Safety and Comfort- This is what’s important when it comes to the air we breathe.
Air Quality Testing – Why It Is Important
Our homes, businesses, and schools are all subject to a variety of potentially hazardous substances being circulated through the air we breathe. Circulating through our indoor air 5-7 times per day are particulates and pathogens such as dust, pet dander, hair, bacteria, viruses, airborne chemical pollutants (such as VOC’s) and carbon dioxide, all potentially contributing to or causing allergy and asthma symptoms, headaches, as well as contribute to a reduction in cognitive function. (also known as “Brain Fog”). Additionally, these conditions lead to more cleaning!
These pollutants, along with the relative humidity which increases the growth of mold and dust mites, are all measured by our Air Advice indoor air quality (IAQ) testing machine. This machine is equipped with special sensors that allow it to detect the level of each category and then we provide potential improvements. To learn more about the testing process and what solutions we offer for specific problems, read this case study (opens pdf), or read this brochure (opens pdf).
Still Not Convinced? Watch the 5-danger levels video below:
What can you do to improve the air in your home or office?Contact Us Now!
About the PlasmaPURE:
These whole-house air purifiers can be installed into either a forced air or ductless system, making them extremely versatile and convenient. This unit uses bipolar ionization to clean the air of pollutants How does this process work? Much like sunlight does in the atmosphere, Plasma Air technology produces a natural bio-climate rich in positive and negative oxygen ions. The negative ions contain an extra electron while the positive ions are missing an electron resulting in an unstable condition. In an effort to restabilize, these bipolar ions seek out atoms and molecules in the air to trade electrons with, effectively neutralizing particulate matter, bacteria and virus cells, mold, odorous gases and aerosols, and VOC’s.
Where can a PlasmaPURE be used?
A PlasmaPURE air purifier can benefit a variety of places, such as, schools and childcare facilities, medical offices and facilities, hospitality-oriented businesses, office buildings, gyms & fitness centers, senior living facilities, health and wellness facilities, religious institutions, residential living spaces, and newly constructed houses and buildings.
Install a Lennox germicidal UV light – this hooks into your duct work, or is placed in your coil, and as the air passes through and over the UV bulb, it destroy contaminants like mold, mildew and bacteria. Using maximum-intensity ultraviolet light, they damage the cell structure of microorganisms, preventing them from growing and spreading throughout your home. It can reduce the concentration of airborne microorganism by up to 50% within as little as 45 minutes. Germicidal lights also kill germs, mold and fungi that may live in duct work and inside your heating and cooling equipment. This helps keep your HVAC system clean and running at peak efficiency. This light operates without producing ozone, a toxic gas that can irritate the lungs.*
Upgrade to a larger filter and cabinet – larger filters will trap just that much more harmful or plain irritating particulates that worsen allergy and asthma symptoms, add to time spent dusting, make your air uncomfortable, and put more strain on our entire HVAC system. We recommend the Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16® Media Air Cleaner. This is the healthiest media filter for ozone reduction and filtration of allergens and germs.
Get your duct work professionally cleaned and sanitized – A thorough cleaning of your air ducts with our Rotobrush machine will make them like new again, as the removal of all the built up dust, pollen, dander, and germs festering in this debris, will no longer be sitting in them or circulating, making the air you breathe healthier, safer and more comfortable. Read about this process and watch a video here: http://simonshvacny.com/
Install a Healthy Climate PureAir High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filtration System – The PureAir™ air purification system is a smart whole-home solution that combats all three major types of indoor air contaminants: particles, germs, and odors. It removes or destroys 90% of flu and cold viruses, infectious bacteria like MRSA, and kills 99.9% of mold spores, pollen, dust and pet dander. It even destroys household odors and VOC’s (toxic chemicals found in flooring, furniture, mattresses, etc).
Install a Healthy Climate heat recovery ventilator (HRV) – harnesses heat from inside your home and transfers it to incoming fresh air from outside. This process enhances your comfort and helps control wintertime condensation. Unlike some HRV’s, the Lennox Healthy Climate HRV does not produce ozone, a toxic gas that can irritate the lungs.*
Consider a ventilation system if your home includes any of the following… tight construction helps save energy, but it can also make your air stale and stuffy, attached garages can contain contaminants such as car fumes that can seep into your home, or spray-foam insulation helps keep your home warm, but it also means that indoor air is continually recirculated.
Upgrade to a smart, WiFi thermostat – this will allow you to more precisely control all the aspects of your air in accordance with each persons schedule, comfort preference, and health needs. This upgrade will also remind you when it is time to service you HVAC system (change filters, etc) which in turn will help your units run more efficiently and effectively, saving you money. You can even do this from anywhere right on your phone or tablet! Thermostats such as the iComfort® S30 ultra smart thermostat pair perfectly with the Healthy Climate PureAir system and many high-efficiency heating and cooling systems.
Schedule Regular Preventative Maintenance – having all of your HVAC equipment serviced, cleaned and inspected each year is critical to ensuring the best quality air is pushed through and out of them into the rooms of your house and office. Not to mention, regular maintenance will increase the efficiency level that your system runs at, because when the filter is clogged up, and the flame sensors, nozzles, coils are corroded with dirt or oil, the system works much harder and often will shut off. When your heat or AC system shuts down, your humidifier, germicidal UV light, air purification system, etc will not work either. This dramatically effects all aspects of your air quality.
Duct Sealing – It is one of the most important energy-efficiency measures. Air leakage, or infiltration, occurs when outside air enters a house uncontrollably through cracks, gaps, and openings. Homes with higher air leakage are significantly less energy-efficient than well-sealed homes. They also require larger HVAC systems to keep the home comfortable. These larger systems must run more frequently to keep up with the temperature changes as the outside air leaks into the house. The air tightness issue goes beyond how well a building’s HVAC system performs. Uncontrolled air leakage can also provide a vehicle for unwanted moisture to enter a building, which can become the reason for a building to fail, leading to costly building repairs. Because moisture is transferred predominantly by air currents — accounting for up to 98% of all water vapor movement in buildings — air sealing your home is essential. Leaky houses also allow dust, allergens, pollutants and other airborne particulates to enter the home, leading to poor indoor air quality. Reducing the amount of air that leaks in and out of your home is a cost-effective way to cut heating and cooling costs, improve durability, increase overall comfort, and create a healthier and more comfortable indoor environment.
Whole-House Humidifier – Dry, wintertime environments can adversely impact your health, home and overall comfort levels. Installing a humidifier that works with your existing central air system can dramatically improve many aspects of your indoor air quality.
- Health: many viruses and germs thrive in dry conditions, which can increase the likelihood of catching colds, respiratory illnesses, as well as, increase frequency of nosebleeds, chapped lips, dry & itchy skin and sinus headaches.
- Comfort: too little moisture in the air can make your home feel cooler, even at the normal temperatures. On tome of feeling chilly, you may experience the unpleasantness of dry skin, chapped lips and static shocks.
- Home: Overly dry air can pull moisture out of common household materials like plaster and wood. Over time, this can result in damaging, unsightly cracks to ceilings, walls and floors. Dry air in the home can home also cause damage to artwork, furniture, musical instruments, antiques and other valuables.
*[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners: An Assessment of Effective and Health Consequences,” August 2006]