"Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasion more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. Unlike outdoor air, indoor air is recycled again and again. This causes it to trap and build up pollutants. Common pollutants include dust, mold and spores, pollen, pet dander and smoke.
How bad is the air quality in our area? According to statistics gathered by the National Resource Defense Council, Cleveland ranked 10th. (out of 239 U.S. cities) for "premature deaths attributable to particulate air pollution." While pollution levels in Eastern suburbs are certainly lower than downtown Cleveland, our proximity to a city with high pollution ratings is cause for concern. If we can't control the quality of our outdoor air, we can control the air quality inside our homes and businesses.
"Over the past several decades, our exposure to indoor air pollutants is believed to have increased due to a variety of factors, including the construction of more tightly sealed buildings, reduced ventilation rates to save energy, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings, and the use of chemically formulated personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.
The high incidence of indoor air pollution has brought a new phrase into the English language: Sick Building Syndrome. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, sinus congestion, itchy or watery eyes scratchy throats nausea lethargy, and an inability to concentrate. Sick building syndrome can lead to respiratory infections and can aggravate symptoms associated with allergies and asthma.
The effects of indoor air pollution can be costly in the work place. Symptoms, such as those listed above, may negatively impact the work performance of employees and may lead to increased absenteeism. It has been estimated that contaminated air results in medical costs of about $1 billion dollars a year and costs employers approximately $60 billion a year in employee sick leave and lost production.
The most energy efficient buildings are especially susceptible to sick building syndrome. These facilities are tight: they do not allow indoor air to escape or outdoor air to seep in. Most pollutants are so small (about half the size of a sharp pencil point) that standard throw away air filers trap only 15% of the pollutant particles in your air. As on an airplane, the same is is circulated over and over again and so are the pollutants that air contains. In fact, the particles you see in a beam of afternoon sunlight streaming through window only represent about 1% of the of airborne contaminants, most of which you can't see. Fortunately, indoor air quality can be greatly improved by the use of proper filtration systems, which trap and remove the pollutants that build up in the air, and by the regular maintenance of your building's heating and cooling systems.
All cooling and heating systems utilize some type of filter in their return air vents. However the standard cardboard frame filters used by most consumers are only about 15% effective in removing dust and particles from the air. They have no effect on pollen, micro-organisms, smoke or other similar pollutants.
Electrostatic filters are more effective than standard filters. However, as they get dirty, they quickly become less efficient. To maintain efficiency, they should be hosed off on a regular basis. Because they can be cleaned and reused, they are more economical, in the long run, than the standard throw away filters.
Under the Atmospheric Dust Spot Efficiency test, electrostatic filters rate at 20% efficiency. For marketing purposes, the manufacturers and retailers of electrostatic filters use the "arrestance test" for rating their efficiency. This is a less stringent test than the Atmospheric Dust Spot Efficiency Test and may result in a rating of up to 95% for the electrostatic filter.
Electronic air cleaners produce the best results. They capture up to 95% of all airborne pollutants, including bacteria, dust, animal hair, dust mites, mildew, lint, fungus, smoke, cooking grease, bacteria and even many viruses. (They rate at 80% - 90% efficiency on the stringent Atmospheric Dust Spot Efficiency Test).
An air cleaner actually draws the dirt out of the air, so your wallpaper and paint stay cleaner longer. And, you don't have to clean draperies, upholstery and other furnishings as often." These same air pollutants may also harm your air conditioning equipment and may seriously reduce its life span and its energy efficiency. An effective filtration system can pay for itself by increasing energy efficiency and prolonging the life of your cooling system. It can also eliminate the need for professional air duct cleaning. Your entire environment benefits from an electronic air cleaner.
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Simply the best in air cleaning. Period. The Aprilaire Model 5000 Electronic Air Cleaner's performance exceeds all other whole-house air cleaners on the market today. Its breakthrough technology delivers record-setting performance. Even trapping particles as small as a virus at an efficiency of 80%. Unlike standard plate-type electronic air cleaners that lose efficiency over time and require regular maintenance, the Aprilaire Electronic Air Cleaner's special electronically enhanced media permanently traps particulate, so you get the efficiency you expect all the time. And the special Aprilaire media only needs to be changed once a year. Maintenance is simple! |
If your home uses a gas fueled furnace or gas powered appliances, they must be properly maintained to prevent the release of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and is virtually impossible for the human senses to detect. In fact, because carbon monoxide is so hard to detect and is so deadly, it has earned the nick-name "The Silent Killer". Most accidental carbon monoxide poisonings occur from house fires, malfunctioning home-heating systems and hot-water heaters. The most common symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and fatigue.
To reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning inside your home or place of business, have your furnace serviced annually by a licensed technician. An annual check-up should include a thorough inspection of the heating unit for cracks, holes, and leaks which can release carbon monoxide into the air A-All Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. performs annual heating check-ups for homes and businesses in north Harris and Montgomery Counties.
While proper maintenance of your gas powered furnace and appliances is your best safeguard against carbon monoxide poisoning inside your home or place of business, you may wish to invest, as well, in a carbon monoxide detector. If you use a detector, be aware that carbon monoxide weighs less than oxygen and can be present in the upper part of a room (close to the ceiling) long before a detector placed on the floor will detect it. A good detector will run between $30 and $150.00