The Hidden Summertime Threats to Your Indoor Air Quality
How to Protect Your Indoor Air Quality from Summer Heat and Humidity
Summertime is known for lengthy periods of heat and humidity, and Texans know how to find relief—air conditioning! However, summertime also presents challenges to indoor air quality due to the same heat and humidity. The most obvious challenges come from the outside, but unseen contaminants already reside indoors. Let’s look at serious summertime air quality issues.
3 Reasons Indoor Air Quality Is Affected By Heat and Humidity
1 Concentration Levels of Contaminants
Home ventilation includes air movement into and out of a home space. Air movement reduces the concentration of indoor air contaminants. VOCs are a good example. Manufactured goods, such as carpet, paint, and furniture, give off traces of chemicals, called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for years after they are purchased and installed. The most familiar VOC is “that new car” smell. VOCs are only a part of the contaminant problem. Food odors, cleaning products, soaps and perfumes, and bathroom smells also contribute to indoor air concerns. Occupants want to keep the cool, dry air inside, but they also keep contaminants inside, increasing their concentration. The concentration of VOCs and other contaminants is reduced by the introduction of outside air.
2 Mold and Mildew Contamination
Pollen is a problem from early spring to late fall, and gets carried indoors, carried on shoes and clothing, or blown in when doors and windows open. However, pollen does not proliferate.
Mold and mildew is a natural part of the environment, disposing of dead organic matter: the smell of mold might be evident right outside the door, eating away at the mulch in the landscaping bed. Mold spores are also carried into the home on shoes and clothing and blow indoors every time the door opens.
Mold and mildew thrive best in cool, moist, dark spaces, and there are plenty of such spaces inside an air-conditioned home; bathrooms, kitchens, and crawlspaces are examples. The most susceptible spot, though, is inside the air handler cabinet in the evaporator chamber. Here it is truly dark, moist, and cool. Mold can grow on the evaporator coil, the drain pan, and inside the drain line. It is vitally important to keep mold spores from reaching this spot and clean it regularly.
3 Air Filter Maintenance
The air conditioner system has a very effective air filter. Even poor-quality air filters remove most airborne particles, including dust, pollen, and mold or mildew spores. Better quality filters increase the percentage of particles removed.
Since filters are effective, the collection of particles soon coats the entire surface of the filter. When the coating becomes thick, it begins to restrict airflow through the filter, and the filter bends under the force of the air blowing through it. A bent filter allows airflow around the filter, introducing spores into the evaporator chamber, which is not good. It is very important to change the air filter regularly; the filter needs to be changed at least once per quarter.
Since summertime presents problems with indoor air quality, a regular air conditioner is very important. During maintenance, a technician will change the air filter, inspect and clean the evaporator chamber, and ensure that the system functions well all cooling season long. If there is a problem, the technician can identify the issue, make appropriate repairs, and hopefully prevent an untimely emergency breakdown.
Prioritize Your Indoor Air Quality This Summer
Don’t let trapped contaminants, mold, or clogged filters compromise the health of your home and family this summer. The team at All Cool AC & Heating is ready to help you breathe easier with a comprehensive indoor air quality assessment. Call All Cool at 281-238-9292 or visit allcoolac.com today to schedule your professional indoor air quality assessment and keep your sanctuary clean and cool.