Unfortunately, buildings contain many harmful particulates. Most of us probably aren’t aware of what’s really in the “dust” inside our homes and what we produce when we cook, clean, do laundry, or merely exist inside a house. Many of the particulates that probably come to mind, including pollen and pet dander, can aggravate our immune systems but are usually too large to get into the bloodstream and make us very sick. However, many more particulates, including viruses and bacteria, are small enough to get deep inside our respiratory tracts, enter the bloodstream, and harm us.

The HVAC system is a key piece that can make our homes healthier and manage indoor pollution. However, we first need to understand what’s in our air, how it gets there, and how it affects our bodies.

WHAT REALLY IS DUST?

I think most of us have a pretty good idea of what “dust” is. We see it as a film of dry particles that forms on objects that haven’t been touched in a long time.

That’s dust that has settled. Before dust settles, it’s suspended in the air and is often made up of particulates that we can’t see. Many of those particulates are dead skin cells; the average person sheds about 7 MILLION dead skin cells per hour! Other biological materials include dust mites, pollen, pet dander, decomposed insects, and spores.

All of those sound pretty gross and could make us cough and sneeze, but they’re not exactly unexpected. However, dust can also contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals.

Tobacco smoke residue, pesticides, plastic, fiberglass, and even lead can accumulate in dust! I don’t think anybody wants to breathe those in (or at least deal with the health complications that may result).

Now, some of those particulates make a lot of sense; if you smoke cigarettes and live in a house with pets and plants and regularly use cleaners and pesticides, you can expect those things’ respective particulates to show up in dust.  But what about the construction materials and spores?

INFILTRATION

When we think about where our air comes from, we’d like to think that it’s been filtered through the A/C system and delivered via vents. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. The photo above shows the “boot” around a supply air vent, which is where conditioned air enters your home from the duct system. The large gap all the way around is a path for attic air to get into the home. The dust and spores from the attic mixed with condensation and became a moldy mess.

If you have gaps and cracks in your home, especially around vents, conduits, and recessed lighting, your house can draw in nasty, unconditioned air from the outdoors or the attic.

We may think that range hoods or bath fans are good for exhausting air pollutants from cooking, washing, cleaning, and other human activity, but they’re actually a double-edged sword. While those forms of ventilation will exhaust some pollutants, they pull the house under negative pressure. To replace the exhausted air, the house has to draw in air through gaps in the structure (also known as the “building envelope”). That air is likely coming in through gaps and cracks in the envelope. The HVAC system can’t filter or control that air, so all of the particulates infiltrate the home unregulated.

The air that comes in could be from the outside, which may contain pollen and residue from outdoor activities (like burning leaves). Even worse, that air could be coming from the attic, which contains lots of dust and could even contain bacteria and fungal spores.

WHY MANAGE INDOOR AIR POLLUTION?

It’s easy to say: “Don’t do [X]! It’s bad for your health!” So far, I’ve been pretty broad about the health concerns associated with indoor pollutants. However, there are some specific risks that come from spending a lot of time indoors and inhaling harmful particulates.

Those risks come down to particle size and the nature of those particles.

Particulate size matters

Larger particulates like pollen are unlikely to make it into the bloodstream; they will get caught somewhere in your nose, mouth, or upper respiratory tract. These large particulates can cause allergies and trigger an immune system response, but they are unlikely to cause significant damage to your internal organs. As far as sizing goes, these particulates are called PM 10, which indicates that they are 10 microns in diameter. (By comparison, a human hair is anywhere from 50-75 microns wide.)

Particulates get a lot more dangerous when they get down to PM 2.5 or smaller. These particulates are small enough to enter the small sacs in your lungs (called alveoli) and get absorbed into the bloodstream. Combustion materials, including carbon monoxide gas and smoke, fall under the PM 2.5 category. Heavy metals and mold spores also happen to fall into that category. Bacteria and viruses can be even smaller, with bacteria typically being between 0.5 and 2 microns in diameter, and viruses tend to be around 0.3 microns. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is only between 0.06 and 0.14 microns wide.

Biological pollutants

Viruses, fungi, and bacteria are the three main biological pollutants that can make us sick. They can all be smaller than 2.5 microns and are invisible to the naked eye. However, they work in slightly different ways.

