How can an air cleaner help with allergies?
Ask
most doctors and they’re likely to tell you that the best
way to treat someone with allergies is to remove the offending
allergen. By using an air cleaner, you can effectively reduce
or remove pollutants, pollen, airborne mold spores and other harmful,
unwanted irritants. This can be accomplished by selecting a whole-house
air cleaner that works in conjunction with your forced air system
to provide cleaner air throughout your home.
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What
are the most effective air cleaners?
Media
Air Cleaners These units use high efficiency pleated media
to remove larger particles with over 99% efficiency, including
many allergens. With irritants in the spore and pollen range,
they are as effective as HEPA filters. Where they differ is in
their capability to filter out the super small particulate such
as bacteria, viruses and respirable dust. Media air cleaners are
cost effective compared to HEPA filters because the media is usually
less expensive and generally needs to be replaced only once every
year.
HEPA Air
Cleaners HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) cleaners use
high efficiency pleated media (filter) to remove particles. To
be designated a HEPA, an air cleaner must remove 99.97% of all
particles 0.3 microns (dust and mold spores) in size.
Electrostatic
Air Filters Based on heating and air conditioning industry
standards, electrostatic air filters are not recognized as true
high efficiency air cleaners. However, they are generally recognized
as being more effective than the standard one-inch throwaway filters.
Electrostatic air filters depend on the movement of the air through
the filter to give particles a weak electronic charge. Usually,
these models are less than 20% efficient, with some models having
efficiencies of less than 5%. They need to be cleaned often to
maintain air flow, sometimes weekly. Electrostatic air filters
have warranties ranging from one year to lifetime. They may also
be somewhat restrictive to air flow which lowers equipment efficiency.
Electronic
Air Cleaners There are two types of electronic air cleaners.
Both electrically charge particles and attract them to a collection
material. The standard electronic air cleaner will collect charged
particles on a “plate” designed to attract those particles.
Most electronic cleaners can obtain 95% efficiency or more on
various particles when the collection plates and ionizing wires
are clean, but they can lose some efficiency as they collect dirt.
A newer technology in electronic air cleaners is called electronically
enhanced media. It combines elements of both electronic and media
air cleaners. Particles are electrically charged and then collected
by the massive air cleaning media of a traditional high efficiency
cleaner. The replacement of the media is simple and there are
no plates to clean, efficiency is maintained throughout the media’s
life. Electronically enhanced media air cleaners are 99% effective
in the removal of numerous particle categories. Electronic air
cleaners generally have warranties of
one to five years.
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Winter
Humidification
Relative
humidity (RH) is the percent of moisture in the air compared to
the maximum amount of moisture this air can hold at the same condition.
Warm air will hold more moisture than cold air, and as cold ventilation
air mechanically or naturally (by infiltration) enters your home,
it can be drier than the driest desert and seriously lower the
humidity levels in your home. The psychrometrics of air show us
that at 70° F air can hold about 12 times as much moisture
as 10° F air, and when 10° F outside air is heated to
70° F the humidity level goes from 70% to 7%. Normal household
functions (such as cooking, showering, laundry) also have an impact
on the relative humidity within your home and hence on your comfort.
Dry air
tends to pull moisture from the occupants, the wood and home furnishings
causing effects as seen on the left side of the humidity level
chart.
The effects
of bacteria, viruses, fungi, respiratory infections, allergic
rhinitis and asthma, and ozone production can be minimized by
higher humidity levels. Studies have shown that wintertime operation
at 68° F / 60% RH provides the same level of occupant comfort
as does 72° F / 30% RH; so lower utility bills also results
with the addition of moisture to your home.
Automatic,
computer controlled humidifiers can control the right humidity
levels in your home, providing enough moisture for a healthy comfortable
home and within the limits to prevent window and cold surface
condensation.
The design
of your heating and cooling system requires more than the installation
of furnace/boiler and air conditioner. Hartman Heating understands
the building science and design principles to bring real comfort
and a healthy indoor environment to your home.
The choice
is yours: a “comfort/healthy” system, or a furnace/boiler
and an air conditioner. Since over 1/3 rd of your time is spent
in your home, it is important to make the right choice.
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The Truth
About Mold
There’s
Good Mold and There’s Bad Mold Molds are the “bleu”
in bleu cheese and Roquefort. Molds improve our wine. They produce
penicillin and antibiotics and are used widely in the food and
beverage industry. Without mold and mold’s decaying mechanism,
the natural environment would be overwhelmed with large amounts
of dead organic matter.
Despite many
harmless and beneficial molds, some molds can be toxic and pose
very serious health threats to humans. The Environmental Protective
Agency (EPA) cautions that all molds can cause health problems
under the right conditions. The word “toxic” is used
to refer to mold that produces toxic compounds, or mycotoxins.
Often included
in the list of toxic molds is Stachybotrys Chartarum, a greenish-black
mold, which can grow on high cellulose, low nitrogen materials
such as fiberboard, drywall, paper, dust and lint in the presence
of moisture.
How to Minimize Mold Growth
Mold
is a natural byproduct of the fungi family that thrive when nutrients
– primarily organic substances and water – are found
in the right conditions. These organic substances include materials
commonly found in buildings: soil, dead plants, carpets, drywall,
fiberboard, wood, paper, dust, lint, and etc. Mold propagates
via spores that can remain dormant – yet viable – for
years during periods when moisture is not present. Mold issues
require education, identification, remediation, and solutions
to minimize mold growth in the environments we live.
HVACR mechanical
systems are not generators of mold. Their metallic surfaces do
not provide the organic matter mold needs to grow. However, systems
that are not well maintained could support mold growth. It’s
important that your system:
