IAQ and Air Cleaners

The rule of 1,000 is what air researchers use to describe how much more potent indoor air pollution is then outdoor air pollution.  Basically, anything released into the air indoors is 1,000 times more likely to be breathed in than that same thing being released outdoors.  Bottom line indoor air pollution can be very, very potent and potent pollution is never a good thing for your health.  

I learned about the rule of 1,000 from an article in the New York Times…the article says that burning a candle is combustion and just like smoking a cigarette indoors it will have similar health effects too. 

Your covering up odors with air fresheners you say…one of the doctors quoted in the article says “it’s just adding chemicals on top of chemicals.”  

The best way to control indoor air is to filter it with a whole home air filter, and Aprilaire offers the best air cleaners on the market.  From the Aprilaire 4000 series with a standard MERV 13 filter to the Aprilaire Model 5000 EAC which has been proven by third party testing to be the most efficient and effective air cleaner on the market, you are protected.  Unlike the standard low efficiency high resistance to air flow(which means wasted energy) 1” inch filter you buy at the hardware store you only have to replace your filter once a year, and you have the piece of mind knowing that Aprilaire provides the worlds best IAQ products.

With new homes being more energy efficient the importance of proper conditioning of your homes air becomes more important.  The reason is newer energy efficient homes are tighter, meaning that less fresh air gets in (and stale air out) of your home.  That is why Minnesota, for instance, made it code to have a mechanical ventilation system installed in all new homes.  

But achieving good indoor air quality isn’t just about bringing in fresh air; you need to further condition your air by filtering it and controlling the amount of moisture in it.  Just as you condition your air by heating and cooling it, indoor air quality is about conditioning it to produce a comfortable, healthy, protected home that is also energy efficient.

You can learn more about indoor air quality by visiting Aprilaire.com or just Google "Indoor Air Quality."

The Asthma Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) recently released its list of 2009 Allergy Capitals with Louisville, KY topping the list.  The designation means Louisville is going to be the worst/most difficult place to live in 2009 for people who suffer from allergies.  They use scientific data to create the rankings and base the rankings on 3 different criteria including:

•    Pollen scores (airborne grass/tree/weed pollen and mold spores)
•    Number of allergy medications used per patient
•    Number of allergy specialists per patient

AAFA doesn’t recommend moving but instead recommends having a comprehensive plan to help fight the effects of allergies and asthma.  Any good allergy/asthma control plan needs to address indoor air quality.  With Aprilaire whole home air filtration, along with humidity control the negative effects of allergies and asthma can be overcome.

As a side note also making the list is Madison, WI, at number 4, the location of Aprilaire headquarters.  For your daily allergy forecast check out Pollen.com 

The American Lung Association just published a report on the worst cities for ozone and particulate pollution.  Not surprisingly Los Angeles was at the top of the list although California has reduced pollution levels drastically compared to levels in 2000.  But it's definitely not just LA where people are breathing unhealthy air.

The report is full interesting information, but what I found interesting is that 6 in 10 Americans live in an area where they are at risk of being negatively effected by air pollution levels.  Other than, as a Yahoo article says, moving to Fargo, ND, Lincoln, NE or Honolulu, HI areas with some of the lowest pollution levels, all you can do is understand and avoid the risks associated with air pollution.  

The EPA states “In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities”.after reading the report by the ALA the EPA’s statement is an astounding, no scary statement.

Protect your home and your health from air pollution by using the best air cleaners on the market Aprilaire Air Cleaners.

Now that the weather is warming up in most of the county it’s about time to switch over to cooling mode on your thermostats.  Some thermostats will automatically switch your setback programming to cooling mode, but some will need to be reprogrammed with your air conditioning setback temperatures.  Being that Earth Day was on Wednesday there’s no better time then now to program your thermostat to save energy (and money).  During cooling season for optimum comfort and energy savings you should set you thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and higher when you’re away.  Here are Energy Star's recommended setback settings.