Viruses are very small and aren’t actually alive, per se. They can’t reproduce on their own or grow on surfaces, but they insert their DNA into our cells, and the infected cells continue to go through natural cell division with the viral genetic material. Those bad copies of cells are what make us sick. Because viruses aren’t “alive,” we can’t “kill” them. Soap and cleaners can deactivate viral proteins on surfaces, but that doesn’t help us address viruses in the air. Filtering the air with high-quality media or HEPA filters helps a bit, and diluting the air by bringing in some filtered fresh air helps, too.

Unlike viruses, bacteria and fungi are alive and can reproduce on surfaces and inside your body. Even though individual bacteria and spores are nearly impossible to see, you might still be able to detect them. Bacteria and fungi can cause smelly odors in your home, and fungi can grow into visible patches of mold. Once they get inside your body via your nose and mouth, bacteria and fungi cause infections like pneumonia.

Since bacteria and fungi grow on surfaces, some IAQ products like UV lights can kill them on the surface of your equipment. However, UV lights can only kill the microbes that they shine on, and they’re not effective at killing microbes in the airstream.

Chemical pollutants

Chemical pollutants include organic compounds, metals, and products of combustion (fuel burning).

One of the deadliest indoor pollutants is carbon monoxide (CO), which results from the incomplete burning of fuel in gas, oil, or wood-burning appliances. If you have a gas range, fireplace, water heater, or furnace, then you would be wise to keep carbon monoxide on your radar. CO poisoning can cause flu-like symptoms and even death in large amounts. A low-level CO monitor helps you keep track of carbon monoxide near appliances and can help you catch a problem with your equipment before anyone gets sick.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) isn’t quite as infamous as carbon monoxide; it’s what all animals exhale. However, large amounts of CO2 can also cause occupants to feel fatigued or even sick. You may consider investing in a CO2 monitor if you live in a home with lots of people or animals that stay indoors for extended periods.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), especially formaldehyde, are gases that are released from household objects over time. Many of those VOCs are also known carcinogens; taking steps to manage these particulates reduces your risk of developing cancer. Cleaners, paints, flooring, and furniture are just a handful of objects that can attribute their odors to VOCs; the chemical smell of a new couch or a fresh coat of paint comes from VOCs. Even the nice “new car” smell comes from VOCs given off by the upholstery!

Smoking indoors also introduces many pollutants into the home. Formaldehyde, the VOC described above, is also a byproduct of tobacco smoke. However, according to the American Cancer Society, tobacco smoke contains other byproducts that may cause cancer, including arsenic, benzene, and even lead. So, avoiding smoking indoors can keep you, your family, and your pets a lot safer inside your home.

A THREEFOLD SOLUTION

As with most problems, there isn’t a simple fix or method for managing indoor pollution. However, the trio of proper construction, regular maintenance, and healthy habits can make your home so much safer.

Proper construction

Thoughtful construction in the first place is a huge help. Plumbers and electricians need to seal the spaces around pipes, wires, or conduits; otherwise, nasty attic air could seep through those openings and travel through the walls. It’s also best to seal the cracks around windows, vents, and recessed lighting as a best practice. On the HVAC side, the duct installer needs to be sure that the connections are airtight; duct leakage, especially around collars and vents, is another source of infiltration.

HVAC contractors can also install ventilating dehumidifiers, which can dehumidify the air AND bring in some fresh air through a dedicated return path. The air from the outside passes through filters and gets dehumidified, so you don’t have to worry about mixing low-quality air into your conditioned air.

Regular HVAC maintenance

Regular HVAC maintenance is also a key to managing indoor pollution. Some good maintenance procedures include replacing filters, checking duct connection tightness, and cleaning the coils. If duct connections become too loose, an air gap could result. That air gap causes indoor pressure to change and could suck in unconditioned air or exhaust conditioned air.

If you replace your filters frequently enough and have a maintenance agreement with an HVAC company, you can also expect your equipment to be more energy-efficient and last longer.

Healthy habits

The arguably most important piece of the puzzle is the adoption of healthy habits. Avoiding smoking indoors prevents tobacco residue and its byproducts from decreasing the air quality. Frequent filter replacement in homes with pets or plants is also a good habit. Safe cleaner storage is another huge piece; if you can, store chemical-based cleaners outside the home (such as in a shed).

