Technology has come a long way and has evolved in a spectacular way. There are various ways people use technology to ease their life. There are multi-cookers that you can control on an app from work, and there are cars that you can start with the push of a button on your key.
Today, we will explore the beauty and benefits of upgrading to a smart HVAC in your home. We will define what a smart system is and review the benefits it offers.
Are you in the market for a new AC unit? Check out our blog on the key things to know before buying your new AC unit.
What Is A Smart HVAC?
A smart HVAC system is built to connect to the network in your home to allow you full control of the temperature in your home. It allows you to have more precise temperatures that are tailored to your preferences and needs. A smart HVAC comes with an app that connects to your thermostat and gives you the ability to make adjustments while sitting on your couch.
There are several smart HVAC products that offer supreme benefits to your home. Below, we provide a quick overview of these products.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats come highly recommended by Energy Saver and other authoritative voices on energy and HVAC products. These thermostats are programmable to the tee and allow you to set your own temperature preferences. Most smart thermostats operate only when people are in the house and only when you want them to operate. You are able to turn your thermostat on with the help of an app on your phone and get notifications about energy usage.
Now if you think smart thermostats are cool, wait till you learn about smart vents. These vents are built with special sensors that detect activity in a room. Based on their detection, they will do their part to redirect air where there is more activity going on. For example, they will redirect air from an empty room to a room that is actually being used at the moment.
Smart Humidifiers and Air Purifiers
If you’re looking for ways to enhance your indoor air quality with smart HVAC products, we encourage you to check out smart humidifiers and air purifiers. The humidifiers and air purifiers have the innate ability to detect poor air quality and work to enhance it. If your room is too humid, they will extract the humidity. Air purifiers will clean the air of odors and bacteria, allowing you to enjoy a safe and comfortable home.
Now, this smart home feature makes us giddy. Did you know that you can also get smart window treatments for your home? As you upgrade your air conditioning unit to a smart HVAC, consider upgrading to smart windows and electronic window shades as well.
Smart windows and smart electronic window shades also connect to the network of your HVAC system. Together with the AC unit, they will close or open automatically according to your set temperature preferences.
These smart window treatments will help maintain your HVAC’s efficiency and prolong its life span. Plus, you get the benefit of enjoying consistent and preferred temperatures in your home with little to no effort on your part.
Are You In The Market For A New AC Unit?
If your home is in need of a new AC unit or you’re looking for ways to enhance your home, contact Hansen Air Pros today to learn about your options. Our seasoned and friendly technicians are ready to answer your questions and set you up with a system that is right for your home.
Hansen Air Pros proudly serve Mobile, Baldwin County, and the Mississippi Coast. Call us today at (844) 532-1084, or schedule a service online.
Recently, we wrote an article on the importance of planning an indoor air quality test. Today, we will expand on that topic further by exploring the difference ways to improve indoor air quality for babies.
New expectant parents are normally tasked with all the usual preparations for the baby’s arrival. Between setting up the nursery, finding the perfect stroller, carseat, and other essential baby items, they have their hands full. Yet with all these preparations, little consideration is given to ensuring good indoor air quality for your bundle of joy.
Improving indoor air quality for babies is essential because their new, young lungs can be very vulnerable to debris and bacteria floating through the air. To assist you in your parenting journey, we provide several tips for how to improve the indoor air quality for your little one.
Switch To Natural Cleaners
Many cleaning supplies are packed with chemicals that are toxic or harmful to a new baby’s body to handle. We recommend switching to as many natural cleaning supplies. When shopping, be on the lookout for cleaning supplies with a shorter ingredient list. Typically, that ingredient list is minimal and uses ingredients that are easy to read and understand. Natural cleaners will help minimize your child’s exposure to toxins and avoid the chances of developing an allergic reaction. They will help your baby breathe better as they grow in a loving and safe space.
Buy A HEPA Vacuum
HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air which means that vacuums that come with this capability are able to remove 99.7% of physical matter found in air. This matter is consistent of harmful, microscopic allergens that lead to various health challenges like allergies, asthma, and other breathing problems. This vacuum will ensure a high quality of air in your baby’s room and home. Due to its ability to eliminate allergies and maintain healthy indoor air quality, it is one of the top vacuums on the market.