I came across a great blog today by The Hoots Group located in Atlanta, Georgia.  Matt Hoots, the founder of the green building company, does an excellent job of covering a whole host of green issues, including of course, indoor air quality. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Matt last year at the EcoLumina house, a project on which he was selected as the builder.  The beautiful EcoLumina house is an environmentally friendly home that utilizes the latest technologies and is meant to be a source of inspiration for home owners and home builders alike.  I was there because Matt was installing Aprilaire air cleaners and dehumidifiers as part of the geothermal HVAC system.

Matt is a wealth of information when it comes to green building and his blog is a must read for anyone looking to get good information about going green.  With all the greenwashing out there it is difficult for the average consumer to sift through all the information.  Matt puts a difficult subject into easily understandable layman’s terms.  Check it out!  (If you’re in Atlanta, The Hoots Group showroom is also a place worth checking out)

Aprilaire offers a full line of indoor air quality products that help you go green.  You can’t go green without addressing indoor air quality!  Matt Hoots will vouch for that…

The Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program put together one of the most comprehensive lists of things you can do to "Allergy Proof" your house I have seen.  They did a very good job of exploring all aspects of what can be done to improve indoor air quality of your home.  

If you are one of the 20 million people in the United States who suffer from Asthma or Allergies I would highly recommend taking the time to read the report.  It talks about things that trigger asthma and allergy symptoms, but the report also has a home guide which is a list of actions you can take to make your home a healthier place.  

One thing they mention is to add a whole home air cleaner to your HVAC system, which is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your indoor air quality.  Another important aspect of managing your asthma and allergy symptoms is controlling humidity in your home.  A whole home humidifier and/or a whole home dehumidifier (depending on where you live) are by far the most effective means to controlling your humidity.

Check out this video on why portable air cleaners, and for that matter portable humidifiers and dehumidifiers, are not the answer to effective indoor air quality management.

Can I control my thermostats from a computer?  That is a question that our Technical Support team gets quite a bit.  The answer is Yes!  The Aprilaire 8870 communicating thermostat will not only control the heating and cooling equipment in your home, but can also be accessed through a computer. This allows you to control all the thermostats in your home from any location in the world. Your computer only requires access to the system through your firewall. (Setup requirements will depend on your specific installation)

Imagine if you are on vacation and want to have your home at a comfortable temperature upon your return.  With the Aprilaire 8870 thermostat you can access your thermostats while waiting for your return flight in the airport. 

You can also easily check the status of your system, here is Wisconsin many people have vacation homes in what we call “The Northwoods” and it can get very, very cold in northern Wisconsin, I’ve personally been there when the temps have been as low as -40 F.  A major concern when temperatures get that low is if the heat goes out pipes can burst and cause significant damage.  With the 8870 you can get on the internet and check the status of your systems anytime you want.  The same situation could apply for a vacation home in a warm climate where if the air conditioning breaks down in a closed up home the heat and moisture can take hold and mold can start growing. 

 Click here to learn more Aprilaire’s communicating thermostats.

As I reported previously my Aunt and Uncle were having some really wicked reactions to a recent pollen "bloom" that had happened in the Tampa, FL area.  When we got to talking about I found out this wasn't an unusual occurrence for them, and actually they said they deal with the same allergy issues every year.  They take antihistamines, pain relievers and sinus medicine to combat the effects.  None of which really seem to work all that well, plus they have to deal with the unwanted side effects of dry mouth, medicine head and drowsiness among others.

Being the wonderful nephew I am I recommended they look into a whole home air cleaner.  That next day they called in a local contractor and told him they wanted to install an Aprilaire 4000 Series Air Cleaner.  The contractor was able to come over that very day and install the unit in about an hour.  He walked them through how to use the One Touch Control, which has 4 different modes so you can control your air cleaner as you like.

Well, I checked in with them earlier this week and they can't believe how much the air cleaner helped with their allergies.  My Aunt Terry said it took a couple of days, but after that their itchy eyes went away, they weren't sneezing as much and they were sleeping much better too.

