How clean is your air?

As wildfires continue to spread across Oklahoma and other parts of the country, this is an appropriate time to think about improving the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your home in Oklahoma City, OK. Even if you and your loved ones are unaffected by the ash and smoke, these fires remind us all of the importance of fresh air.

At All Comfort Specialist, we offer practical solutions on how to get the most value out of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. We do things the right way to keep you comfortable for years to come!

Your Air Quality and Wildfires

Even if you are not close to the wildfires, the air pollution from the smoke and ash can still impact your health. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the biggest threat from smoke is from microscopic particles that can get into your eyes and respiratory system.

These particles can lead to runny noses, burning eyes, and illnesses such as bronchitis. Long-term exposure can trigger heart and lung diseases.

Air pollution can affect your health both indoors and outdoors. Smoke particles enter your Oklahoma City, OK, home through open windows and doors, exhaust fans that vent to the outdoors, and HVAC systems with a fresh air intake. Even small cracks around your windows and doors allow for infiltration.

Air Cleaners and Filters

Air cleaners can serve as the first line of defense against airborne contaminants in your home. You can choose between a portable system to move around your home or a whole-house purifier that integrates with your HVAC system.

If you decide to purchase a portable air cleaner, be sure it is the right size for the rooms in which you plan to use it. You can schedule an appointment with our team to determine the right system for your needs and budget.

In choosing the right air filter for your HVAC equipment, the EPA recommends purchasing a filter with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 13 rating or higher. Be sure to choose a filter rating your system can accommodate—otherwise, you risk compromising your equipment’s airflow.

Your HVAC System and Smoke

If you have a central air conditioning (AC) system with a fresh air intake, turn the lever to recirculate mode. Doing so prevents your system from drawing in smoke-polluted air from the outdoors. Also, be sure to change the air filter at least every 90 days to get the most protection.

If your home has a window air conditioning unit, close the outside air damper to help keep out the smoke. Be sure the seal is tight between the air conditioner and the window.

The air ducts in your home play a vital role when it comes to your indoor air quality. Dust, dirt—even ash—will accumulate in your ductwork over time. Having your ductwork cleaned and sealed will improve the air you breathe and help extend the service life of your HVAC equipment.

Know Your Air Quality

Smoke levels can change a lot from one day to the next. You can monitor the change and respond accordingly by checking www.airnow.gov for air quality forecasts and current conditions.

If you must be outdoors for an extended time during smoky conditions, wear an N95 respirator if possible. Scarves, surgical masks, or bandanas will not protect your lungs.

Create a Clean Room

Dedicate a room in your Oklahoma City, OK, home that is large enough to fit everyone comfortably. It will come in handy, particularly if you have family members who are young or old or have lung or heart conditions. A bedroom with an attached bathroom is your best choice.

Keep windows and doors closed to this room. A portable air cleaner helps here if it fits in your budget. Otherwise, take all possible steps to prevent smoke from entering this room. Do not use this room for exercising or cooking.

Our professionals at All Comfort Specialist can offer suggestions on how to create and maintain a clean room to help you stay comfortable and healthy.

Call Your Indoor Air Quality Experts Today!

Take steps today to protect the air you breathe inside your Oklahoma City, OK, home. At All Comfort Specialist, we offer products and services designed for all types of buildings and uses. Call 405-323-0994 or request service online today to learn more about indoor air quality systems and which ones work best for you.

The post Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality first appeared on All Comfort Specialist and is written by All Comfort Specialist.

At All Comfort Specialist, our top priority is the health and safety of you and your loved ones. We take great pride in selling indoor air quality (IAQ) products to homes in Oklahoma City, OK, that are energy efficient, environmentally friendly—and extremely effective when it comes to improving your health and comfort.

Indoor Air Quality and Your Health

Did you ever start sneezing or coughing right after you entered a building or home? You can probably blame the poorly maintained indoor air quality.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to the public’s health. It gets even scarier when you consider that most people spend the vast majority of their time indoors.

You want a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that is designed to know how to maintain fresh indoor air quality.

How HVAC Equipment Can Help You Stay Healthy

Indoor air quality equipment can be designed to restore humidity levels, remove stale air—and kills bacteria. In many cases, this equipment is integrated with your existing ductwork and HVAC equipment, which is why you want one of our certified and insured professionals at All Comfort Specialist to do the work.

