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In the winter, those of us who live in cold climates have a lot to deal with. It’s not just the temperature. The snow and ice close schools and cause unsafe driving conditions. Even the low humidity has impacts that make winter challenging. We can’t control the weather, but we can help with that dry air! Here are some important things to know about using a humidifier in the winter. A member of our team of air quality experts would love to talk with you if you have questions about whole house humidifiers or the ideal humidifier setting for winter in Okemos, MI.
Americans spend a shocking amount of time indoors. According to the American Lung Association, that amount is about 90% of the time. This means that whatever is in your indoor air, it is ending up in your lungs. Unfortunately, indoor air is usually much more contaminated than the fresh air outdoors. After all, it does contain the recirculated sneezes of other people.
There are a variety of possible solutions to the concern of breathing in lots of contaminated indoor air. Spending more time outdoors would be nice… but it’ll be nicer once summer arrives. Portable air filters and purifiers exist, but they’ll only help in a small space like a dorm room. For your home, a Reme Halo air purifier will have the greatest impact. Here are some of the benefits.
If there’s one thing we’d like you to know about us, it’s that we’ve been serving Lansing, MI, and the surrounding areas since 1981. With over 40 years of HVAC experience, we know the particular issues that Michigan homeowners face when it comes to heating and cooling their homes and their indoor air quality.
In the modern internet era, there seems to be an endless amount of products to solve an endless amount of issues. This makes it almost impossible as a consumer to truly get exactly what you want. When it comes to things as important as your health, though, you do not want to go with second best.
Allergies and asthma affect millions of people every year, leading them to find some relief through medicine or an air purifying device. At A-1 Mechanical, we only work with the best brands of air purifiers available to ensure customers are receiving the very best.
Why Install an Indoor Air Purifier?
A home without an indoor air purifier is less comfortable and safe to be in, especially for those who are suffering from health issues like allergies or asthma. Indoor air purifiers work by capturing and killing contaminants such as pollen, bacteria and dust mites to remove from the air supply inside of your home for cleaner and healthier air.
Unlike portable air purifiers which service just one room or small area of the home, whole house air cleaners are installed directly to your HVAC system and begin working right away, making them efficient at getting your entire home’s air clean, as fast as possible.
Which Air Purifier Is Best for Allergies and Asthma?
Once you have decided that making the upgrade to an air purifier for your home is a worthwhile investment, it is decision time. Knowing which air purifier to go with can be a tough choice when you are not familiar with the systems. We recommend working with an experienced company to help you choose one.
At A-1 Mechanical, we have spent years serving the community and providing homeowners here with the highest standard of service and care. Through those years, we have garnered the experience needed to help homeowners make qualified decisions about what is best for them and their home. If you are looking for an air purifier to help combat the symptoms of allergies and asthma, then we recommend the INFINITY® AIR PURIFIER – DGAPA.
Why Choose the INFINITY® AIR PURIFIER – DGAPA?
The INFINITY® AIR PURIFIER – DGAPA helps to purify your air by capturing and killing air contaminants that are commonly found in homes. It helps prevent things like pollen, animal dander, and general bacteria from making their way back into the home’s air supply. It is able to block up to 95% of airborne particles, and has even been determined by independent testing to block the common cold surrogate.
Why Work With A-1 Mechanical?
If you are looking for the best air purifier on the market, then you need to work with the right team to back it up. Improper installation could lead to your air purifier underperforming and not working as optimally as it should.
Have complete trust in both your system and the team behind it with A-1 Mechanical. We have been committed to serving the Lansing and Grand Rapids communities for years and are eager to continue to do so.
If you are ready to take your home’s health and safety to the next level with the best air purifier for allergies and asthma, contact A-1 Mechanical. Schedule an appointment with us today to get started. We can improve your home’s indoor air quality for a healthier and happier home.
As a homeowner, you should already know that replacing your HVAC system’s air filter on a regular basis is important to the longevity of your equipment, system energy efficiency, and indoor air quality. When shopping for a replacement air filter, you may feel overwhelmed with the many different types of HVAC filters available for use with your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. A-1 Mechanical introduces you to the different types of air filters and explains which one might be best for your home.
Efficiency Ratings of Air Filters
Before we get into the different air filters you can purchase, let’s talk about filter efficiency. All types of air filters use MERV ratings to measure their performance efficiency. MERV stands for minimum efficiency reporting value, and this number tells you how effective a particular filter is at removing airborne particles of a certain size. The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the filter’s performance when removing small pollutant particles.
