LaGrange, GA

3 of the Scariest Air Quality Concerns in Your Home This Fall

Fall and football season are in full swing, and Halloween is hiding right around the corner. While the cooler temperatures are a relief from the oppressive heat in LaGrange, Georgia, allergy sufferers aren’t rejoicing for joy just yet. To improve your quality of life and breathe easier at home this fall, keep your home’s air as clean as possible.

Change Your Air Filter to Deter Dust Buildup

Your HVAC system’s filter cleans the air that circulates throughout it, trapping and holding many types of particles that impact health and comfort. This includes dust, pollen and pet dander. But when it’s filthy, it pushes those contaminants right back into your home. To avoid polluted indoor air, change your air filter at least every three months.
In the news: Scientists have recently found that household dust harbors toxic chemicals that have been linked to an increased risk to cancer in adults and developmental problems in babies. The toxic chemicals are shed from a range of common household items, including electrical goods, beauty products and cleaning supplies.

Eliminate Ragweed With an Air Cleaner

If you’re an allergy sufferer, you likely already know how much ragweed can haunt you during the fall. During its peak growing season, a single ragweed plant produces a billion pollen grains, which can travel up to 400 miles in the wind. While an HVAC filter helps reduce allergy symptoms, an air cleaner works even harder to eliminate ragweed.

Use a Whole-Home Dehumidifier to Prevent Mold

Georgia is known for its hot summers that increase at-home humidity. Too much humidity in your home can encourage mold growth. High humidity can also make your HVAC system work harder and cost you more in monthly utility costs. With a whole-home dehumidifier, you’ll ensure your home’s humidity is within a healthy range of 40 to 60 percent.

Don’t put your family’s health at risk. To schedule professional duct cleaning, HVAC maintenance or IAQ testing, contact Airforce Heating & Air. We look forward to helping you breathe easier this fall.

2 Reasons an Air Purifier Is a Good Idea for Your Home

If you have allergies, Georgia springtime pollen can be insufferable, yet the EPA tells us that outdoor air is much cleaner and fresher than indoor air. Because we spend most of our time inside, we can be bombarded by high concentrations of indoor allergens all day long. Nausea, headaches, coughing, fatigue, burning eyes, respiratory and sinus infections and frequent colds and flu can all be byproducts of indoor air pollution. Today’s tightly-sealed buildings and the lack of ventilation have made poor indoor air quality a fact of life. Fortunately, help is available. Here are two good reasons why an air purifier can benefit you and why having one in your LaGrange home might be a good idea:

1. Protection From Microbes

Bacteria and viruses are two common microbial indoor air contaminants. They can cause colds, flu, infections and other illnesses. Pollen can trigger allergic reactions. Mold is a microbe that releases spores into the air. The spores can cause lung infections, wheezing and other breathing difficulties.

2. Protection From Other Airborne Toxins

Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in dust and can cause skin rashes.
Dander and pet fur can trigger allergic reactions and irritate your eyes, nose and throat.
Secondhand cigarette smoke is almost as toxic as if you were smoking yourself.
Building materials like asbestos and lead can and do cause serious and long-term health problems.
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are gasses released by common household cleaning agents, pesticides, permanent markers, printers, paint, glue, paneling, adhesives, upholstered furniture, new carpeting, plywood, fiberboard, particleboard and photocopiers. VOCs are toxic and can irritate your eyes, nose, throat and lungs; they can cause dizziness, headaches and nausea over the short term or cancer and CNS damage down the road.

The Carrier Infinity® Air Purifier traps and zaps 95 percent of pathogens in your indoor air. To learn more about it, visit Airforce Heating & Air or contact us.

What Does It Mean When My AC Runs for Long Periods?

A properly functioning air conditioner will deliver energy-efficient performance and comfort when it is correctly sized, installed and maintained in a well-insulated and sealed home. However, a problem in these or other areas can affect the functioning of your HVAC system. One consequence of problems within your HVAC system is an AC that runs constantly. This is cause for concern as it reduces the system’s energy efficiency, and could result in further damage.

How Long is Too Long?

There is no specific length of time in which a system should run as there are several factors that could affect the cycle. In hot, humid weather, you should expect longer AC cycles. Your system should really cycle on to keep the indoor temperature equivalent to the thermostat setting. However, regardless of the temperatures outdoor, if your AC runs constantly, there is cause for concern. Possible reasons include:

Equipment Size – If the unit is too small relative to the amount of space to be heated or cooled it could run longer trying to cool the entire space.
Thermostat Problems – Adjusting the thermostat several degrees higher or lower could cause it to run for a very long time before reaching the setpoint. This often happens for example when you try to get more comfortable temperatures after returning home. Whether you have a manual thermostat or programmable thermostat, be sure that it is set correctly. The thermostat could also be malfunctioning and unable to read the room temperature correctly. A problem with the thermostat’s sensor could cause the air conditioner to cycle constantly.
Inadequate Insulation – If there is not enough insulation or there are problems with the insulation, it could make it more difficult to heat or cool your home, and cause the system to keep running to reach the desired temperatures.
Ductwork Problems – leaky ducts or poor air flow through the ducts will make it difficult for rooms to reach the setpoint.

An AC that runs constantly is bad for your wallet. Contact the experts at Airforce Heating & Air to ensure that you are saving instead of wasting energy. Whether you need routine maintenance or other service , we will ensure your entire HVAC system keeps you comfortable all year long.