For a relatively small investment they had made a change that had a huge impact on their lives.  When I spoke with my Aunt she wouldn't stop thanking me for the advice, but I'm just glad they’re feeling better.

For many of us the spring time brings much awaited warmer temps and green grass, but the spring time also tends to bring water with it too.   From melting snow to April showers spring seems to be the wettest time of year for much of the United States. 

Unfortunately for many homeowners that water can end up in our basements or crawlspaces causing not only physical damage to the house, but it can also lead to very unhealthy situations.  Moisture that seeps into your home, or under your home in the case of a crawlspace, can cause mold and mildew growth as well as that nasty smell and sticky feeling the moisture causes. 

If you have a leaky basement you should call a trusted basement remediation specialist and have them survey your situation. Often times they can make some very affordable fixes that will end your problems.  But don't just fix the leaks, fix the air quality of your basement or crawlspace as well and get yourself an Aprilaire Model 1710 portable dehumidifier. 

The Model 1710 dehumidifier is a 90 pint per day unit that is much more efficient and durable then the regular units you see at the big box stores.  It can remove moisture from the air down to 40 degrees and comes with a 5 year bumper to bumper warranty.  For those of you who have ever bought one of the portable dehumidifiers from a big box store you know that if you can get a summer or two out of it before it stops working you got lucky.

Remember if your basement or crawlspace has too much humidity and is unhealthy so is the rest of your home.

Allergy season is starting to gain momentum in some areas while others are in full swing.  A couple of weeks ago I took a much needed vacation in the Tampa, Florida area.  The weather was beautiful and I was able to see family that I hadn't seen in quite a long time.  The Tampa area had recently had a pollen "bloom" that was causing both my Aunt and Uncle some very annoying allergic reactions.  They had red, itchy and watery eyes along with headaches, sore throats and runny noses.

They mentioned that some of the trees are releasing pollen and that they deal with this every year during Florida's allergy season, which pretty much runs from early spring to late summer.  I of course mentioned to them that they should look into a whole home air cleaner that has the efficiency to catch pollen, mold, dust, fungi and all the other small junk that is so bad for our health.  While I was still visiting they called a local Aprilaire contractor and had them come out to install an Aprilaire Model 4200 air cleaner.  They were very excited to see what type of difference it would make for them.

I haven't had a chance to check in with them yet but, I will be sure to report their thoughts in a later posting. 

Also check out the PollenCast brought to you by The Weather Channel...very good info regarding allergens for your area.

I've been seeing a bunch of commercials for a COPD medication called ADVAIR.  Before I starting seeing the commercials I had never heard of COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, but I Googled it and found that it's a really debilitating disorder.  According to the Mayo Clinic "Initially, COPD is often silent. Signs and symptoms may not appear until there's significant lung damage, but once symptoms begin, they typically worsen over time. COPD symptoms may include:

    * Persistent cough
    * Increased mucus production
    * Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities
    * Wheezing
    * Chest tightness
    * Frequent respiratory infections"

Mayo Clinic goes on to describe the causes of COPD "In the vast majority of cases, the damage in the lungs that leads to COPD is caused by long-term cigarette smoking. But other irritants can cause COPD, including cigar smoke, secondhand smoke, pipe smoke, air pollution and certain occupational fumes."

COPD can be a nasty thing to live with, but by not smoking and working to keep your homes air clean you can protect yourself from ever developing COPD and if you've already been diagnosed see this study regarding COPD and the effects of poor indoor air quality on symptoms.

Since most people spend the majority of time indoors the importance of making sure the air in your home is clean is magnified.  Check out our website for ideas on how to clean the air in your home.

The positive effects that clean indoor air can attribute too seem to be endless...isn't it time you look into improving the air for your family?

It's getting to that time of year for spring cleaning again and the blogosphere has definitely increased chatter on the best ways to go about spring cleaning. 