For air filters that are suitable for use in residential heating and cooling systems, MERV ratings range from 1 to about 13. Though the MERV scale goes all the way up to 20, at a certain point the efficiency of a filter can begin to restrict airflow in an HVAC system which can cause more harm than good. MERV 17 to 20 filters should only be used in commercial buildings and specific environments, while MERV 14 to 16 filters may be used in a residential air cleaner that works alongside the home’s HVAC system.
Typically, new forced air HVAC equipment will come with a standard 1-inch disposable filter that has a MERV rating between 1 to 4. These are the least efficient types of air filters available. Upgrading to a higher MERV filter can provide better protection for your heating and cooling system as well as better contaminant control for improved indoor air quality.
Types of Air Filters for HVAC Systems
There are several different air filter types you can use in your home’s heating or air conditioning system. Each type has its own pros and cons, so familiarize yourself with the options before you shop for replacement filters.
Fiberglass filters: Fiberglass filters use fiberglass material to filter out airborne particles passing through the HVAC system. These air filters are the most budget-friendly option, but their performance is often found lacking by some homeowners. Fiberglass filters have low MERV ratings and are not very effective for removing small particulate matter from the indoor air supply. Also, they need to be replaced more frequently than other types of air filters.
Pleated filters: Pleated filters use a cotton or polyester fiber material for filtration. The material is folded into pleats, providing more surface area to trap contaminant particles. This choice is typically a bit more expensive than fiberglass filters, but they are more efficient for removing finer particles from the air as their MERV ratings tend to run in the middle of the road for residential HVAC filters, giving users a longer filter life compared to lower quality options.
Washable filters: If you’re concerned about waste, you may opt to use a washable filter for your HVAC system. These types of air filters can be reused over and over again – instead of throwing the used filter away and installing a new one, just wash and dry this filter and use it again! These types of air filters are better for the environment because their use reduces waste, which also allows users to save money on purchasing disposable replacement filters. They do have lower MERV ratings than some disposable filters and aren’t extremely effective at filtering out smaller particles. Because of their low MERV rating, homeowners often need to wash these filters several times each year. If you want low-maintenance air filters, disposables may be your preferred choice.
If you have some type of air cleaner or air purification system that uses a filter installed with your HVAC system, there are different types of air filters available for use in this equipment.
Pleated filters designed for use in a media air cleaner filter cabinet can be thicker than ones used in the standard HVAC system, offering higher MERV ratings and longer filter life.
Electrostatic filters offer media filtration and use an electrostatic charge to help capture small particles. They sometimes have difficulty effectively trapping larger contaminants though, like mold spores and large dust particles. Depending on the model, these types of air filters can be disposable or washable.
HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters are extremely efficient, removing as much as 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants including dust, pollen, bacteria, and viruses. Because of their extreme efficiency, HEPA air filters cannot be used in all equipment due to potential airflow restriction.
Find the Right Types of Air Filters for Use in Your HVAC System
Curious as to which types of filters are suitable for use with your HVAC equipment? Contact A-1 Mechanical today to speak with a professional and learn more about your air filter options.
Isn’t it awful when one member of your family has a cold, and then the next thing you know, everyone in your house is sick? Improving the indoor air quality in your home with a whole home air purifier can make a big difference in your family’s health. But how do you choose an air purifier that’s right for you? Luckily, the heating and cooling experts at A-1 Mechanical offer two fantastic whole-house air cleaning solutions, and we’ll help you find out which one will be the most effective in your home.
Why Do I Need a Whole House Air Purifier?
The best way to fill your house with clean air is to open the windows and allow the outdoor air to enter and cycle around your house. This may be difficult to do in colder months, though, or if anyone in your family has seasonal outdoor allergies. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend almost 90% of their time indoors, which exposes them to 2-5 times the pollutants than they would be exposed to outdoors.
Air cleaners, air purifiers, and air filtration systems all essentially do the same thing; they filter out the contaminants in the air. A lot of these contaminants are living in your vents and HVAC system. When air passes through your HVAC system, it will pass through your new air cleaner’s filter, which strips the air of certain contaminants before it comes out of the registers and into your living areas.
How to Choose an Air Purifier
A-1 Mechanical offers two excellent options to purify the air in your home. You might notice that one is called an “air purifier” and one is an “air filter.” You may be wondering what the difference is between the two types.
