Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category

Prevent Allergy Suffering with These Indoor Air Quality Tips

Monday, June 3rd, 2019

woman-sitting-on-her-couch-blowing-her-nose-in-tissueHow much do you know about your home’s indoor air quality? The most important thing for you to know is that it’s worse than the quality of your outdoor air—at least this is the case if you don’t have the right indoor air quality products or services in place.

Indoor air quality issues are often attributed to allergy symptoms—coughing, sneezing, wheezing, etc. Even the healthiest person can suffer. But it’s especially awful for those who already have seasonal allergies or asthma. The problem is that today’s homes are built very tightly to conserve energy—which is great for your HVAC systems—and as such dust, dirt, and other debris get trapped in the home and circulate continuously through your air. Another problem is that dust and debris gets trapped in your air ducts, too. So what can you do?

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Common Winter Threats to Your Indoor Air Quality

Monday, December 4th, 2017

women looking comfortable in homeWhen it comes to where we live, the biggest concern around wintertime is how cold it’s going to get. It’s understandable that this is your concern as well. After all, a lack of heat can not only be uncomfortable but even unhealthy. However, a good furnace or boiler is only part of the equation when it comes to your Chicago, IL indoor air quality.

Dry air can present a number of threats in the cold months, and a heating system does little to nothing to resolve this. A whole-house humidifier may be a great addition to your HVAC system and eliminate the problems that dry air brings before it has a chance to make your winter miserable. You may have already begun using your heater for the season, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to have a humidifier professionally installed!

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Is Your Home Prepped for Spring?

Monday, March 13th, 2017

home-prepped-for-springWith rainy weather and chilly temperatures still ahead of us for a while, you probably aren’t thinking too much about your indoor air quality. However, soon enough spring will be here—and with spring comes allergens that threaten your health and the health of your family.

According to WebMD, your Lincolnwood, IL indoor air quality could actually be worse than the quality of the air outdoors. Throughout the year—but particularly in spring—you and your family are exposed to airborne allergens including dust, pollen, dander, mold spores, and even bacteria—all of which can negatively affect even the healthiest people in your household.

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Do Your Air Ducts Need Repair?

Monday, January 16th, 2017

Homeowners often underestimate just how important the air ducts that snake their way through their home actually are. It’s when the old “out of sight, out of mind” mentality kicks in and we just don’t think very much about how our ductwork may be affecting our indoor air quality as well as the performance of our HVAC systems.

But what’s important to realize is that it’s surprisingly easy for ductwork to accrue damage from corrosion, age, poor initial installation, or even rodents in the attic or crawlspace. Damaged ductwork can result in a decline in indoor comfort as well as an increase in the contamination of the indoor air. Whether your ductwork has gaps, leaks, or even just bad connections, the only way to restore them to good working condition is by investing in professional duct repair services.

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This Winter, Don’t Ignore the Risks of Carbon Monoxide

Monday, December 12th, 2016

Chillier temperatures have already begun to make an appearance. With that, you’re likely ready to turn on your furnace, if you haven’t already, in order to keep your home toasty and warm. The natural gas-powered furnace is the most popular type of residential heating system in the country, and for good reason.

Natural gas is less expensive of a fuel source than electricity, plus it is convenient and burns cleanly so you don’t have to worry about emissions. They can also provide you with powerful levels of heat. There is, however, a downside to using natural gas to heat your home—and that is the threat of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

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Is Your Carbon Monoxide Detector Really Protecting You?

Monday, September 26th, 2016

Over the years, there have been many news sources and safety organizations that have tested the effectiveness of store-bought carbon monoxide detectors. Most of us understand that with enough exposure, carbon monoxide is deadly. In the best case scenario, a CO leak can make a person slightly ill. But do too many homeowners blindly trust their CO detectors to work when they need them the most?

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Improve Your Comfort with a Dehumidifier This Summer

Monday, May 16th, 2016

It may not be summer just yet, but warmer weather is certainly on its way. With that comes humidity that can make your indoor air quality worse than the outdoor air. Your home’s humidity levels should be between 30%–50%. Any higher than 50% is a problem as it leads to mold development and other issues.

Excess moisture can lead to many troubles for homeowners. In addition to being unsightly and inconvenient, mold can have a significant negative health impact on you and your family. The good news is, there is a solution. The solution lies in a whole-house dehumidifier, but is this right for your home?

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Are UV Germicidal Lights Worth It?

Monday, May 9th, 2016

When you are looking for a new air filtration system for your home, it’s important to understand that each has its own method of removing harmful pollutants from your indoor air. Overall, your goal should be to improve your indoor air quality as best as possible for your health and the health of your family. The air filter that comes standard with your HVAC system is not enough. In fact, it’s designed to protect the internal components of the system, not your indoor air. For an air cleaning device that truly eliminates contaminants, you’ll want to look to UV germicidal lights.

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How Can an Air Cleaner Benefit Me?

Monday, February 22nd, 2016

You may have heard people talk about indoor air quality, air cleaners, filtration systems, and the like before. You may have even checked out the indoor air quality portion of this site. Still, it can be hard to grasp why air cleaners are so important if you don’t know what’s lurking in the air you breathe every day.

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Stay Healthy with a Humidifier

Monday, August 3rd, 2015

We’ve written before about the problems associated with indoor air that is too humid. While you certainly don’t want the air in your home to be too humid, you don’t want it to be devoid of all moisture, either. A lack of humidity is just as bad as too much of it, in terms of your comfort and health. Fortunately, you can fix chronically low humidity with a whole-house humidifier. Let’s take a look at why you may need a whole-house humidifier, and how it works.

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