What You Need to Know About Indoor Air Quality

We all know the dangers of outdoor air pollution, such as car emissions. What a lot of people don’t realize is that the air inside the regular home is around five times more polluted than outside air. Indoor air quality is important because Americans spend around 90% of their time indoors, whether it’s at home or in the office. The EPA has ranked indoor air pollution in the top five environmental dangers. Some of the usual indoor pollutants include: mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde. There are also some common terms traditionally used when speaking about indoor air quality, so make sure you’re familiar with these:

HEPA

You’ve possibly seen or heard this term used, but do you know what it means? HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”. HEPA filtration systems are created and certified to capture at least 99.97% of .3-micron (.000012” or 300x smaller than the diameter of human hair) particles from the air that passes through the system. Dust, pollen, mites and other impurities can all be captured, greatly boosting your home’s indoor air quality.

MERV

MERV is an acronym for “minimum efficiency reporting value” or put in simpler terms, it states the effectiveness of your air filter. MERV ratings can be between 1-16 with the higher rating removing more contaminants and allergens without restricting the airflow of your home comfort system. We can work with you to determine a filter with a MERV rating that will work best for your home.

We breathe on average 11,000 liters of air a day. We want to help you realize the importance of indoor air quality and help make sure the air you’re breathing is good for your health. If you have any questions or concerns surrounding your home comfort systems give us a shout at 239-244-3439 to schedule an appointment with us.