The main difference is the type of filter they offer. Air cleaners use fiberglass and activated carbon to filter the air, while air purifiers use a more intense filter with negative ions to sanitize the air. The strength of the filters determines what kind of germs can be caught in them. A filter’s strength is measured in Maximum Efficiency Reporting Values, or MERV rating. This rating is between 1-20. The higher the MERV rating, the better it is.
Infinity Air Purifier
The infinity air purifier is a top-of-the-line product for superior indoor air quality. It has been proven effective against human influenza, common cold germs, and streptococcus pyogenes.
These filters have a 15 MERV rating and can remove common household pollutants from the air such as smoke, odors, dust, and pet dander. They are compatible with most home’s HVAC systems and come with a one-year parts warranty.
Comfort EZ Flex Cabinet Air Filter
The Comfort EZ Flex Cabinet Air Filter is what some might call an “air cleaner.” Although effective in removing very small particles, air cleaners fall short at sanitizing the air. They remove allergens and dust from circulating in your HVAC system but are not great at removing bacteria, viruses, and pathogens that make us sick.
If members of your family suffer from asthma or intense allergies, this is a great choice for you. With a MERV rating of 10, this filter removes up to 65% of airborne particles.
Which Air Purifier Should I Choose?
Choosing an air purifier can seem like a difficult task. You need to ask yourself: which particles bother you and your family the most? If your family seems constantly sick, or someone in your home has COVID-19, the Infinity Air Purifier is probably the best choice for you to stop the spread of germs. This might also be a good choice if you have pets.
If your family suffers from seasonal allergies or asthma but is otherwise healthy, the Comfort EZ Flex Cabinet Air Filter would be a great match for your family.
Call A-1 Mechanical to Start Breathing Easy
If you’re buying an air purifier, the best way to be sure you choose the best model for your home is to talk to one of A-1 Mechanical’s indoor air quality experts. They’ll assess your needs and help you solidify your choice of air cleaning solutions. Call us today to learn more.
While you can’t see bacteria and viruses that lead to sickness traveling in your air, those contaminants are very likely still present. However, there are ways that you can fight back and improve your home’s indoor air quality.
We all want to protect our families in any way possible. Air purifiers can help your family stay safe and healthy from bacteria, viruses, and other indoor air pollution that might be traveling in your indoor air supply. Keep reading to learn more about how air purifiers work, as well as how they can be used to improve your family’s health and reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
You’re probably familiar with how air filters work. Air filters work by removing any harmful indoor particles from the air. Air purifiers, on the other hand, go a step beyond. They remove air pollutants and harmful particles in the air and then sanitize the air supply to add an extra layer of protection.
Because air purifiers actually sanitize the air that your family breathes, most homes find them to be far more effective than air filtration systems.
How Air Purifiers Can Improve Your Health
Many common airborne diseases are contracted through small pathogens that might be traveling through your air. That’s why common colds and flus are able to spread so quickly between family members.
An air purification system catches and removes these pathogens and volatile organic compounds and then sanitizes the air to completely eliminate any traces of dangerous pathogens and particles.
These systems are a great way to improve the overall health of those within your home, but it’s important to note that they won’t completely eliminate all particles. Dangerous particles that can cause sickness can still live on surfaces such as tables, walls, and carpeting.
How Air Purifiers Reduce Allergy and Asthma Symptoms
Common irritants and allergens such as dust, mold, and bacteria can wreak havoc on anybody who suffers from common allergies or asthma. Breathing in particles from these pollutants can make anyone feel miserable throughout the day.
However, air purifiers and air cleaners can help by eliminating these allergens and decreasing mold growth. Save yourself and your family from the constant sneezing and coughing caused by allergy symptoms with the installation of an air purification system.
Get in touch with us today for more information about how air purifiers can provide health benefits by reducing and even eliminating allergy and asthma symptoms.
Can Air Purifiers Improve Sleep?
Thanks to the elimination of irritating and potentially harmful indoor air pollutants by an air purifier, you’ll feel better and get sick less. You’ll be breathing easier, allowing you and your family to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
With better sleep from your air purifier comes benefits such as a better immune system and improved cognitive abilities. An air purification system can help your family stay safe, healthy, and happy.
Contact A-1 Mechanical for Air Purifier Services
The experts at A-1 Mechanical want to help your family stay safe, healthy, and comfortable all year long. If anybody within your house is dealing with allergies or asthma symptoms, or you’ve had more illnesses than normal running through your family, get in contact with us today to schedule an appointment for air purifier installation or other indoor air quality services. We’ll help you breathe healthier, more comfortable air than ever before.