Use An Air Purifier
Having air purifier in your baby’s room is essential for increasing its air quality. Air purifiers eliminate airborne particulate matter and in doing so, they prevent respiratory issues like allergies and asthma. They also remove odors, harmful radon, and environmental chemicals. As an added bonus, the improved air circulation in the room will promote better sleep for your baby. For new, sleep-deprived parents, anything that will improve a child’s sleeping cycle is an absolute must-have item.
Manage The Humidity
Humidity in small amounts can help your baby breathe easier. However, an excess amount of humidity can lead to the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold. These issues are harmful for the home itself and for the baby’s health. Therefore, we recommend installing a hygrometer in your child’s room. Hygrometers are found in hardware stores and are responsible for measuring the amount of moisture in the air. When the hygrometer measures the humidity at 60%, that will be your cue to shut off the humidifier and open some windows for fresh air.
Ventilate The Room
Speaking of opening windows, ventilating the room is also extremely important for improving and maintaining the air quality in the room. Open the doors or windows and let the outside air filter in. This will improve the circulation in the room and inject it with a healthy dose of oxygen and sunshine.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality Today!
When was the last time you had an indoor air quality test in your home? Explore our Indoor Air Quality Services or contact us to schedule your test with the top air quality team serving Mobile, Baldwin County, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Indoor air pollutants cause a variety of health problems and can damage parts of the building. Since we spend most time indoors, it is always wise to address any pollution concerns. An air quality test can identify the contaminants and allergens in the building. Here are some reasons to schedule an indoor air quality test (IAQ).
Prevent Allergies and Asthma
An indoor air quality test is critical for determining the contaminants and allergens in your home. The World Health Organization states that nine out of 10 people regularly breathe polluted air. Pollution can trigger allergies and asthma symptoms.
Some of the allergens found in most homes include house dust, pet dander, pollen, and fabrics. Exposure may cause wheezing, nasal congestion, and difficulty breathing. You may experience skin rashes or eye inflammation after encountering a pollutant.
Tracking your symptoms can help you identify the pollutant. If you experience nasal congestion or difficulty breathing in the living room, you can narrow down the source to that room.
Take time to track your symptoms for about a week. Determine if the symptoms align with a specific location. You can then install an indoor air quality monitor to identify the pollutants.
Identify VOCs for Your Home’s Safety
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals produced from industrial processes. There are many different VOCs you can find in your home. Commercial products such as paint thinners, printer cartridges, adhesives, and pesticides often contain toxic compounds.
Household products can release VOCs while using them. That’s why the concentration of VOCs indoors can be up to 10 times higher than outdoors.
Exposure to VOCs can worsen asthma symptoms and cause nausea, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. Continuous exposure over several years may lead to cancer, kidney, or central nervous system complications.
Your home is at a higher risk of VOC contamination after remodeling or a construction project. Improving ventilation can reduce concentrations of VOCs in your home.
Additionally, many different household products may be releasing VOCs. An indoor air quality test can identify the precise location. Hansen Air Pros can provide indoor air quality solutions in Theodore.
Detect and Address Biological Pollutants
Besides chemical compounds, biological pollutants such as mold and mildew can impact indoor air pollution. Microbial agents thrive in humid, warm, and wet environments. They can grow on your carpet, walls, and roof siding.
While mold exposure does not affect most people, patients with immune conditions are at risk. Individuals with respiratory problems may experience symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
You can spot mold growing on surfaces by the distinct grey, brown, or green streaks. But since mold grows in warm and humid environments, it can thrive in hidden spaces. For example, plumbing leaks may trigger mold growth behind the drywall.
Mold can damage surfaces and furnishings in your home. Therefore, monitoring the air quality ensures you detect the spores as soon as they emerge. A test will confirm your suspicion, enabling you to take decisive action before it is too late.
Test for Radon Gas
Radon is an odorless, colorless, and radioactive gas that emanates from under the ground. It is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking.
Radon concentration is at elevated levels in many parts of Alabama and most states in the US. The average level inside the home is 1.3 pCi/L. But it is advisable to implement control measures If the levels of Radon exceed 4 pCi/L.
