Indoor air quality is one of the most important, yet often overlooked aspects of your health. To make matters worse, the EPA estimates that the average person spends approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. These two aspects make it even more integral to improve the indoor air quality in your Liberty City, Texas, home. If you were searching for ways to improve indoor air quality but you weren’t sure where to start, here are a few products that will get the job done right.

HVAC UV Lamps

Although UV lamps have long been used to sterilize environments from hospitals to restaurants, they’ve only recently made their way into residential HVAC systems. However, they’ve been proven highly effective at eliminating some of the most harmful contaminants found in the home.

HVAC UV lamps come in two different styles. A coil sterilization lamp installs inside the return air duct and kills mold, bacteria, and viruses. It’s the most common type of UV lamp because of its ease of installation and quality, effective performance. The other type of UV lamp is an air sterilizer. This lamp installs inside the air handler, but unlike the coil sterilization lamp, it only turns on when the blower cycles on. Because it sterilizes all the air within the HVAC system, it’s widely considered the more effective of the two systems.

Whole-Home Ventilators

Another relatively new addition to the HVAC scene, whole-home ventilators bring clean air into the home throughout the year. Mounting to the duct or actual HVAC units, these ventilators exit the stale air that would otherwise remain in the home. There are four types of whole-home ventilators, but the problem is that not all of them are effective at improving indoor air quality.

An exhaust ventilator circulates air, but it increases heating and cooling costs while bringing outdoor pollutants into the home. A supply ventilator is far more efficient at improving air quality, as it filters pollen and dust out of the air, dehumidifies the air, and prevents the backdraft of combustible gases from the HVAC system from coming back into the home.

A balanced ventilator is perfect for both warm and hot climates, but doesn’t help with humidity and costs more than most systems. Finally, an energy recovery ventilator is quickly becoming the most popular for home ventilation. Not only does it reduce heating and cooling costs, but it pulls the thermal energy from exiting air to help treat the air coming into the home. If you wanted to install a cost-effective and efficient unit, the energy recovery ventilator is your best bet, and we can install it with ease.

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

Managing indoor humidity has a bevy of advantages, but the most positive impact is improved health and indoor air quality. While many homeowners are aware that these units are available in portable versions, few know that you can actually install them as part of your entire HVAC system. According to the EPA, the optimal home relative humidity should lie between 30 percent and 50 percent. Any more or less humidity can result in adverse health problems.

High humidity in the home fosters the growth of mold, bacteria, and other viruses. The high moisture allows them to thrive and multiply with alarming frequency. It’s also just downright uncomfortable. In this situation, a whole-home dehumidifier should do the trick. They wring out the humidity while working together with your existing system.

Low humidity in the home is just as problematic as high humidity. In low humidity households, the dry air can cause health problems such as a dry throat and nasal passages, susceptibility to colds and other illnesses, and nose bleeds. Fortunately, a humidifier can pump moisture into the air, allowing you to breathe easier.

Improving indoor air quality is an important part of keeping your family healthy. Fortunately, there are a number of top-notch products that help with the situation. If you’ve decided to take the next step towards improved air quality, we’re here to help. At JD’s A/C, we have a knowledgeable staff that offers professional, quality service. Call us today at (903) 759-7483 for all your HVAC needs.

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