Dry air can cause many health and comfort issues among Grand Rapids area residents during the winter. Because the air is naturally dry during the holiday season, homeowners struggle to keep relative humidity levels inside the home balanced. A whole house humidifier helps you manage indoor humidity and avoid the negative consequences of prolonged dry air exposure. Contact the indoor air quality experts at A-1 Mechanical today for installation of a whole house humidifier.
How Do Whole House Humidifiers Work?
A whole home humidifier is different from portable units many have in their homes. Instead of treating just a small area, a whole house humidifier is capable of treating dry air across the entire home. It works with your heating and cooling system to add moisture to the air as it cycles through your ductwork and heating system. Properly humidified and heated air is then delivered back to your living areas.
In addition to humidification for the entire home, a whole house humidifier is energy efficient and easy to care for. You don’t have to continuously refill the reservoir like you do with portable units, as the humidifier has a dedicated plumbing supply line to provide water. There’s no need to sanitize and clean it several times throughout the season, either. Simple maintenance and a new water panel in the fall is typically all that’s needed!
The Benefits of Installing a Whole Home Humidifier
Using a whole house humidifier benefits your family in many ways. With your humidifier running this winter during lower temperatures, you can keep your household healthier and more comfortable!
Prevent Viral Transmission & Illnesses
Did you know that viruses linger longer in low humidity? When the air in your home doesn’t have enough humidity, these particles remain in the air where they are able to circulate throughout the house and potentially spread among family members. Properly humidified air causes these particles to fall out of suspension, which helps prevent transmission. Use a whole house humidifier to keep the level of humidity in the 25 to 45 percent range this winter.
Another reason to keep indoor air properly moisturized during the winter is to keep nasal passages damp. When the tissue inside your nostrils dries out due to dry air exposure, you are more likely to catch a cold or other virus. When moist, this membrane provides a natural barrier against viruses and bacteria.
Avoid Dry Air Irritations
In addition to dry nasal passages, exposure to dry air and low humidity levels hurt the body in other ways, such as:
Chapped or cracked lips
Dry skin
Dry throats
Sore throats
Bloody noses
Increased allergy symptoms
When there is enough humidity in the air, your body is exposed to the moisture it needs to prevent such issues.
Maintain Warmth
Relative humidity levels don’t just impact moisture levels, they also affect how warm your home feels. When the air is dry, you feel colder because your skin’s moisture evaporates at a faster rate. When air is humidified, evaporation occurs more slowly – moisture stays on the skin, helping your body hold in its warmth. Thus, you feel warmer.
Homeowners who use whole house humidifiers often find they’re able to turn their thermostats down a couple of degrees and still stay comfortable. By reducing heating system use, a whole house humidifier is able to help your household conserve energy and save money throughout the winter.
Contact A-1 Mechanical to Learn More about Installing a Whole House Humidifier
Are you ready to have a whole home humidifier installed in your Lansing or Grand Rapids area residence? The professionals at A-1 Mechanical are here to help you keep your home properly humidified this winter and protect your family’s health. Contact us today to request an estimate for installing a whole house humidifier.
There are several air cleaners for whole home use available to homeowners across the Lansing and Grand Rapids areas. Air cleaners address indoor pollution issues to improve the health and comfort of a home’s occupants.
In this blog, the HVAC technicians at A-1 Mechanical share the types of air cleaners that are used to generate better indoor air quality for Michigan households. Schedule a consultation with our team today to learn more about your options and how to select the best solution to address your needs.
Types of Air Cleaners
For treatment of airborne pollutants and allergens throughout the entire home, your best choice is a whole home air purification system. Common types of air cleaners include portable models, but these units are only helpful for treating the air in a small room or area. They simply do not have the capacity nor are they meant to treat the home’s entire air supply.
A whole home air cleaner is strategically installed as part of your home’s central HVAC system. This allows these types of air cleaners to provide treatment to the home’s entire air volume as it circulates through the ducts for heating and cooling. A portable air cleaner is only exposed to a small volume of the home’s air.
The most popular types of air purifiers for whole home use include media air cleaners and air purifiers.
Media Air Cleaners
These types of air purifiers offer advanced filtration of airborne pollutants beyond what your standard furnace filter is capable of providing. Media air cleaners use filters that are thick and dense to trap more and finer particles – they can be up to five inches thick, whereas the standard furnace filter is only one inch thick. Media filter types of air purifiers are effective at trapping many kinds of contaminants, from common allergens like dust mites and pet dander to biological matter such as mold spores.
