Home: Pure and Simple - The Glen Rose Reporter

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Home: Pure and Simple - The Glen Rose Reporter Posted: 28 Sep 2020 03:35 PM PDT Reducing allergens with whole-house purification From the usual wind and pollen to the smoky September skies, the first weeks of fall have had the usual impact on Lubbock's allergy sufferers. They've learned to stay indoors to avoid outdoor allergens. But what if the air and dust inside your home also trigger allergies? From dust mites to dog or cat dander, indoor allergens can result in asthma and other breathing problems. Dogs or cats can be sent outside, but what happens when outdoor pollen or mold enter your home? How do you get rid of dust? This year's pandemic has made most locals more aware of indoor air quality than ever before, potentially putting air cleaning devices – like humidifiers or in-room air purifiers – on your radar. Beyond keeping carpet vacuumed and preventing pet dander, we asked local experts Keith Hart and Mark Benedict of Hart Heating & A/C for more comprehensive suggestions on how to clean inside air. Here are a few of their recommendations.  Don't buy the expensive air filters Most homeowners know to change their air filters on a regular basis. Manufacturers typically suggest replacing them every month or two. While residents with pets or allergies should follow that suggestion, others might be able to replace them every 90 days. But Keith Hart, who owns Hart Heating & A/C, says replacing air filters is only the most basic step. In fact, using the wrong filter can potentially cause more harm than good. He does not recommend using the most expensive, densely packed filters – the ones promising to trap every single, microscopic particle of pollen or dust. "A lot of people just think, 'OK, I'm going to buy a 3M allergy filter and it's going to be awesome.' They're spending $22 a piece on that filter. But the problem is that filter doesn't let much air through," he says. The thicker pleating may capture more dust, but it also slows down air intake, which can impair the heating and air conditioning system. "When you add that much restriction, [the system] will try to draw the air through places that aren't filtered, like around the blower cabinet," he says. In other words, the amount of pressure on the filter may actually cause the unit to suck in unfiltered air, increasing allergens and straining the hardware. "Upgrading your air filter can actually cause more harm than good," Hart says. Instead, these professionals suggest a mid-range filter – not the cheap $3 ones, but something more in the $8 to $10 range. "Make sure you can see light through it when it's new," suggests Mark Benedict, operations manager at Hart. "If you can barely see any light through it, then it's too thick. But you also don't want it to be like a screen door." The ideal is enough filtering to capture dust and pollen particles without restricting airflow. "This keeps the system running and keeps things as clean as possible," Benedict says.  Consider a whole-house air cleaner The best benefit for allergy sufferers is installing a whole-house air filtration system. "Really the only way to do a good filtration is to get an air cleaner that's made to clean the air without slowing the air down," Hart says. In contrast to a plug-in air purifier that might filter airborne particles on a room-by-room basis, an air cleaner is attached to the air handling equipment. Integrated into the system, it filters air before the air passes into the furnace or AC unit. "Most of the time, it's going to be bolted right to the indoor equipment, whether that's in a garage closet or in the attic, on the intake/return side," says Hart. The benefit of this solution is that it cleans air for the entire household – not just one room – while also protecting the equipment itself. ("That's a good thing for me as a professional heating and air guy," Hart says, laughing.) These systems filter dust, debris, animal dander and other potential contaminants down to the micron level. They can be installed with a new HVAC system or added later, though Hart says integrated air purifiers can be on the expensive side. Typically, consumers can expect to pay close to $3,500 per system for professional installation in an average-sized home (between 1,500 and 3,000 square feet). They also only run when the AC or heater's blower motor is activated. For this reason, they work best with thermostats that can automate circulation. Hart says he often hears from worried customers in the spring or fall. They have installed air purifiers but notice their homes have begun collecting dust. They think the system isn't working. In reality, the moderate temperatures mean the heater or AC haven't been running – which means the fan and purifier haven't been operational. Hart recommends turning the thermostat fan to the "on" position and running it several hours a day. This may cost an extra $5 to $10 in energy costs per month but significantly reduces dust. Newer thermostats include programming that operates the fan a certain percentage of each day – just enough to stir the air and keep it clean. "When putting in an air cleaner, it's good to put in a thermostat that will work with it. It gives you options when those middle temperatures don't require the system to run much," Benedict says. Add integrated humidification The South Plains climate is dry – especially in the winter – and that can amplify the impact of allergens and unhealthy particulates. "You want to remove contaminants before you breathe them," Hart says. The moist surfaces of the human body, including lungs and nasal passages, are efficient natural filters. But when those dry out, filtration diminishes. That's why people are more likely to suffer from respiratory issues in the winter. "If your house gets really dry, there are more cracks and crevices for allergens," Hart says. That's why he suggests integrated humidification as another whole-house option for allergy sufferers. Just like an installed air purifier can clean air at the system level before it's distributed through the house, HVAC professionals can also install whole-home humidifiers. "I'm amazed more heating and air guys don't talk about humidification," he says. "The more you run your heater [in the winter], the drier your house gets. If we can turn the humidity up, your nasal passages, skin, everything stays moist. You're not as susceptible to allergens, particles, bacteria and viruses." Multiple studies have shown that respiratory illnesses like the flu spread more easily in dry air, which is why most hospital environments use humidity as a prevention strategy. (That's also why public health experts have warned of spiking COVID-19 numbers during the winter.) Unfortunately, effective humidification requires more than buying a one-gallon, tabletop humidifier from Walgreen's. Full in-home systems are connected to a home's plumbing and can distribute 30-plus gallons a day into the air supply. Two types of systems – evaporative and steam-based – are available. Each type has benefits and trade-offs. "Evaporative uses more water but very little electricity. Steam doesn't use as much water but uses more electricity," Hart says. Benedict installed a humidifier system in his home, and says the difference is substantial. "When you keep the humidity levels up in your home, you can tell [the impact] on your breathing and skin," he says. Hart agrees. "People might not notice the difference in filtration [with an air purifier], but they can tell with a humidification system."  Shine a light In Hart's world, air purification and filtration is the first "layer" of allergen prevention. Humidification offers the second layer. The third is ultraviolet (UV) light. "UV is going to kill viruses, bacteria, molds and mildews," he says. On an air conditioning unit, the air travels through an evaporator coil. This creates a dark, wet and cold environment. "All summer long, it's going to have moisture in it. It's a perfect breeding ground for all kinds of bad stuff," he says. Hart knows from experience. "Most of the time, when we pull and clean a coil that hasn't been filtered correctly, it's just nasty. It's slimy. It smells like something dead," he says. Those particles can end up being spread throughout a home, but mold and mildews don't grow in the presence of ultraviolet light. In fact, UV filtration is used frequently in institutional settings, including hospitals and water treatment facilities. UV light is the least expensive whole-house purification option because it's relatively easy to install, and some homeowners may even be able to install these themselves. "If I shine a UV light on an evaporator coil, where all my air travels through, it's amazing. UV is very powerful and effective. It will keep a coil clean and it will clean a coil that's dirty. It breaks down any organic material." While UV light might be the quickest way to gain some filtration, it's best used in tandem with an air purifier. That's because UV light may wipe out pathogens, but it doesn't have any impact on dust. "They help each other," Hart says. A variety of HVAC companies serving the Lubbock area offer these allergen-reducing solutions for homeowners and businesses.

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