Vacuuming floors with a high-quality bagged vacuum cleaner can help out a lot, too. The bags ensure that the dust and dirt stay trapped inside the vacuum cleaner. Moreover, bags allow for safer disposal.

All of this is just to say that it’s important to manage indoor pollution. While some IAQ products like UV bulbs can help, maintaining a healthy home requires a multifaceted approach. You can keep yourself from getting sick from airborne pathogens and chemicals if you have a tight, well-maintained home and adopt healthy indoor living habits.

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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines IAQ as the following:

The air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. 

IAQ used to be almost strictly related to building science. However, improving IAQ has recently become a goal of HVAC technicians and installers. As a result, we can offer our customers more solutions to keep their homes comfortable than ever before. Most homes already have some IAQ strategies in place, but we’re going to give a comprehensive review of indoor air quality and explain how certain equipment and add-ons may (or may not) help you live in a cleaner, healthier home.

WHAT ARE THE VILLAINS OF IAQ?

Our homes are full of pollutants, whether we want to acknowledge that fact or not. Indoor air quality refers to the cleanliness of the air, so a home with higher indoor air quality has greater pollution control.

One of the most common pollutants in the home is a group of small particles called VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Almost every home has some sort of VOCs, whether those VOCs come from detergents, cleaners, paints, flooring, or furniture.

You may have heard of formaldehyde before. If you ever dissected small animals in biology class, that’s what they were likely embalmed with. Believe it or not, formaldehyde is present all throughout your home! Whether it’s in your finished wood flooring or your couch’s synthetic upholstery, formaldehyde is in your home and reducing your IAQ. Pretty gross, right?

Other common and potentially harmful pollutants include carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3), viruses, bacteria, and viruses. Some homes may also struggle with moisture problems, pet dander, odors, dust, and pollen in their home. You probably won’t see most of these, but they can still make you uncomfortable or even sick. 

One of the most dangerous IAQ villains is carbon monoxide (CO), especially if you have gas appliances in your home. Gas heaters, stoves, and fireplaces can produce CO if they’re not burning the gas completely. Unfortunately, CO is colorless, odorless, and potentially fatal. Watch out for unexplained flu symptoms, headaches, and dizziness, as those could be symptoms of CO poisoning.

BASIC IAQ CONTROL STRATEGIES

Most homes already have some basic means of controlling IAQ through pressure differentials and ventilation. 

For example, occupants can displace moisture when cooking, showering, or using the bathroom by using a localized vent or fan. Most bathrooms have fans that help displace moisture from the room by pulling that room under negative pressure. Then, new air comes in from any openings in the space. You may notice that bath fans also help get rid of odors; that’s because odor-causing particles get trapped in moisture, which then gets sucked out of the room.

We also use filters to improve IAQ in our homes. Pretty much all homes with central A/C units have filters that you need to replace monthly (or maybe more frequently if you have pets or plants in your home). Filters are rated for effectiveness on the MERV scale, so filters with higher MERV ratings are more effective at trapping small particles.

Of course, MERV ratings aren’t the end-all-be-all of filter effectiveness. For a filter to work, it needs to be the correct size for your HVAC system. On top of that, it’s certainly possible to use a filter that’s too restrictive, which will negatively impact your system airflow.

Finally, humidity control can help you keep your home from feeling muggy and laden with moisture. Bacteria and fungi also tend to flourish in high-humidity environments. So, home humidity control will benefit the health of you and your families. Most properly sized HVAC systems help with humidity control. However, if your home still feels humid, you may want to consider installing a dehumidifier.

OTHER ACCESSORIES

In addition to the basic strategies we just covered, some homeowners opt to include other IAQ accessories. However, these accessories have specific purposes and potential drawbacks. Before looking to purchase any of these add-ons, you may want to learn more about each product and refer to THIS article about IAQ questions to ask your contractor.

HEPA Filtration

HEPA stands for high-efficiency particle arrestance. These filters meet a US Department of Energy (DOE) standard that specifies a capture rate of 99.97% of particles sized at 0.3 microns. In other words, they have a near-100% capture rate for very small particles. They can be even more effective for smaller particles. Extremely small particles (<0.3 microns) move erratically, so the filter has a high rate of catching them via diffusion, as you can see in the bottom right corner of the image above.