One of the things that caught my attention was the importance of using natural cleaning solutions.  Using cleaning solutions that are filled with all kinds of nasty chemicals can be hazardous to your health.  Basically, you are filling your house with toxic gaseous fumes, so if you do need to use the strong stuff open up a couple of windows to replace the toxic air with some fresh outside air. 

Another thing that many people do in the spring is make some type of investment into bettering their homes.  It can be anything from a new refrigerator that you've been talking about getting for the last few months to having some landscaping done.  One thing I would suggest, especially for those of you who have your HVAC contractor come out for a spring check up, is an investment in making your home a healthier place. 

If you don't have a whole home air cleaner ask your contractor about putting one in, if you live in an area where humidity is high or you have a newer "tight" home ask your contractor about installing a whole home dehumidifier, if you don't have a programmable thermostat have your contractor put one in.  All of the above will make your home a healthier, more comfortable and more sustainable place.  On top of it you will also save money.  An air cleaner will help to keep your heating and cooling equipment running a peak efficiency, a dehumidifier will allow you to turn your thermostat up and feel more comfortable and a programmable thermostat will allow you to reduce your energy use when your not home or when your in bed.

Every year thousands of people in the United States die from asthma.  Researchers from Glasgow University recently discovered that asthma in children is likely caused by a couple of very preventable things.

First, children who sit for prolonged periods of time double their risk of developing asthma.  The study goes on to say that because the lungs aren't fully functioning while sitting at rest, kids aren't breathing fully.  The researchers say kids need to get more active, that's no surprise.  Not only are inactive children often over weight, but they have an increased risk of developing asthma too...all the more reason to make sure your kids are active.

The second part of the study links asthma in children to pollen and mold.  The researchers don't specifically say it would be a good idea get a whole home air cleaner installed, but that would be my recommendation.  Since most of us spend more then 90% of our time indoors a high quality whole home air cleaner just makes sense.

Indoor air quality studies seem to come out every other day, but to my amazement people don't do anything about protecting their family.  Since I started here at Aprilaire I've told all my friends and family how much healthier they can be by taking steps to improve their indoor air quality.  I hope you will do the same to protect your friends and family.

Retrofit zone your house with Aprilaire' Retrofit Zoned Comfort Damper.  The new product from Aprilaire allows you to easily upgrade your current HVAC system to a zoned HVAC system.  Zoning is a wonderful way to add value to your home while making it more comfortable and saving money.  

Zoning allows you to only heat or cool the areas that need it.  Instead of having just one thermostat to control the temperature in your house you have multiple thermostats for the different parts of your house.  Most people that zone their homes will put thermostats in bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and on the different levels of the home.

If your looking a for a home improvement idea zoning should be under serious consideration.

It’s a hot summer day in the middle of July and you are in the kitchen making lunch.  You have that uncomfortable hot and clammy feeling as you build your cold cut sandwich.  When you’re finished making your sandwich you pour yourself a glass of iced tea and head over to the thermostat, which is on the wall in the living room, and turn it down a few degrees.  Now you move to the den to enjoy your lunch and see if your  favorite baseball team is winning the days game.  As you get yourself comfortable and flip through the channels you’re suddenly become chilled.  You think to yourself, I was just uncomfortably warm when I was in the kitchen and now that I’m in the den I uncomfortably chilled.

If you have ever had this problem you are an excellent candidate for a retro fit zoning system.  I like to compare zoning your HVAC system to light switches for your home lighting system.  Imagine if you had only one light switch for all the lights in your home.   That’s crazy you say no one would ever do that?  Well, that’s pretty much what having only one thermostat for your HVAC system is like.  Zoning your HVAC system allows you to have the most energy efficient and comfortable home possible.

Many people believe that zoning can only be done on new homes, but not anymore.  Aprilaire offers retro fit zoning that can be used on your current home and it can all be done without pulling out your current ductwork.  Check out more about Aprilaire Zoning Systems here.

