildup or sick homes. And when the house felt cold and drafty, homeowners just cranked the furnace up another notch.
Over the last few decades, as energy costs climbed steadily, the need for more energy-efficient homes drove development of products and building techniques designed to prevent heat loss. Insulation products and weatherization practices allowed builders to create homes that were so well insulated that indoor/outdoor air exchange was practically zero. It wasn’t until families started getting sick that people realized a certain amount of air exchange is healthy for humans – and houses.
Not only did super-weatherized homes trap cold and flu germs inside where they could infect and reinfect families, these well-sealed homes didn’t allow the safe dissipation of chemical vapors emitted by building materials, household cleaners and other things we use everyday. In homes with little air exchange, these vapors could build to unhealthy levels. Another unexpected consequence was the build-up of excess humidity, promoting mold and bacteria growth. Sweating windows also rotted window frames and played havoc with paint and wallpaper. Families feared they were sacrificing their health for energy efficiency.
Ventilators Draw Fresh Air In, Then Distribute Air Through The Home
The solution was simple. Heating and cooling professionals started installing ventilators to draw fresh air into homes and expel stale air and excess humidity. Ventilators draw fresh air in through a filter, heat or cool the air, then distribute it through the home. Indoor air stays fresh and warm or cool while stale, humid air is expelled. Homeowners now enjoy the best of both worlds. Safe, fresh, well-ventilated air and energy-efficient homes.
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 Thu, Jan 07, 2010
Healthy Indoor Air Requires Proper Ventilation
Energy efficiency is a good thing. It saves money while protecting the environment. But there are times when energy efficiency can go a little too far. There have been cases of new energy-efficient homes that were sealed so tightly against outdoor air that they became germ factories or “sick” homes. Homeowners traded off low fuel bills for high doctor bills. What researchers discovered is that healthy homes require a certain amount of air exchange – fresh air replacing used, stale air – to maintain the health of their occupants. When a home is too tightly sealed against air exchange, air is circulated over and over, constantly reused, spreading germs, mold and other unhealthful qualities. Healthy indoor air requires proper ventilation.
To solve the problem, the heating and cooling industry has developed energy efficient ventilators that bring fresh air into your home without any loss of energy. Performance Heat Recovery Ventilators introduce necessary outdoor air into your home during the long heating season. These energy-efficient ventilators replace stale, germ-laden, recirculated indoor air with fresh, clean outdoor air. Bringing fresh air into your winter home also replaces some of the humidity forced air heat removes from your home. Higher humidity is easier on stressed winter sinuses, making breathing easier and actually protecting delicate sinuses from infection. Proper winter ventilation boosts indoor air quality and creates a healthier indoor environment for your family.
During the summer cooling season, Performance Energy Recovery Ventilators perform the same service. When you operate your air conditioner, these high efficiency energy recovery ventilators guarantee that the air you breathe is healthy while you are indoors escaping from summer’s heat. Ventilators that work with your air conditioner not only provide a healthy exchange of air that reduces indoor air pollutants, they reduce humidity as well. In summer, reducing humidity increases indoor comfort for your family.
Making a ventilator part of your home comfort system is like being able to open a window in every room even on the hottest or coldest days ... without the drafts, the humidity or the high energy costs. Its literally a breath of fresh air. For proper sizing and operation, Performance Ventilators should be installed by a heating and cooling professional. If you live in Northeast Ohio, contact Raymond Plumbing.