As we spend more time indoors with the cooler weather coming, there are a few things you can do to ramp up your filtration in the home.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are chemicals that are found in many of the products we use to build, maintain, and clean our home – and they’re hidden in the air particles we breathe. The graphic below shows some of the things that can infiltrate your home and compromise the air quality.
Some of these pollutants include:
- Printers, photocopiers, melamine furniture
- Pet hair, dander, dust & dust mites • Gas, solvents, paint, chemicals
- Fireplace, carpets
- Aerosol sprays
- Mould & bacteria
- Cooking pollutants
- Insulation
SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Get a MERV air filter
Check the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating of your filter – the higher the MERV rating, the more it can filter. A MERV rating between 10 and 13 hits the sweet spot, although some air filters go as high as MERV 16 (useful when allergy season hits!). With a MERV filter, you’ll have cleaner air and higher efficiencies.
Get a UV Light
UV lights are used for sterilizing hospitals, water, and lately, even food and packaging. They’re also useful for residential HVAC systems because they neutralize airborne contaminants that air filtration alone can’t eliminate, such as viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. UV lights are typically sold as an add-on to other filtration systems at a very affordable price – but you have to ask for it.
Give your local ClimateCare a call to see how you can up your filtration game and maximize your HVAC system’s efficiency