The Environmental Protection Agency advises homeowners to consider addressing Radon when levels are at 2 pCi/L. You can eliminate Radon through sub-slab depressurization or suction.
You will need to perform diagnostic tests before Radon mitigation. Testing involves using a monitor to record Radon levels over time. A long-term test can generate a pattern of Radon at different times of the year.
Improve Energy Efficiency With Air Quality Testing
Measures taken to control energy efficiency can impact your home’s indoor air quality. For example, most buildings have a tight envelope to minimize energy losses. Inadequate ventilation can increase the concentration of allergens indoors.
Ventilation requirements can also vary depending on physiological and social factors. An increase in occupancy will require more airflow into the building. Activities such as cleaning, and painting can increase the concentration of pollutants.
An air quality testing device sits in the building for several days to record pollutant levels. You can use the results to balance your indoor air quality and energy efficiency needs.
Test results can define new retrofit designs to improve air quality and energy consumption. You can consult Hansen Air Pros for quality comfort solutions for your Theodore home.
Air Quality Testing Facilitates Source Control
Many factors can impact your home’s indoor air quality. Moisture, household goods, or outdoor pollution could be the source of the pollution.
You can address and eliminate all those factors. But identifying the source is the best way to prevent pollutants in your home.
Understanding the different pollutants in your home facilitates effective source control. For example, using exhaust fans can improve ventilation in the building. But for VOCs, the ventilation only dissipates VOCs when the fan is running.
The concentration of gases like VOCs and Radon can continue rising without proper source control. Radon emanates from the ground, while paints may release VOCs continuously.
Therefore, air quality testing should precede source control. The results from the test can help you understand the pollutant and how it spreads into other rooms.
Choose a Suitable Air Purification System for Your Home
Another reason to perform an air quality test is to determine the best air purification for your home. You can choose from a wide range of systems depending on the pollutants in the building. They range from equipment using activated carbon to UV lights.
A test will identify the location and quantities of contaminants in the building. If you are concerned about biological pollutants, you can use a system with UV lights. UV lights air purifiers are common in medical settings and can prevent an infection.
Some systems use activated carbon filters to absorb gases and unpleasant odors. Activated carbon works with additional filters to eliminate the tiniest microbes in the atmosphere.
The test will also determine if you should install a whole-home purifier or a point-of-use system. A point-of-use system is more cost-effective when the pollution affects only one room. But you may need multiple units running continuously to be effective.
A whole-house system is installed in the ductwork and ensures the entire building is free from pollutants. It is ideal for homes with pets and multiple occupants. A whole-house air purification appliance does not require maintenance as much as point-of-use equipment.
Consider talking to an indoor air quality specialist for the best outcomes. A professional can guide you in interpreting the results to implement the most effective air purification system.
Hansen Air Pros is a trusted AC, furnace, and indoor air quality company providing top-notch solutions in Theodore. We offer air cleaners, dehumidifiers, and reliable solutions to protect your home from pollutants and microbial agents. Our highly skilled team will diagnose your system and provide three options. We will provide accurate quotes for ductless installation or indoor air quality testing with no hidden charges. Contact our team for a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
When most people think of the scariest health risks to them and their families, they often do not think of the air they breathe in their own homes. That said, the EPA recognizes poor indoor air quality among the top health risks facing Americans. It also warns that air quality is often worse indoors than outdoors—both at home and at work—due to reduced ventilation and thus higher concentration levels. With this in mind, let us consider the indoor air risks that your family faces as summer draws to a close.
Unpredictable Temperatures
Fall can be a rather crazy time of year throughout the United States. Temperatures are generally moderate, but this is a transitional period. Your area can experience sudden heat spikes that make it feel like summer all over again. It can also experience sudden cold fronts that make it feel a lot more like winter than autumn. This volatility is particularly problematic for homes that still rely on a manual thermostat. Getting the temperature dialed in while you are home and especially while you are away can be difficult. Not only is this situation uncomfortable and energy inefficient, but it can also exacerbate some of the other indoor air quality issues that we will discuss, such as high humidity levels. The EPA strongly recommends a smart thermostat both for your wallet and the health of your family.