HEPA filters rose to popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic because they can catch SARS-CoV-2 viruses (0.1 microns in size). However, they are not a perfect solution for everyone.

Remember when we talked about restrictive filters? HEPA filters are VERY restrictive and may significantly reduce airflow if your A/C system isn’t designed to work with a HEPA filter. HEPA bypasses are a partial solution that sends some of the air through a HEPA filter, but the design is something you’ll need to discuss with a contractor.

To learn more about HEPA filters, check out THIS article we wrote about them.

UV Lights

You may have heard that sunlight kills bacteria and fungi. While that’s a simple way of describing what happens, the ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can indeed kill bacteria and even deactivate viruses. So, if you put a UV light in an enclosed space, it will help kill bacteria and deactivate viruses on those surfaces.

However, UV lights don’t do much to purify the air flowing through your ducts. While UV lights can effectively kill bacterial and fungal spores on coil and blower surfaces in your air handler, they’re not very effective at neutralizing particles in the air.

Some homeowners may like the idea of having UV lights to keep their systems cleaner and free of buildup. Still, homeowners should know exactly what the benefits are before they decide to buy an IAQ accessory.

Oxidizers

We won’t get into the ultra-scientific parts explanations of oxidizers. You can read THIS HVAC School article if you’re interested in the details. Basically, oxidizers use unstable molecules to react with pollutants and organic matter in the air until those molecules stabilize.

Unfortunately, one of the most common oxidizing agents is ozone. Earlier, we mentioned that ozone is one of those “IAQ villains.” Ozone is very effective at breaking down odors, but it’s also excellent at breaking down the cells in our respiratory systems. If an oxidizer uses ozone, it may just do more harm than good, though everything is a calculated risk.

Some manufacturers have moved away from ozone and instead use ion-based oxidizers, including cold plasma and hydrogen peroxide. However, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of these oxidizers on a whole-home scale.

IAQ is becoming increasingly important for HVAC contractors. We are equipped to answer questions about IAQ, and we encourage our customers to be honest about their comfort levels in their homes. Remember: a good IAQ contractor caters their plans to your needs, answers questions honestly, and lets you know your options without pushing products you don’t need.

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When HVAC contractors set humidity goals, we do it in terms of relative humidity. Relative humidity (RH) is a ratio of moisture to the temperature, with 100% RH indicating total saturation. We call that the “dew point,” and that’s when condensation starts to form on surfaces.

So, what is a good humidity range to shoot for? Overall, 30-60% RH is pretty standard. In Florida, we like to shoot for 50-55% RH when possible. As you can see on the graph below, the 50% area is one of the lowest-risk zones for bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

The goal of maintaining humidity is to create a safe, comfortable environment. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of misinformation on the topic. We’re going to go over the truths and myths of indoor humidity. Hopefully, the facts will help you determine what you can do to control the humidity in your home.

Causes of High Indoor Relative Humidity 

• Low heat load
• Short A/C run-time 
• Oversized A/C system
• Humidity entering the home
• Humidity being generated inside the home
• Poor or no spot ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms
• Insufficient total dehumidification capacity 
• Low space temperature
• Relying on the A/C alone to dehumidify

Overall, total humidity drops when you pull out more water than you put in. It increases when more moisture enters the space than you pull out. All of the items above result in more moisture entering the space than being pulled out.

Now that we know how humidity increases in our homes, let’s address the facts and myths about controlling indoor humidity.

Myth = Just get it colder in the space to reduce humidity

Truth = Lower temperature alone leads to higher relative humidity

A conditioned space gets dehumidified when the evaporator coil runs below the dew point. Then, the water leaves the drain pan and goes out the drain. The removal of this water is called latent heat removal, as it takes latent heat to evaporate the water. 

Latent heat is heat that you don’t feel; instead of affecting the temperature, latent heat contributes to changing a liquid to a gas, solid to liquid, etc. Latent heat removal is our friend when we are looking to drop the RH% in a space.

The cooling that we feel is called “sensible cooling.” Sensible cooling decreases the space temperature, and while this is a necessary part of comfort in most seasons, it is the enemy when it comes to dropping indoor RH%.

When air is cooled without being dehumidified, the relative humidity in the space actually INCREASES because the lower the temperature, the less water vapor the air can contain before turning into liquid water.

When we dehumidify with cooling equipment, it is the water leaving the drain that matters (latent heat removal), not dropping the temperature of the space (sensible).

