Improving the air
doesn’t stop with pollutants.
It’s also important
to consider moisture levels.

You know when your home’s air is too hot or cold. That is because you feel uncomfortable. But the amount of moisture in your home’s air also has an impact on the way you feel, plus it can have a major effect on your health.

Too much
High moisture levels can make your home feel stuffy and create a breeding ground for mold, mildew, dust mites and bacteria. Recent studies have shown that mold can cause or worsen asthma, as well as hay fever and other allergies*.

Too little
Dry air makes furniture shrink, warp and crack. Plus, it causes skin irritation and respiratory problems,** not to mention annoying static shocks.

Just right
For optimal comfort and health, studies show that moisture levels should be in the range of 35% to 50%. You can track your home’s humidity with a hygrometer, available at hardware and home improvement stores. Or, you can contact your local Service Experts professional for in-home consultation.

*American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2004

**Exposure to excessively dry air (relative humidity of less than 20%) can cause respiratory irritation. Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

Article is courtesy Service Experts Canada - Toronto, Mississauga and Ottawa Heating and Cooling specialists

Indoor Air Quality

In our newer homes or renovated older homes, indoor air quality is becoming more important all the time. Our houses are getting tighter with new windows, doors and insulation. In fact, our houses are having trouble breathing. Do not forget all the new things we are adding like large jetted tubs, dishwashers, steam showers and more. All these add to moisture problems and potential mold. On the other side, we add forced air furnaces to dry out our homes like the desert. With all of these great additions to our quality of life, we can add systems to control our indoor environment. Let’s look at treating the air first.

Ultra Violet Lights
The system I have in my home is the Sanuvox system. All our staff have this installed in their homes, because we know it works. This is a light installed in your existing forced air furnace and it treats the air as it comes into contact with the light. Check out all the technical information at http://www.sanuvox.com/. You will be amazed how effective this is in controlling odours and bacteria. For those of you that need a little extra convincing, ask about the portable unit that we can lend out. Ideally this is best used in the bedroom of someone with allergies or a sensitivity to dust and mold, etc. We lend it out for a couple of days, you see how this makes a difference to your sleeping and breathing. Then we return and try to get it back! Generally we then schedule an installation date. A number of the doubters have bought the portable to use at work to combat the poor air in sealed office buildings.

Humidifiers

Now that we have the air cleaned up, let’s look at adding the proper amount of moisture to it. We generally install the Honeywell flow-through humidifier. These are the most cost-effective models and add ample moisture to an average home. For additional information, visit www.honeywell.ca and follow the links. If you need additional humidity and want to conserve water, look into the Desert Spring Humidifier. It has an auto-flush feature and is the most efficient unit on the market.

Air Filtration

The final part of the system is proper air filtration. In general, the filter supplied with your furnace is the bare minimum to stop large particles from entering the blower motor and causing damage to it. It does little for your comfort level. We often install a filter bank with a pre- and post-filter in the place most installers leave for an electronic air cleaner. This, combined with the other options, will give you indoor air of better quality than you will find almost anywhere outside of a computer clean room.

**Article courtesy of McKenzie Mechanical Inc. Heating, Cooling and Refrigeration located in Calgary, Alberta. McKenzie Mechanical is a Calgary based mechanical contractor. We service all major brands of heating, air conditioning, ventilation, light commercial refrigeration systems, indoor air quality equipment and on demand water heaters. Since we only install the best products available, this is not based on price alone but on manufacturer support, reliability and end user satisfaction.