Most people are aware of how harmful outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the typical home might be more polluted—contingent on actual situations, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so dangerous, the EPA has indoor air pollution classified as a top five environmental danger. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are commonly found indoors. Since Americans spend around 90% of their time indoors, excellent indoor air quality is vital for good health, despite if it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help handle this pollution and better our indoor air quality, we can take multiple measures. But first, we need to absorb some lingo often used to discuss indoor air quality.
HEPA
HEPA is a term many people have heard or seen, but did you realize it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are created—and certified—to trap at least 99.97% of .3-micron particles (less than the diameter of a human hair) from the air that passes through the system. This drastically increases your home’s indoor air quality when dust, pollen, mites and other contaminants are trapped.
MERV
Minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV refers to the effectiveness of an air filter. With rankings ranging from 1–16, you should pursue a top rating that reveals the filter will remove more contaminants and allergens from your air without confining the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.
At Premium Air Services LLC, we can help you understand the importance of indoor air quality and help you work on breathing the best air possible. After all, the typical adult takes in about 11,000 liters of air each day. Give us a call at 713-364-9957 if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.