For dehumidification, getting water out (latent heat removal) = good

Dropping room temperature (sensible heat removal) = bad

Myth = Add more insulation to drop the humidity 

Truth = Adding insulation will decrease the heat load and generally increase the relative humidity 

For an air conditioner to pull out humidity and drip it down the drain, it needs to run. It needs to be warm enough in the space for it to run.

When you add typical insulation to the ceiling, floors, and walls, you decrease the heat load without changing the humidity load. That will result in the RH% going up.

Some insulation materials, such as closed-cell foam, will also act as an air & vapor barrier, helping to block moisture from making it in. That can help reduce humidity, but it is the air/vapor barrier portions that do it, not the insulation.

Myth = If humidity is high, it’s the air conditioner

Truth = Many humidity issues are caused by abnormally high moisture, not the A/C

The air conditioner needs to be properly sized and selected with sensible and latent capacity that matches the building design. There are many cases where homes aren’t built or lived in exactly to design. We also see plenty of cases where the weather doesn’t act as the models predict.

In Florida, we have a lot of hurricanes and tropical systems (you may remember Irma from 2017, pictured above). In these cases, we get high winds that create a large pressure differential across our homes and force it in. On top of that, we get low sensible temperatures, so the A/C doesn’t run much, and power outages can keep it from running for days. Of course, tropical systems also bring in immense amounts of moisture.

For months afterward, owners will complain of condensation, mold growth, high relative humidity, etc. Many homeowners try to “solve” the issue by messing with the A/C. Sadly, your A/C unit can’t do much. Tropical weather events increase the amount of moisture in the home and impact the ability of the equipment to remove the moisture at the same time. 

What to Do About High Humidity

Even though you may have to rely on your HVAC technician to make changes to the ducts, A/C system, etc., you can take the following steps to reduce the humidity in your home:

1. Use bath vent fans when bathing and showering.
2. Use your ventilation hood when boiling water or cooking in the kitchen.
3. Don’t leave doors to the outside open (especially if you have a pool).
4. Look for roof leaks, proper grading around the home, ponding water, etc., and have any issues taken care of.
5. Ask your local HVAC company to send somebody out to assess the home. They may check if your A/C equipment is oversized, if your ducts are leaking, etc.
6. Check seals, sweeps, and weather stripping around doors and windows.
7. Ask your HVAC technician about whole-home dehumidification.
8. Don’t reduce the temperature to decrease humidity.

The post Indoor Humidity and How To Control It appeared first on Kalos Services.

A quick and easy step you can do yourself is to keep your indoor air filter clean. A good practice is to change it monthly when you get your power bill.

Outdoor unit maintenance

Now, we’ll get into more complicated maintenance. When you use your A/C system throughout the year, dirt and other debris accumulate in the various components of the A/C system. The condensing unit, the system outside the home, often collects dirt. The system does not send those leaves or dirt into your home.

However, if the outdoor unit and the separate indoor unit, the air handler, are not properly maintained, the elements of these particulates can collect the airstream within your home, damaging the air’s quality. So, they can eventually cause harmful indoor air pollution.

When our Kalos technicians perform routine maintenance, they remove all the accumulated large debris that has been captured in the condenser unit. They then clean the condenser but are careful not to bend the delicate coil pins. They also clean the air handler inside your home by sensibly washing the evaporator coils.

When these tasks are finished, none of the dangerous particulates harm your indoor air, keeping it safe and breathable. Routine maintenance is recommended at the very least annually, and preferably bi-annually to keep your home’s air healthy and unpolluted. In turn, routine maintenance will protect your family’s health.

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The work is not necessarily highly skilled or hard work in terms of needing immense education to understand its process. However, it does take commitment and hard work to actually put into practice. Attic temperatures here in Florida can sometimes reach up to 150 degrees, so it’s important to make sure that the company you choose takes employee safety seriously and trains them properly. Once you’re up in an attic for more than about 10 minutes, it’s easy to start cutting corners. So, proper training and leeway for needed rest are both key.

