Most people are aware of how detrimental outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the usual home might be more polluted—depending on actual circumstances, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so dangerous, the EPA has indoor air pollution tiered as a top five environmental danger. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are commonly found inside. Since Americans spend around 90% of their time indoors, good indoor air quality is crucial for great health, despite if it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help manage this pollution and better our indoor air quality, we can take multiple measures. But first, we are required to grasp some vernacular consistently used to discuss indoor air quality.
HEPA
HEPA is a term a lot of people have heard or seen, but did you realize it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are engineered—and certified—to capture at least 99.97% of .3-micron particles (smaller than the diameter of a human hair) from the air that passes through the system. This drastically increases your home’s indoor air quality when dust, pollen, mites and other contaminants are destroyed.
MERV
Minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV refers to the effectiveness of an air filter. With ratings ranging from 1–16, you should find a higher rating that specifies the filter will remove more contaminants and allergens from your air without limiting the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.
At B & G HVAC, we can help you understand the importance of indoor air quality and help you work on breathing the best air possible. After all, the average adult inhales about 11,000 liters of air each day. Give us a call at 641-316-3360 if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.