The majority of people understand how detrimental outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the usual living space often is more polluted—reliant on actual conditions, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so dangerous, the EPA has indoor air pollution tiered 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, excellent indoor air quality is crucial for good health, regardless if it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help contain this pollution and better our indoor air quality, we can take different measures. But first, we need to grasp some vernacular consistently used to discuss indoor air quality.
HEPA
HEPA is a term most people have heard or seen, but did you realize it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are engineered—and certified—to capture at least 99.97% of .3-micron particles (less 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 trapped.
MERV
Minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV refers to the effectiveness of an air filter. With rankings ranging from 1–16, you should pursue a top rating that specifies the filter will destroy more contaminants and allergens from your air without confining the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.
At Solar Air Inc. , 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 954-320-7398 if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.