AN ESTIMATOR NEEDS TO CHECK OUT THE ATTIC

Many estimations in this business do not take the proper time to evaluate how exactly an attic should be treated. About three-quarters of the time, the other estimators from another company will simply ballpark the situation from down below in the cool living space so that they don’t have to get into the attic, sweat, and get their eyes on what’s actually going on up there. In our company’s expert opinion, you have to look at something to know how to quote it properly. There are a lot of different variables involved with quoting blown-in insulation, and there’s a lot of different solutions out there.

So, in general, make sure that your estimator actually gets up into the attic for about 10 minutes or so to get a good look at everything and take some photos. The estimator should go over the whole plan with you and tell you exactly what you need while also visually showing you. More than likely, you’re not going to follow an estimator up into the attic in order to see what they’re talking about, so you have to take their word for it. However, make sure that they give you some photos and that the photos are trustworthy. 

SEAL ANY PENETRATIONS TO THE ATTIC

We have found that most homes are pretty leaky and need to be improved with some ceiling work. A lot of times when somebody is insulating and gets quotes for blown-in insulation here in Florida, they are insulating a new addition. For example, they may be insulating a lanai or their garage. There are probably a lot of penetrations into the attic ceiling that had been left unsealed by the general contractor in these areas. That allows for a lot of heat AND humidity infiltration into the space.

Whenever we quote a customer for blown-in insulation, we offer to seal AND insulate the area. We quote this as a package because once there is a lot of blown-in insulation in your way, it only makes it harder to seal up. In order to make sure that the blown-in installation is the most effective insulator that it can be, we seal any penetrations into the attic using a Fonville spray. We install that the morning of the blown-in insulation job. The spray expands to fill any cracks or penetrations in the attic.

SEAL CAN-LIGHTS

Can-lights sit flush with the ceiling of your living space but are actually recessed up into the attic. It’s very important to make sure that these are actually sealed by themselves rather than trying to use any sort of spray fall around them. The reasons being that there are electrical processes involved. We never want to compromise any of that kind of material with anything that is flammable.

Through our work, we have found that in The Villages, can-lights are almost exclusively used to light lanais, and they are almost always unsealed and allow the air between the two spaces to mix one way some installation contractors mitigate. We install a cone above each can-light, allowing the area to be sealed from the rest of the attic, and not be touched by the new blown-in insulation. That’s not a bad way to accomplish the goal of sealing it, but it’s preferable to buy pre-sealed can-lights and install them to replace the existing can-lights in the space.

Many of these sealed the can-lights are actually LED, more energy-efficient, and in the long run saving you money on your power bill. As licensed electrical contractors in Florida, we can offer solutions like installing these sealed can-lights, which can accomplish better energy savings.

SEALING THE ATTIC ENTRANCE POINT

In general, there are a couple of different types of ways you can get up into an attic. There’s usually either a set of pull-down stairs or a piece of drywall with a frame that gets pushed up and exposes a large hole to allow access.

Many homes in Florida have the benefit of having an attached garage at the front of the house, so the easiest place for the attic access is to install the pull-down stairs or push-up entrance in the garage space. Unless you are looking to add blown-in insulation into your garage, this is not an area of concern. However, if your attic access is actually within the space that you are looking to cool or insulate, this is a huge point of heat infiltration. If you ever tried to push into an attic entrance that just has blown-in insulation all around it, you’ll know what a mess it makes whenever you open the attic. Hatch and blown-in insulation tumble down into your livable space to avoid this and to allow for less heat infiltration.

We actually suggest installing one of two solutions.

The first one that will help just keep the area around the attic hatch clear from any blown-in insulation is to install a barrier wall around the attic access. We built a small barrier wall, a foam board, in order to keep the blown-in insulation from falling down into your livable space. You’ve paid for us to blow in the insulation, so why would you want it to just fall down and be something that gets vacuumed up or thrown away every time that you go into your attic?

Secondly, we would suggest a large bag filled with insulation and placed directly on top of the attic hatch a stairway, insulate it. Stairway insulator is going to be a little bit different style, but essentially, we’re talking about having a moveable piece of insulation that sits on top of the attic hatch entrance and can be placed back whenever the needs to be closed up. That allows for you to make sure that you are not having a ton of heat coming through your attic hatch access point. But at the same time, you won’t have a giant mess every time you open it up.

INSTALLING BAFFLES BETWEEN EACH TRUSS

Many contractors leave this step out of their job. They leave it out because it’s simply just not easy and takes time.

