Spring is a beautiful time of year, with near-perfect weather and blooming flowers all around. But there is one major downfall to the season of new growth: what it does to the air quality. As we move into spring, and into the summer, it’s a good idea to take action—starting inside your own home.
Potential Problems with Air Quality this Spring and Summer
You may think that the indoor air offers you a respite from allergens or asthma triggers, but the truth is that indoor air is often a lot worse than the air outdoors. That’s because you keep your home closed off, allowing any allergens or pollutants that do make their way in to remain trapped.
You might think that your air filter can stop these types of contaminants, but it’s typically not powerful enough to guarantee relief. Pollen, smoke, and other particulate may still circulate around the air, and you might consider installing a more effective system or taking other steps to clear the air.
Seal Air Leaks
One of the easiest ways to help keep your indoor air quality under control is by sealing air leaks around the home. This can be particularly helpful to those who may be affected as fires start to hit this summer again.
You’ll need to spend a little bit of money at the hardware store to get started, but it’s a relatively inexpensive home upgrade that saves you money on heating and cooling and may help to keep pollutants out of the air. Put weather stripping around windows and doors that may have cracks underneath. Seal holes around pipes and vents to the exterior of the home with caulk.
Upgrade Your Indoor Air Quality System
As we mentioned before, your air filter may not be the best solution if you’re looking to improve your air quality and safeguard against pollen and other common contaminants that make us sick. There are other options available that may be preferable for families.
- Air Filtration System – An air filtration system has a larger surface area to trap more particulate in the air of a smaller size.
- Electronic Air Cleaner – An electronic air cleaner or air purifier charges particulate in the air so that they cling to a surface of the opposite charge: metal plates within the system. This is an effective system that many technicians prefer because there are no additional filters to interfere with system airflow.
- UV Air Purifier – Ultraviolet light sterilizes living contaminants in the air—airborne microorganisms like bacteria and viruses that make us sick.
Get Ventilated
A major threat to our air quality in Colorado is wildfire. As wildfires spread in the area, asthma symptoms worsen when the smoky air gets trapped inside of your home. Adding some ventilation to your home may help to remove stale air and let fresh, filtered air in.
We recommend a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV) to keep fresh air flowing in without interfering with the performance of your air conditioner. Call our technicians to learn more about this system.
Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning is your source for indoor air quality systems and services in Colorado Springs, CO. Call our friendly team today!
