How air conditioning improves air quality in your home

The quality of life we lead also depends on the quality of the air we breathe. Pollution has a negative impact on our health, well-being and productivity. When we think of pollution, we conjure up images of smoky industries and smoke-filled vehicles. Yet we rarely think of indoor air pollution.

The indoor air quality is the quality of the air in and around homes, offices and other structures. It's a proven fact that the quality of the air we breathe has a direct short- and long-term impact on our health.

How is indoor air quality affected?

Indoor air quality, or IAQ, can be affected by many factors, such as humidity, temperature, indoor pollutants and dust.

Some indoor air pollutants include:

• Dust
• Fine dust from renovation and construction work
• Chemical pollutants from painting and sanding
• Mould and pollen
• Household cleaning products
• Particulate pollutants from wood-burning stoves and kitchens
• Insufficient humidity - either too high or too low - can encourage the growth of bacteria, fungi, mould and viruses.
• Vehicle exhaust gases
• Animal hair

Outdoor pollutants easily enter your home through windows, doors and other openings. ventilations. Some dust and outdoor pollutants are drawn in by the HVAC system. Over time, dust mites and pollutants accumulate and spread throughout the home via the HVAC system.

Are there health risks associated with poor indoor air quality?

While some health effects are almost immediate, others are long-term. The most common immediate effects are irritation of the throat, nose and eyes, mild headaches, dizziness, allergic colds and worsening sinus congestion.

Adequate ventilation and airflow are the key to better indoor air quality. In addition to sufficient natural ventilation, it's important to focus on HVAC, humidity and temperature control.

How to improve indoor air quality with air conditioners?

Your air conditioner works by drawing in warm indoor air and injecting cooler air through a heat exchanger and refrigerant loop.

When the air conditioner extracts indoor air, it also extracts contaminants from the air. It also removes moisture from indoor air, helping to reduce the growth of mold and mildew. The air conditioner uses its air filters to trap dust, pollutants and mold and prevent them from being recirculated into your home.

Here are four steps you can take to improve your home's indoor air quality with air conditioners.

• Keep your air conditioner's air filters free of dust and dirt

The primary function of an air filter is to clean and filter the air circulating through the HVAC system. The filter traps dust, contaminants, dirt and mold and prevents them from circulating throughout the home. Keeping air filters clean and dust-free will help you maintain better indoor air quality.

• Replace the worn filter in your air conditioner

If your air filters are in good condition and working well, you can't improve your home's indoor air quality. The efficiency of an air filter is measured by the minimum efficiency value or MERV index. The MERV index varies from 1 to 20, with a higher MERV index being synonymous with effective filtration.

Replacing worn-out air filters with HEPA or high-efficiency particulate air filters removes dust particles and allergens from indoor air.

• Control humidity and temperature

Increased humidity and water content in indoor air can provide a breeding ground for mold and allergens.

Maintaining the ideal temperature and humidity is essential to curb the growth of irritating molds and asthma-triggering allergens. Adjust thermostat settings according to season and temperature persistence.

• Check ducts for dust and mould spores

Fine dust and debris circulating in your home can become trapped in your air conditioner's ducts, which can have a significant impact on your home's IAQ. As a result, all the dust and fine particles present in the ducts end up circulating in the air you breathe.

Thorough duct cleaning should be part of your overall duct maintenance system. air-conditioning systems. You need a reliable, experienced air conditioning maintenance agency that will ensure a thorough cleaning of pollen, fine dust, pet dander and mold spores in the ducts. A qualified specialist will know exactly where to look for dust to prevent your HVAC system from breaking down.

Maintain ideal indoor air quality with a certified air conditioning maintenance specialist

Maintaining an air conditioning system is a complex engineering task, and requires the help of qualified, certified and experienced professionals to keep it running optimally.

If the air-conditioning unit is not cleaned properly, or if worn parts are not replaced in good time, indoor air quality can suffer. For example, air conditioner filters need to be cleaned or replaced, depending on the amount of dust that has accumulated. While some types of cleaning can be carried out as a DIY project, for a complete and thorough cleaning and replacement of components, you need to call in the professionals.

The best professional ininstallation and themaintenance of the air conditioning with proven experience, certification and expertise is froid sud energie. Whatever type and brand of air conditioner you have in your home, we have the skills to create a healthier home for you. Contact our technicians to find out how we can improve your home's air quality.