Almost every home has a soft, breathable material around the outside edge of the home. This material is meant to allow air to infiltrate up into the attic from outside. So, it allows the attic to breathe and ventilate out of the ridge vents at the top of the roof. The material allows for air exchanges in the attic, so the air doesn’t just sit stagnantly, increasing in heat. Many people don’t know that their attic is actually open to the elements outside, but it’s beneficial to let that heat exchange occur in a controlled manner. The last thing that a customer wants to do when starting one project is to create additional follow-up problems without these baffles in place. 

The problem we see many customers have when they hire an unqualified blown-in insulation contractor is that the blown-in insulation usually falls directly down onto those soffit vents and closes them up. When that happens, the soffit vents can’t allow air to enter the space and ventilate through to the Richmond at the top of the attic. Essentially, the fallen insulation is sealing in that space, and when it does so, it’s actually creating a higher level of humidity and a myriad of other problems.

The solution to that problem is to staple cardboard core polyurethane baffles between each of the trusses in the attic. That allows for a natural barrier to be formed. It also allows the blown-in insulation to bond right to the edge of the attic space without ever falling onto the soffit.

Another central part is to make sure that the baffles are tall enough for the amount of installation that is being installed. The thicker the installation, the taller the baffles need to be. Unfortunately, it is not too easy. Essentially, a technician will need to be on their back, should be through the attic, stopping at every truss bay, and stapling these baffles into place one by one. Take a look at our video below to get a better sense of this procedure.

CONCLUSION

As you can see within our five points, the prep work is everything. The blown-in insulation portion is actually the easiest part of the job. However, if your contractor fails to prepare for the job, you will be setting yourself up for a long list of problems in the future. Make sure you work with trustworthy and detail-oriented technicians to save yourself any headaches. If you have any questions, please feel free to give our office a call at 352-224-3708.

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Why is my house so muggy, and how can I fix it?

Here’s the good news: by knowing what causes that muggy feeling (it’s called relative humidity) and how to eliminate or reduce that cause, we can help to increase your indoor air quality and keep you comfortable in your house.

What is Relative Humidity?

Relative humidity is the cause of a muggy feeling in the house. Relative humidity measures the humidity that is relative to the temperature. Suppose you were to add a bunch of sugar to a glass of hot tea. Once that tea cools down, sugar crystals can appear. In our case, the air is the tea, and the moisture level would be those sugar crystals. Hotter air can hold more moisture than cold air, so once “hot, muggy air” cools, it becomes even more humid and muggy.

Most homes will fluctuate between about 55 and 65% relative humidity in Florida. An air conditioning unit combats these lovely effects by not only cooling the air but also dehumidifying it. Moisture is extracted from the air as it runs across the evaporator coil in the air handler, and it’s dispelled outside the home through a drain. Therefore, the air conditioner cools the air and removes moisture from the house.

So Why Does My House Feel Muggy?

We’ve established how an air conditioning unit can help combat humidity and that general unpleasant muggy feeling. So, why does your home still sometimes feel muggy?

While air conditioning units are effective at cooling a house, there are a few ways we may accidentally be adding more moisture back into the house ourselves.

A few ways we introduce more moisture into the house and raise the humidity include:

1. Lots of People. A large percentage of a human being is made up of water. Humans sweat to keep themselves cool, and that, in turn, adds moisture to the air. If you’ve got many people in one place, that’s a lot of extra moisture.
2. When you cook, there are many open vessels that water is evaporating into the air from.
3. Anytime you take a shower, bath, or anything like that, you’re exposing moisture (and often steam) into the air. Good ventilation can help with this, but it won’t eliminate the moisture completely.
4. Pets and plants, just like people, will increase the amount of moisture in the air.
5. It’s just plain muggy outside. Hello, Florida afternoon summer thunderstorms. Those are the perfect recipe for sending relative humidity skyrocketing—it’s not blazing hot, but there’s a ton of moisture in the air. The more moisture there is outside, the more of it will come in every time a door or window is open. Even if you shut yourself in, your house won’t be immune to increased moisture on a particularly muggy day; an exchange of air will still happen from outside to inside, just from your house being there.

How to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Our homes can easily become muggy, so the important thing to know is how to combat it, reducing the moisture in the air. There are a few ways to do this.