Did you know that programming your thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save energy and money?  In just the few minutes it takes to program your thermostat you can save 10% or more on your heating and cooling bills.  According to Energy Star, in the winter you should set your heat to 70 or less and then when you’re away or asleep set it back at least 8 degrees from there.  Meaning if you set your thermostat at 68 degrees when you are home then when you leave set it back to at least 60.  During the cooling season Energy Star recommends setting your thermostat at 78 or more when you’re home; when you’re not home set it back at least 7 degrees and when you’re asleep set it back at least 4 degrees. 

Amazingly most people don’t use the programmable settings or they use the HOLD function to override the thermostats program.  In this day and age where energy costs are rising and each and every dollar makes a difference take the time to program your thermostat, you will enjoy the benefits.

With all the bad news out there these days I hate to write a blog about anything negative, but let’s see if I can’t spin something seemingly negative into a big ball of positive.  One of District Sales Mangers in Pennsylvania called me up.  He had one of his best Aprilaire dealers giving out an article about the dangers of particulate pollution to every homeowner he saw.  He wanted his valued customers to be aware of the risks they were being exposed to if they decided not to install a whole home air purifier.

The article talks about the short term and long term effects of exposure to particulate of different sizes in the air.  The effects can be astounding; they range from more severe asthma attacks to a premature death.  Sounds pretty grim right?  Well there is hope.  A whole home air cleaner is a great way to protect against the harmful effects particulate pollution can cause. 

Aprilaire offers some wonderful options to make your home a safe place for you and your family.  We have 3 different levels of protection the 2000 series, 4000 Series and our flagship air cleaner the Electronic Model 5000(which won best air cleaner 3 years running).  So no matter what level of protection you want Aprilaire can provide a solution.

The picture below is showing the difference between an air conditioning coil that had an Aprilaire air cleaner and a coil that just had a normal 1” filter.  As you can see the one without the Aprilaire air cleaner is in complete disarray.  The problem with a dirty coil is it loses its efficiency and effectiveness.  As the cooling coil in you air conditioner fills with debris the air flow across the cooling coil is decreased.  The decreased air flow across the coil means your cooling efficiency is decreased.   In some cases a dirty coil can cause your compressor or fans to fail permanently, a very costly fix.  

If you currently don’t have an air cleaner and you are interested in protecting your HVAC equipment and saving money there is no better time then now to have an Aprilaire air cleaner installed.  Just make sure that you clean your coil before applying the air purifier.  You can attempt to do it yourself, but I would recommend you have your trusted Aprilaire contractor do it for you.  It can usually be done for a minimal fee.

These days it seems everyone is trying to “go green”; the problem is everyone has a different definition of what it means.  Does it mean saving energy, recycling, driving less, biking more, buying locally produced products…the list goes on and on.  To me “going green” means being conscious of how our actions effect the environment and then doing all we can to reduce our negative impact.

One thing that is often forgotten when it comes to reducing your impact on the environment is indoor air quality.  Indoor Environmental Quality is one of the 8 main sections of a LEED certified home.  When most people think of making their home green they think of changing their light bulbs, adding insulation or installing energy efficient windows, but often times they neglect to look at the indoor air quality of the home.  Good indoor air quality benefits health, comfort, energy savings and home preservation.

One important facet of IAQ is air filtration; this is demonstrated by the popular LEED rating system which requires air purification to earn certification.  It is a prerequisite for a LEED certified home to have at minimum MERV 8 filters.  Additional certification can be earned points by installing filters with increased efficiency.  A MERV 10 filter qualifies as a “Better Filter” (1 point) and a MERV 13 filter qualifies as a “Best Filter” (2 points).   

All Aprilaire whole home filters are MERV 10 or better.  The 2000 Series Air Cleaners come with MERV 10 filters and are easily upgradable to MERV 13 efficiency.  The 4000 Series Air Cleaners come with MERV 13 efficiency plus One Touch Control.