Pippin Brothers Home Services happily services the Greater Lawton, Fort Sill, and Duncan, Oklahoma area. If you live in our area give your neighbors a call for any indoor air quality needs you might have!
If you reside outside our service area we hope the information here is useful for you!
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental health risks, and is quickly making its way up to the very top of that short list as Americans are in search of a healthy home. The air inside your home is regularly rated at two to five times more polluted than the air outside, and it can even get up to 100 times more polluted in extreme circumstances! Installing a UV germicidal lamp can improve your indoor air quality (IAQ) and reduce asthma and allergy problems. Here’s what you should know.
Understanding Indoor Air Quality Concerns
Today’s homes have been built to hold air inside and minimize air leaks. This tight construction saves you money on energy bills by avoiding heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. However, it also traps germs, dust, mold, pollen, animal dander, and other pollutants inside your home, where it is recirculated over and over again. This increase in contaminants can also increase your allergy-like symptoms, making it feel like there is no reprieve from your seasonal allergies.
Types of Indoor Air Pollutants
The pollutants in your home come from a variety of sources including pets, chemicals, and plants. Also the natural condensation caused in your heating and cooling system can be a great place for mold and mildew to grow. Almost all homes have more than a healthy concentration of one or more of the following:
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Mold, mildew, or fungus
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Bacteria and viruses
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Pet dander
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Dust mites
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Tobacco smoke
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Pollen
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Dust, soil, and ash
Removing Indoor Contaminants with UV Germicidal Lights
So, how can you protect yourself from these threats to your indoor air quality? Installing a UV germicidal lamp directly into your existing HVAC system can safely neutralize and remove upwards of 99% of all mold, mildew, bacteria, and fungi. UV light occurs naturally from the sun, but is filtered out by the earth's atmosphere before it can reach humans. At high concentrations of targeted exposure, UV light can disrupt the DNA of a virus or a bacteria, preventing it from multiplying or continuing to irritate your sinuses, respiratory system, or eyes.
These UV lights are installed near the condenser coils of your air conditioner, or on the supply side of your central ductwork system, and are fully enclosed in your ductwork so the UV lights cannot cause any harm to you or your family. Not only do they keep your indoor air cleaner, they can increase the overall efficiency of your heating and cooling system by preventing excess dirt, dust, mold, and bacteria!
Other Healthy IAQ Habits
There are several additional things you can do around your house to help improve the indoor air quality your family breathes. These steps will reduce the number of pollutants in your home and help family members that struggle with asthma and allergies.
Clean. Modern vacuums have filters that trap many common pollutants. Carpets, upholstery, and curtains are a common place for those pollutants to settle. Regularly vacuuming and cleaning your home greatly reduces the number of airborne contaminants circulating in the air you breathe. Cleaning the ducts in your HVAC system is also helpful.
Ventilate. If the weather allows it and the air in your area is not experiencing high pollution, it may be a good idea to allow your home to air out by opening all the windows for a day. This may not be a good idea for those that are allergic to pollen and other allergens that are more common outdoors.
By combining regular cleaning habits with a whole-home air sterilizer like a UV germicidal lamp, you can protect yourself and your family from the air pollutants that can cause or aggravate allergies and asthma.