Air Filtration Systems and Removal of Airborne Contaminants

Air Filtration Systems - What to consider when choosing one

Providing clean healthy air for your home is essential. According to air quality experts such as the American Lung Association, quality ventilation and air filtration inside your home should be at the top of the list of proactive measures home owners need to consider in regards to protecting the health of the occupants.

Indoor air Quality (IAQ)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised IAQ to the #4 position among all environmental threats to Americans. The EPA claims that the indoor air we breathe is typically between two and five times more dangerous to us than the pollutants outside and occasionally holds 100 times more pollutants that that of average outdoor levels of pollutants (EPA, 2000). This is of major concern as most of us today spend about 90% of our time inside. Indoor air quality problems were found to often be subtle.  The EPA found that these dangerous IAQ issues do not always produce immediate or easily recognizable impacts on a person’s health and well-being either. The EPA found that children may be especially susceptible to IAQ issues. This is due to the fact that children have a smaller body mass than adults and breathe a greater volume of air relative to their body weight (EPA, 2000). High concentration of pollutants in homes can therefore be considered to be of greater risk to children.

IAQ conditions are caused by foreign particles that have entered into the space where you and your family breathe each day while either active in the home or when asleep. Sometimes we can actually smell things that affect the air we breathe such as musty odors which might indicate the presence of mold or mildew.  But unfortunately, most of the harmful particles in the home that cause you and your family allergic reactions and respiratory distress are completely odorless. Often present are harmful allergens such as microscopic mold spores, fiberglass strands, rodent residue (hairs, rodent droppings and urine which have broken down into tiny micro particles capable of being suspended in the air) and many more.  But worse, most people are completely unaware of the fact that the air in their homes can contain known cancer-causing substances and dangerous gases such as Asbestos fibers and Radon gas.

In order to provide a healthy and comfortable indoor home environment the home needs to be able to exhaust any air borne contaminants that are generated/introduced into the home and replace this air with uncontaminated air on a continuous basis.  To do this often requires a high performance, balanced ventilation system.

Below are the key elements to consider: 

1. The effectiveness of the filtration system
2. The energy efficiency of the system
3. The moisture transfer efficiency of the solution
4. The overall cost of ownership
5. The installation and operation of the system

And that’s a lot of information to research.

At Residential Energy Pros we’ve done the heavy lifting for you in regards to research. We continually research all the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) market offerings available and only offer the solutions we would buy ourselves. We look for solutions that:

• Address all possible filtering/ventilation required
• Provide the highest energy and moisture transfer ratings
• Provide the lowest cost of ownership
• Offer the best combination of installation and integration into existing systems
• Have the lowest maintenance required for effective operation   

If you think you have an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) issue call us.  We’ll begin by asking you about your situation and then listen to your thoughts and concerns.  Next, we’ll use our high technology diagnostic tools to test the air in your home to find out what’s in it.  We will analyze the results and should the findings indicate that you do have an IAQ problem then we will work with you to understand the options you have in regards to the situation. Next we’ll ask you if you want our help in addressing the issue or issues.  There is a solution to your problems that will protect you and your family from potentially harmful airborne threats inside your home.

Click here to contact us and schedule an appointment with one of our Indoor Air Quality experts.