Indoor air quality products that you may want to consider for your home include:

• UV (Ultraviolet) Antibacterial Lamps attack biological contaminants inside the home, such as bacteria and viruses, mold spores, and mildew.
• Whole House In-Duct Air Purifiers capable of eliminating dust, dander, and pollen from your entire home.
• Whole-House Air Filtration Systems that trap dust, pollen, bacteria, and other pollutants.
• Whole-House Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers to properly adjust the amount of moisture in your home.
• Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) that exhaust the stale indoor air and bring in fresh, preconditioned air from the outdoors.

Many of these systems are used in hospitals and industrial facilities around the country. They are proven at maintaining indoor air quality—and are designed to keep you comfortable and healthy inside your Oklahoma City, OK, home or business.

Reduce Infection Chances

Remember, these systems maintain a healthy air quality but do not prevent anyone from getting infected. Some stubborn viruses can survive for days on a surface, such as a door handle. Good hygiene also plays a critical role in your health.

Because viruses spread through respiratory outlets, health officials recommend:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth until you wash your hands
• Wipe off door handles and light switches (especially if they are frequently used)
• Maintain a distance of at least three feet from anyone coughing or sneezing
• Stay home if you feel unwell

Common sense and good hygiene are your best weapons for staying healthy.

Improve the Air Quality Inside Your Home

Technology in the HVAC industry is constantly creating a new vision for how we can improve our environment and health in the comfort of our Oklahoma City, OK, homes. At All Comfort Specialist, we offer products and services that keep you comfortable and safe. Call 405-323-0994 or request service online today to learn more about our indoor air quality services.

The post How Your HVAC Equipment Protects Against Viruses first appeared on All Comfort Specialist and is written by All Comfort Specialist.

Stand outdoors on one of those days when the weather feels perfect, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy the fresh air.

Later, take another deep breath—only inside your home. How does it compare?

Improving the indoor air quality (IAQ) at your home in Oklahoma City, OK, makes sense on so many levels. Consider your health, your comfort, and your household budget. It’s hard to imagine a more important investment than improving the air you breathe!

At All Comfort Specialist, we install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that add value to your home and enjoyment to your lives. Our equipment brings comfort, safety, and cost savings.

After all, nothing spells happiness like fresh air.

How Can You Improve Your Indoor Air Quality?

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consistently ranks indoor air pollution as a growing concern to the public’s health. Fortunately, there are ways to take control of the air you breathe.

A DIY task you should always remember is to regularly change your HVAC air filter. Most manufacturers recommend changing the filter at least every 90 days—more so if you have pets or a smoker in your home.

Filters capture dust, debris, and other particles in the airflow. They play a vital role in cleaning the air and helping your HVAC system operate more efficiently.

There are varying types of air filters available, from inexpensive disposal filters to permanent ones requiring regular washing. Consider using high-particulate efficiency air (HEPA) filters if anyone in your home suffers from asthma or allergies.

Always check manufacturer guidelines on choosing the best filters for your particular system.

The second DIY task is even easier: open the windows throughout your Oklahoma City, OK, home for a few minutes per day, weather permitting. You will enjoy the gentle breeze while improving your air quality!

Schedule an HVAC Tune-Up

A well-maintained air conditioner (AC) not only cools down your home but also helps reduce extra moisture in the air.

A leaky air conditioning unit, on the other hand, can cause bacteria and mold growth.

If you want to breathe clean indoor air, keep your HVAC system in good working order. Schedule an annual tune-up for your air conditioning unit in the spring, and one for your furnace in the fall. If your home has a heat pump, we recommend tune-ups in the spring and fall since it works twice as hard.

Scheduling tune-ups and inspections with All Comfort Specialist helps you get the best performance from your HVAC investment. It also nips leaks in the bud and prevents a minor issue from turning into a costly disaster.

And remember, upgrading your residential heating and cooling system adds comfort to your life—and value to your home.

Choosing a Home Air Purifier

Adding a portable or whole-house air purifier to your home’s HVAC system can do wonders toward improving your indoor air quality. These systems play many roles—certain models are designed to reduce pollen, pet dander, and other inorganic particles.

