Many people understand how detrimental outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the usual house often is more polluted—depending on actual circumstances, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so bad, the EPA has indoor air pollution classified as a top five environmental danger. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are commonly found inside. Since Americans spend an average of 90% of their time indoors, good indoor air quality is vital for good health, no matter if it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help contain this pollution and better our indoor air quality, we can take several measures. But first, we need to absorb some terms often used to discuss indoor air quality.
HEPA
HEPA is a term many people have heard or seen, but did you know it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are created—and certified—to confine 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 greatly 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 pursue a higher rating that indicates the filter will remove more contaminants and allergens from your air without confining the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.
At Clean Air 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 normal adult takes in about 11,000 liters of air each day. Give us a call at 925-233-6238 if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.