Installed on the return duct, media air cleaners filter air before it moves into the furnace or air handler. It traps contaminants, removing them from the air supply to prevent recirculation into living areas and protecting sensitive HVAC system components from exposure.
The advanced filters used in media air cleaners have MERV ratings at the higher end of what is suitable for home use, typically from MERV 6 up to MERV 15. These higher MERV filters have a longer useful life and require less frequent changes than most standard disposable furnace filters – a change is required about every nine months to one year. Some filters use activated charcoal or carbon to treat odors as well as particulate matter.
Some units are available with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters that are MERV 16 to 20. However, these filters are typically used in specialized environments like hospitals and clean rooms. Their density can create problems when used with a residential HVAC system due to added resistance, which makes it difficult for the unit’s blower motor to circulate air through the filter.
Air Purifiers
There are many types of air purifiers available today. Some use UV light, while others use electrostatic means to attract the contaminants into the filters and kill them. UV light air purifiers use ultraviolet energy to treat airborne pollutants. These types of air purifiers do not remove particulate matter from the air supply, but instead render contaminants ineffective and unable to reproduce. Mold, viruses, bacteria, and germs are treated by UV light air purifiers.
Installed within the HVAC system’s ducts or within heating and cooling equipment, UV light air purifiers treat air as it passes through the home’s comfort system. The UV light neutralizes particles so they cannot cause allergy symptoms among household members or grow in areas of the home or HVAC system.
UV light air purifiers use minimal electricity to operate. Maintenance is very easy, as bulbs only require replacement every one to three years, depending on the type.
A-1 Mechanical Helps Homeowners Achieve Better Indoor Air Quality
These types of air purifiers are highly effective for treatment of air pollution inside the home and are recommended for households with allergy sufferers, those with respiratory conditions, and more. Air purifiers deliver cleaner air while protecting your home and your loved ones from harmful contaminant exposure and growth. Contact A-1 Mechanical today to find the air purification solution that offers the protection you want and need!
Do you know how often to change your HVAC system’s air filter? There is no one set answer for all Grand Rapids area homes, as many different variables come into play affecting the service life of a furnace filter.
How often you change your home’s HVAC air filter depends on how long your filter is expected to last and the different qualities of your home that impact the filter. When in doubt, call A-1 Mechanical for expert advice and indoor air quality services for your Michigan home.
How Long Do Air Filters Generally Last?
As mentioned above, there is no set service life for an air filter – it requires an evaluation of many different aspects. Air filter manufacturers include a recommendation for how often to change air filters. You can find this information on the product insert that comes with a new filter. Furnace filters are expected to last anywhere from one month to one year.
1-inch and 2-inch air filters should be replaced about every one to three months
3-inch and 4-inch filters require replacement after six to nine months
5-inch and 6-inch air filters need a change after nine months to one year
Factors Affecting How Often to Change HVAC Air Filters
The manufacturer’s recommendation isn’t the final answer on how frequently you should change your furnace filter. The biggest factors affecting filter service life are detailed below.
Pets in the Home
Indoor pets shed hair and dander that easily become airborne in your home. These materials clog air filters faster. Homes with one pet should generally replace filters after two months; those with more than one pet may need to replace the filter monthly.
Heating & Air Conditioning System Use
How frequently your heating or air conditioning system is in use impacts filter service life as well. During periods of the year when HVAC equipment runs often, air is circulated more times through the home compared to times when the HVAC system is used sparingly. More cycles mean more passes through the filter and opportunities to trap contaminants, so filters typically fill up faster during high-use periods.
At the peak of summer and winter, air filters need to be changed more frequently than required during the spring, fall and the milder months.
Allergy & Asthma Sufferers
If there are allergy or asthma sufferers in your household, clean air is critical to their health and comfort indoors. You’ll need to change your HVAC filter more frequently when allergy and asthma sufferers are present. Changing the filter on a more frequent basis ensures the filter has the available surface area needed to filter out the contaminants that trigger symptoms among your loved ones.
Have Questions? A-1 Mechanical Is Here to Help!
Estimating how often to change an air filter can be tricky because of so many different variables at play. If you’re unsure how often your furnace filter requires replacement, call A-1 Mechanical! Our knowledgeable team of NATE-certified HVAC system technicians is always available to assess the indoor air quality needs of your home and help you create a plan for cleaner air indoors, from an accurate filter replacement schedule to installing advanced filtration solutions.
