How To Improve Your Indoor Air Quality in Upper Arlington, Ohio

When we think of getting fresh air, we head outdoors, away from our homes. We seek forests, parks, and mountains and breathe deeply.

In Upper Arlington, Ohio, you can venture outside and enjoy one of the city’s 23 parks, with 86 acres of playgrounds, sports fields, shelters, picnic areas, walking paths, fitness trails, and wooded areas.

There’s a very good reason for this. According to the EPA, “a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.”

As I write this, we are in the era of COVID, when businesses have begun to loosen their workplace rules. More than ever, people are working from home. More time at home means more time in an environment that may not be the best for your and your family’s health.

Keeping the indoor air perfect is impossible. But that doesn’t mean you can’t improve it so that it’s not exacerbating breathing conditions.

You can take steps toward making the interior of your home a healthy place. As an added benefit, you’ll be helping your HVAC system stay clean, which means that it will run more efficiently. It might even extend its lifespan.

We’ve been in thousands of homes in the Central Ohio area, and have seen firsthand how indoor air pollution can have detrimental effects. In this article, we’ll go over ways to reduce airborne debris, as well as talk about how humidity can affect your home.

What Causes Indoor Air Pollution?

There are several sources of indoor air pollution. These include:

• Oil
• Natural gas
• Kerosene
• Coal
• Wood
• Tobacco products
• Building materials and furnishings such as asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products
• Products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies
• Outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution

How does it get in your house? Easy. Any open windows or doors are entranceways. No matter how airtight your home may be, there are cracks where microscopic particles can slip in.  It can stick to the bottom of your shoes and then get transferred to your floors. And that household dust? It comes from:

• Skin cells
• Hair
• Clothing fibers
• Bacteria
• Dust mites
• Bits of dead bugs
• Soil particles
• Pollen and other allergens
• Microscopic specks of plastic

How to Cut Down on Dust with Furnace Air Filters

Your furnace’s air filter is the first thing to check. It’s easy to ignore, but a filter that’s clogged won’t stop any dust. Debris will bypass the filter and wind up in your furnace, where it will be sent back out through the ductwork.

How Filters’ Effectiveness Is Measured

There are two standard ratings to measure a filter’s effectiveness.

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It measures a filter’s ability to capture particles sized between 0.3 microns and 10 microns (one micron is 1/1000 mm, or 1/25,000 of an inch.) That’s the size interval that includes air pollutants such as smoke, dust, cooking oil smell, mold spores, and bacteria. The higher the MERV, the more effective it is.

(A single hair from your head averages about 70 microns in diameter.)

Air Filters and Indoor Air Pollutants in Upper Arlington

Knowing the types of air filters available is the first step in knowing why a particular one might be worth investing in. We run through various types below.

A one-inch filter can be found at any hardware store for less than $50. It’s usually made from fiberglass. The downside is that it needs to be replaced every 30-90 days depending on the brand and model. It is the cheapest option.

A basic filter with a MERV value of 1-7 is adequate for a home with no pets, smoke, or allergies. If you have pets or someone in your home has significant allergy problems, you may want to consider a higher MERV value.

A step up would be a four-inch filter that is pleated. (These are sometimes referred to as media filters.) These can have MERV ratings up to about 18. Here at Fire & Ice, we often install Aprilaire four-inch filters, because they offer a nice mix of affordability and effectiveness.

High-end filters can have MERV ratings of up to 20. Some are washable, meaning you don’t have to replace them.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) filters are ideal for particulate matter, such as pollen, mold, and dust. HEPA filters are used in some hospitals, vacuum cleaners, and airliners. Standards require that to certify as a HEPA air filter, it must remove 99.97% of particles whose diameter is 0.3 microns.

Read more: Furnace Filter Facts: All Your Questions Answered

Some filters have carbon inserts, which is a good way to eliminate odors caused by smoke, cooking, or pets. The downside of this is that the filter can restrict airflow to the point that it can cause excessive static pressure, which is hard on HVAC equipment. It’s difficult to move the air through a lot of carbon.

The Trane CleanEffects is a hybrid filter, which means it utilizes one or more filtration technologies. The collection cells can filter particles as small as 0.1 microns. Trane’s literature says that it can “remove up to 99.98% of airborne particles.” The biggest downside is the cost, which is over $1000. Its high filtration efficiency also means you’ll need to clean it regularly.

The best method for making sure a clean filter is in place is to check on it monthly and replace it (or wash it) when it’s clogged.

Duct Cleaning Near Me: How Cleaning Services Control Dust and Allergens

Air Duct cleaning can remove dust, mold, mildew, and other particles that are hiding in your ducts.

A thorough cleaning includes cleaning numerous parts of your HVAC system, including supply vents from your air handler, return air vents, vents, and grills, and can include cleaning some interior parts of your furnace.

Some companies even clean dryer vents, and some use industry-standard cleaning agents after the ducts have been cleaned in order to hinder future mold and mildew growth.

What Does Air Purification Do?

Air filtration and air purification do the same thing but in different ways. The most common form of air purification is UV lamps. Ultraviolet light is deadly to living organisms, so it’s a great way to destroy mold spores, bacteria, and even some viruses.

UV lamps are usually installed inside an HVAC system, most commonly near the evaporator coil, which is a hotbed for such bacteria due to the moisture it collects.

At Fire & Ice, the air purification product we recommend is the Reme Halo.

It releases charged particles into your home that bond with particulates in your air, neutralizing them. It bonds with particles that cause odors, and then those particles are more easily caught in your system’s filter.

It has been proven to neutralize many viruses, including MRSA, Strep, Listeria, Norwalk, bird flu, and Tuberculosis. It also kills coronavirus!

Take Control of Your Home’s Humidity

By controlling the relative humidity level in a home, the growth of some sources of mold, mildew, and bacteria can be minimized. Relative humidity of 30-50 percent is generally recommended for homes and is the most comfortable.

in the heart of winter, on cold, dry days, the indoor humidity can dip to 25% or lower. (Desert humidity is about 21%.)

Low humidity causes static electricity, dry skin and hair, increased susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness, and can allow viruses and germs to thrive. Wood floors, furniture, and wooden musical instruments can crack, the paint can chip, and electronics can be damaged. You’ll also notice more dust on floors and furniture.

The solution is a whole-home humidifier. It can be installed in the ducts, or it can function as a stand-alone unit.

You get the opposite effect in the summer, as humid air can make it feel that much hotter. Standing water, water-damaged materials, or wet surfaces also serve as breeding grounds for molds, mildew, bacteria, and insects. House dust mites flourish in damp, warm environments. Asthma sufferers will feel it acutely.

A whole-home dehumidifier can reduce the humidity to a more comfortable level to create a healthy home. It can be installed as part of the ductwork, and it can work fine as a stand-alone appliance. It should be placed in the basement or on the ground floor. If the basement is kept dry, the whole house will feel the effect.

Read more: Indoor Air Quality: Air Filtration & Air Purifying HVAC Products

Improving Your Air Quality in Upper Arlington, Ohio

If you’re ready to discuss options to improve indoor air quality in your home, we’d love to sit down with you.

At Fire & Ice, we hope to provide the information you need to make an informed decision. We have the team to help you determine the right product for you, your home, and your budget.

If you live in Upper Arlington or elsewhere in Central Ohio, click the button below to schedule your free in-home estimate today.