High Humidity Levels
Most people think of autumn as a season when it gets cooler, and while that is true for the most part, it does not mean that it gets less humid. In fact, high humidity levels are a reason that fall can feel hotter than it actually is. It is not uncommon for autumn humidity levels to hover around 100 percent at least early on. These levels not only make you uncomfortable but exacerbate mold and mildew issues and lead to respiratory problems. A harder time breathing can often be accompanied by dry nasal passages, an itchy throat, eyes that lack moisture, and dry skin too. Running your AC can help to lower humidity levels, but in some areas, you may need a room-based or even a whole-home dehumidifier as a solution.
Airborne Contaminants and Pollutants
Numerous indoor air pollutants and contaminants can be present indoors at high levels during the fall. If you are running your air conditioner, then you will rely on the home’s mechanical ventilation system and HVAC filtration. It is a good idea to have your ventilation system professionally assessed every several years or so. Be mindful that while HVAC filtration helps, it is designed more to protect your equipment than it is to clean the air. If you are in an area where contaminant levels are known to be high, then you might want to consider room-based or whole-home air filtration.
It is not uncommon to spend most of the summer with the AC running and the home boxed up. It is, therefore, a natural inclination to want to fling all the windows open on that first cool today. Generally, that natural ventilation will be more than enough to normalize contaminant levels. But you should avoid that much natural ventilation on days when the air quality index is expected to be above 100 or when there is an expectation that pollen and other outdoor air contaminants will be present at high levels.
Allergies
Fall can be a bad time of year for allergies and certainly asthma and other respiratory conditions. Many people are aware they have allergies and have learned through trial and error the precautions they can take to minimize their symptoms. But there are many people who experience uncomfortableness during fall and never really link it to allergies. To them, it is something that just happens, but often these are minor reactions to pollen, dust, dander, and other contaminants. Beyond seeking help from a medical professional, there is not much you can do about allergies. Professionals recommend that you stay hydrated and remain in air-conditioned spaces when contaminant levels are expected to be high.
Mold and Mildew
Mold is one of the leading causes of poor indoor air quality. What is most concerning about mold is that its spores can undermine your air quality long before you can see or smell it. In addition, mold can present health issues long before it seems like a substantial problem. These issues are further exacerbated in fall due to high humidity, rainfall, and other issues that can contribute to mold growth. Dehumidifiers can help you to avoid mold. Air purification can help to eliminate mold spores, but that is treating the symptom and not the problem. Routinely monitor the zones in your home that are prone to molds, such as bathrooms and basements. If you suspect a mold problem, it is imperative that you schedule a professional test and take whatever steps are needed to eliminate the sources of the mold.
Suboptimal Air Circulation
Inadequate ventilation is a common problem with newer homes. Older homes tend not to be as well sealed and thus have additional natural ventilation, such as cracks in walls and foundations. The techniques and technologies used to create well-sealed homes have evolved greatly over the last couple of decades. That has led to homes that are more energy efficient than once thought possible. It also presents a number of challenges when it comes to mechanical ventilation.
If the mechanical ventilation is inadequate for the space or operating in an inefficient manner, then air does not flow in and out of the home in an optimal manner. This can lead to the air conditioner working harder than it should. More worrisome, however, is that pollutants from the outdoor air get trapped in the home and cause the concentration levels to rise. This can be particularly dangerous and is one of the chief reasons the pros recommend ventilation inspections on a regular basis.
Dust
Dust is a problem throughout the year, but it is particularly problematic for many households at the end of summer and again at the end of winter. The reason for this is that these are the periods when you spend the most time indoors and tend to do so with either the air conditioner or heating running. There are also other issues, such as pets, overwatered plants, and fireplaces. The best way to avoid this problem is to dust every day during summer and perform a deep dusting once a week. If you fell behind, this is a good time to perform a “spring cleaning” or pay a company to do it. After all, dust is much more than dirt, hair, and skin. It is a compound that traps contaminants and pollutants and continues to put them back into the home over time.
Your Local Indoor Air Quality Experts
Hansen Air Pros specializes in indoor air quality for Mobile, Alabama, Baldwin County, and throughout the Missouri coast. These services include energy audits, air purification systems, germicidal UVC systems, and dehumidifiers. Our team also performs heating and cooling installations, maintenance, and repairs. If you have any questions about the services we offer and would like to schedule an appointment, call us or contact us online through our website!
