The majority of people are aware of how detrimental outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the average living space might be more polluted—contingent on actual situations, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so damaging, the EPA has indoor air pollution classified as a top five environmental danger. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are commonly found in homes. Since Americans spend around 90% of their time indoors, good indoor air quality is crucial for great health, despite if it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help manage this pollution and increase our indoor air quality, we can take different measures. But first, we are required to understand some lingo often used to discuss indoor air quality.
HEPA
HEPA is a term most people have heard or seen, but did you recognize it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are designed—and certified—to confine at least 99.97% of .3-micron particles (tinier than the diameter of a human hair) from the air that filters through the system. This greatly increases your home’s indoor air quality when dust, pollen, mites and other contaminants are destroyed.
MERV
Minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV refers to the effectiveness of an air filter. With metrics ranging from 1–16, you should look for a higher rating that specifies the filter will destroy more contaminants and allergens from your air without restricting the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.
At Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling, we can help you understand the importance of indoor air quality and help you work on breathing the best air possible. After all, the normal adult breathes about 11,000 liters of air each day. Give us a call at 515-207-6569 if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.