Don't Forget About Air Quality!
HVAC is about so much more than controlling the temperature in your home. Nearly everything involving the indoor air in your home falls under the responsibility of an HVAC contractor, and that includes air quality and comfort.Unfortunately, just having a heater or air conditioner won’t guarantee that the air is healthy. A range of air quality products in Overland Park, KS do exist, however, specifically for that purpose. We’ll discuss several of them down below.
Air Filtration
Your HVAC system comes equipped with an air filter, but don’t get it confused with an air filter designed specifically for indoor air quality. These filters are designed to help eliminate all the contaminants circulating in your air system. There are several different types available for you depending on which contaminants are invading your home.
- Mechanical: Mechanical filters trap particles in the air as they pass through it. The only thing more complicated about them is that they’re available in different grades. These give you the chance to capture smaller particles, but it can come at the price of restricting airflow. Finding the right balance is part of why you need the help of an expert.
- Electronic: These filters charge particles in the air before trapping them onto a plate. They can trap the same kinds of contaminants that a mechanical filter can but without as much of a restriction on the size of particles.
- Gas-phase: Neither mechanical nor electronic filters can remove gaseous pollutants from your home. For that, you’ll need a very specific kind of filter using a sorbent material such as activated carbon. However, carbon doesn’t absorb all kinds of gasses. Depending on what gasses are in your home, you’ll need a corresponding material that can absorb it.
UV Air Purifiers
Air filters can capture a wide variety of pollutants, but what they cannot do is eliminate microorganisms. While particles and chemical pollutants can encourage asthma and allergy symptoms as well as cause long-term health issues, it’s the microorganisms that cause you to become sick.Bacteria, mold spores, and viruses cannot be stopped by normal air filters. Luckily, the light bulb of a UV air purifier can. This light is installed in your HVAC system and will bathe its radioactive light on any germs that pass by. They’ll be unable to replicate and will be eliminated.UV air purifiers require very little maintenance, simply needing to have their bulbs replaced annually. A little light bulb can go a long way in keeping you and your family healthy throughout the year.
Humidity Control
We’ve heard the saying hundreds of times: “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”High humidity levels are responsible for why you feel so awful in the summer. The moisture in the air leaves you incapable of sweating, making your body feel hotter than it really is.But removing humidity entirely isn’t the solution. Low humidity turns the air dry, making your skin crack and your throat scratchy in the morning.Instead, the answer is to balance humidity. Just enough moisture is perfect, and it can be obtained with whole-house humidifiers and dehumidifiers.