Improving Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality Year-Round

Improving Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Year-Round: Tips for Winter and Summer Contaminants and HVAC Maintenance

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend 90% of their day indoors; during times of extreme temperature—summer heat and winter cold—this percentage increases. This happens because indoor spaces are conditioned to make us more comfortable. But, since the indoor air is continuously recirculating, the air must be as clean as possible. Also, the problems with Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) differ between the summer and the winter.

Year-Round Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality Problems

Some airborne contaminants will be prevalent year-round and need to be addressed.

  • Dust and Dander. Dust is a general term for almost any airborne particle, but indoor dust consists mostly of dead human skin and hair cells that flake off. Dander consists of the same skin and hair cells that flake away from indoor pets. Other dust components include fibers and chemicals from household belongings and outdoor air.

Microscopic insects also ride along and consume organic dust particles; they are called dust mites. When a family member is diagnosed with “dust allergies,” it is often an allergy to these tiny creatures and their byproducts.

  • Volatile organic compounds, or VOC, are gaseous compounds released from many manufactured products. The gas is released from carpets, furniture, finishes, and adhesives. The “new car smell” is actually a recognizable VOC. Most VOCs are released shortly after the manufacturing process, but trace amounts will be off-gassed continuously.

These airborne contaminants can be dealt with by very common and practical solutions.

  • Dust and dander are heavier than air. When the air is moving, the particles move throughout the space, but when the air is still, gravity takes over, and these particles fall to any surface underneath. A thorough cleaning (dusting, mopping, and vacuuming) removes most of these particles. Don’t forget to occasionally clean linens and drapes, since they collect dust like any other surface.
  • The air filter is key for removing dust and dander. More on this later.
  • Find a day with mild temperatures and turn off the furnace for a couple of hours. Open a few windows and doors to release the indoor air and bring in fresh air. The ventilation helps to dilute the amount of dust and VOCs trapped indoors.

Winter Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality Contaminants

A higher risk for some contaminants happens as well.

  • As odd as it sounds, there is a greater potential for exhaust inside during the winter. Even though there is no obvious advantage to doing so, many car owners run their vehicles during the winter to “warm it up.” If done inside the garage, even with the garage doors up, the exhaust will enter the home. Each year, the preventative maintenance check will also closely examine the burner assembly and heat exchanger to ensure the exhaust from natural gas does not make its way into the home.
  • While there is no pollen during the winter, the ground is wetter, and mold spores can be a problem. Mold needs moist, dark spaces to grow, and the mold spores are easily tracked into the home. Spores can trigger allergies and asthma, but they can also trigger mold blooms inside the home.

Solutions for Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality contaminants include:

  • Pulling a car out of the garage immediately and, if you feel the need to warm up a car, make sure to do it outdoors with the garage door closed.
  • Using walk-off mats at entry doors to collect dirt and spores before they are spread throughout the home.
  • Considering dropping shoes off at entry doors.

Role of HVAC Systems in Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality

  • HVAC systems use an air filter to scrub the air. With every heating or cooling cycle, a fiber filter removes a larger percentage of particulate matter from the air. However, the collection of dust can restrict air from moving through the system to heat or cool the air.
  • Be sure to service your HVAC system each year. The protections and benefits are important to indoor air quality.
  • Dust also collects in the ductwork and needs to be cleaned occasionally; cleaning the ducts every 3 to 5 years is the recommendation.

All Cool AC & Heating – The Sugar Land Indoor Air Experts

All Cool AC Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality professionals can verify whether your HVAC system can accommodate a new media air filter. Schedule your Sugar Land Indoor Air Quality consultation by calling All Cool AC & Heating at 281-238-9292 or contact us via email and let our NATE-certified AC maintenance technicians put their experience to work for you.