Other systems—particularly ones that use ultraviolet (UV) lighting—help eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other airborne microorganisms.

If you want to eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pollen, bacteria, and other airborne pollution floating around your Oklahoma City, OK, home, consider installing an air filtration system. Our professionals at All Comfort Specialist can recommend which system best fits your budget and needs.

Maintain Your Air Ducts

Air ducts are like a superhighway delivering fresh air to every room in your home. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends air duct cleaning every 3-5 years for most homes. 

By having your air ducts cleaned regularly, you will help improve the indoor air quality in your home and enhance the efficiency of your HVAC system, which may reduce energy bills.

Call Your Indoor Air Quality Experts Today!

Turn to your indoor air quality experts at All Comfort Specialist to help make your Oklahoma City, OK, home healthier and more comfortable. For a free, no-obligation consultation, call us at 405-323-0994 or request service online.

The post Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality first appeared on All Comfort Specialist and is written by All Comfort Specialist.

Is the air inside your home making you sick?

Dust, allergens, and even pet dander can build up in your air ducts, leading to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). This can trigger allergies and asthma attacks and even contribute to respiratory problems.

Duct cleaning is a practical way to improve your home’s air quality in Oklahoma City, OK. If you live in a home with a central HVAC system, the airflow circulates through these ducts. Keeping your ductwork well-maintained reduces the number of pollutants in the air and also helps your AC and furnace operate more efficiently.

At All Comfort Specialist we work hard to keep you comfortable and safe! Call us today at 405-323-0994 for a free consultation about your next project.

Why Clean Your Air Ducts?

Poorly maintained air ducts blow dust and other pollutants into your home, triggering allergies and asthma attacks. Over time, indoor air pollution can lead to serious respiratory issues. The build-up of debris in the airflow also forces your equipment to work harder.

Clean Your Ducts and Remove the Dust

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should consider having your ducts cleaned if you say yes to one or all of these criteria:

• You have visible mold growth inside your ductwork or other parts of your heating and cooling system. Many sections of your HVAC system are not easily accessible or easy to inspect. Our team at All Comfort Specialist can inspect your system and determine if your ducts need cleaning.
• You see evidence of rodents or insects living inside your ductwork.
• Your ducts are clogged with dust and debris, releasing particles through the registers into your home and living areas.
• Someone in your home is experiencing symptoms similar to allergies, the cold, or the flu that may be related to your indoor air quality.

Air Duct Testing

Low pressure typically indicates tears and leaks in your air ducts. Those leaks allow pollutants to infiltrate your ductwork and drive up your energy expenses. Schedule an appointment today so one of our air duct cleaning professionals in Options County can test the pressure.

If the pressure is too low, we can decide together whether it makes more sense to repair or replace the ductwork.

Repairing Your Air Ducts

Calling us right away if you detect a problem with your air conditioner, furnace, or ductwork often minimizes the chances of an inconvenient and costly repair. Don’t wait for a complete breakdown!

It could be a strange noise, patchy comfort, or suspicious odor—or perhaps your utility bills keep going up even though the rates are not increasing. Our licensed technicians will quickly troubleshoot the problem and find a practical solution.

At All Comfort Specialist, we only replace a part if necessary or if we can demonstrate significant cost savings. We can repair, maintain, and extend your existing ductwork to a new addition in your home. We value your business and work hard to keep it!

Maintaining Your Air Ducts

Preventative maintenance plays a vital role in maintaining all your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical equipment. This includes your ductwork—allowing our team of experts to clean and seal the air ducts in your home or business just makes sense.

As a general rule, we recommend cleaning your ductwork every three to five years—more often if you have pets in the home or someone who smokes. Scheduling annual HVAC tune-ups and inspections goes a long way toward protecting this investment.

Call Your Air Duct Experts Today

Between work and home, most of our day is spent indoors. Let’s create an indoor environment that is comfortable and safe for everyone! Call All Comfort Specialist at 405-323-0994 or request service online today to learn more about our professional duct cleaning services in Oklahoma City, OK, and surrounding areas.

The post How Your Home’s Air Ducts Affect Your Health first appeared on All Comfort Specialist and is written by All Comfort Specialist.