Indoor air quality (IAQ) serves as a scientific way to measure the cleanliness and breathability of the air in your home. Reduced IAQ can cause your HVAC system to strain itself and work overtime, reducing its effectiveness and increasing your utility bills. Even worse, poor air quality can lead to asthma and allergies in your family members and loved ones. Because of these risks, maintaining your home's air quality is essential to your health and your livelihood. The average family spends the majority of their time indoors, where they constantly breathe in the air circulating around them. It is vital to ensure that this air is safe and won't lead to respiratory problems.
Bloomington Heating & Air can design, repair, and install an air filtration system in your home that effectively removes pollutants and purifies the air that you breathe. We can inspect your household ventilation to confirm that it is free of build-up and debris. Contact our AC company to schedule an appointment improve the air quality of your residence!
Use The Proper Air Filters
When practicing HVAC maintenance, it is just as important to have the right size air filter for your AC system as it is to switch out your filters regularly. An air filter that is too small for your AC unit can prompt a system breakdown, whereas an air filter that is too large will not filter out harmful or hazardous particles from the air.
If you are struggling to find the proper air filter size for your household, our HVAC contractors can help you purchase a filter that meets your air conditioner's specific needs. We can also clean and replace your filters for you, so that trapped dust, dirt, and dander doesn't circulate through your home.
Pets Can Cause Unseen Damage
If you have indoor-only pets, skip to the next section. If you have pets that are indoor and outdoor, it's important to consider how your pets may negatively affect your exterior HVAC unit. If your dog runs around your yard and your exterior HVAC unit, take measures to protect your unit (and your pet) by installing a small barrier or fence. If you leave pets unattended, there's a chance they could urinate, chew, scratch, or otherwise damage the exterior unit, which can cause damage to it and degrade the efficiency of your HVAC system.
Install Dehumidifiers
High humidity can promote the proliferation of mold and mildew in your air conditioner. Luckily, dehumidifiers are able to regulate your home's humidity levels and preserve your personal comfort. At Bloomington Heating & Air, our contractors can install dehumidifiers in your home to remove excess humidity and moisture from the air. In doing so, we can prevent mold growth in your ductwork and protect your AC unit from a potential system failure.
Discover The Appropriate MERV Rating For Your System
Poor air quality can physically manifest itself as adverse health symptoms, including but not limited to headaches, sore throats, musty smells, coughing, sneezing, and irritated eyes and nose. These sensations are often unpleasant. To avoid these feelings, you may want to consider swapping your air filter out for one with a higher MERV rating. MERV ratings represent your household's Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. Using a scale from 1-16, MERV ratings let consumers know how efficient an air filter is at trapping pollutants. The higher the rating on the scale, the better the filter is at catching contaminants.
A filter with a higher MERV rating can be beneficial if you have allergies or asthma, but you should always consult our experienced and licensed technicians before making this decision. If you replace your air filter with one that has an increased MERV rating, it might not be compatible with your current HVAC system. This filter may prevent any air at all from passing through. For most households, we recommended an air filter with a MERV rating between 8 and 13. However, to be safe, you can always contact our team to ensure that this is the right choice for you and your Minnesota air conditioning unit.