The first thing to note is that the best dehumidifying air conditioner is one that runs all the time. Plenty of people shudder at this because of the perceived expense, but if you get an appropriately sized A/C unit for your home, you’ll see a big difference. When you aren’t running your air conditioning all the time, it may still keep your house cool, but it won’t be an effective dehumidifier.

Let’s look at another example. Let’s say it’s raining like crazy outside. Your A/C unit has probably turned off because the rain on the house is cooling it down. That’s fine for the temperature, but it’s still raining outside, meaning there’s a ridiculous amount of moisture in the air. Your house is cool, but your air conditioner isn’t running, so it’s not being dehumidified. Before you know it, that horrible muggy feeling will set in.

Variable-speed A/C units will help with these types of issues. You can also choose to purchase a separate dehumidifying system, which we can install in your home for you. You can also buy small dehumidifiers that you manually drain, which can also be decently effective.

With lower amounts of moisture in the air, you’ll improve the indoor air quality, and you’ll be a lot more comfortable.

Do you have questions? We can help! Fill out the form below:

The post Why Does My House Feel Muggy? appeared first on Kalos Services.

These are products that improve the air that your family breathes regularly. IAQ products are often extremely helpful for the overall quality of the air in your home. However, many times, consumers don’t understand what they are purchasing and become dissatisfied with their purchase.

For an extensive read on these systems, take a look at our free eBook by clicking the icon below.

Keep scrolling to find the 3 questions to ask BEFORE buying one of these types of systems.

Air filters of all types, UV lights, and photo-ionization products are all examples of IAQ systems. Here are the questions you should always ask before buying.

What is the ongoing cost of operation per year?

Many IAQ products require regular cleaning and filter, bulb, or cartridge replacement, and sometimes all of the above. You should be very clear about what the ongoing cost of operation will be when making a decision. Be sure to ask your technician for some cost breakdowns to make sure you know what the upkeep costs will be like.

Are you required to buy these products through the installing contractor? Or can you purchase them elsewhere?

In some cases, you can buy filters, bulbs, and cartridges over the counter at local hardware stores. But in most cases, you will be required to buy them through the installing contractor or possibly online. Sometimes, the process can be time-consuming and frustrating, so it’s best if you know what to expect up front.

What specific problem does this particular indoor air quality product address?

Indoor air can be a confusing and complex subject. Dust and pollen that bother one person may not bother another. Some systems deal with live organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, while others deal with larger particles. Be sure that the installing company is clear with you about the purpose and expectations you can have of each product.

In closing, there is no single IAQ solution that cures all ills. Your best bet is to know specifically what you hope to accomplish and match an air quality solution to your needs.

More questions? Make sure to sound off in the comments or leave us a voicemail on SpeakPipe. If you do, you might end up on our Podcast!

You may also fill out the form below, and we will contact you soon:

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The post 3 Questions to Ask BEFORE Buying an Indoor Air Quality System appeared first on Kalos Services.

The demand for duct cleaning is something that has been on the rise over the last 10 years in the HVAC industry. It has grown from a very small niche business to a large and profitable industry. This growth has raised many questions.

Before we get started, allow me to establish my experience. I have been in the HVAC industry for over 15 years. In that time, I have never personally performed a duct cleaning, but I have been back to multiple HVAC service calls after duct cleanings. I personally have no issue with the duct cleaning industry as a whole; I simply have concerns with the common practices I have observed and customers’ expectations in relation to the outcome.

First, we must establish that the vast majority of residential and light commercial duct systems installed in Florida are flex and board systems. That means that the bulk of the air flows through flexible insulated tubes with a thin plastic inner liner. The remainder of the duct system is constructed of fiberglass board that is formed into boxes and triangle shapes that act as the main lines and distribution boxes. Second, we must state clearly that almost anything can be cleaned if enough time and resources are applied; this is as true of ducting as any other surface.

The real questions are:

1. Is duct cleaning effective at consistently providing cleaner air?
2. Are the practices consistently applied that produce a good result?
3. Is the cost of properly cleaning the ducts vs. replacing them represent a real value?

Is duct cleaning effective at consistently providing cleaner air?

A report produced in 1997 by the EPA states that duct cleaning has not been proven to produce cleaner indoor air. The EPA has consistently stood behind this stance, and this applies to all types of ducts. It stands to reason, in my opinion, that cleaning metal or metal-lined ducts would be effective.

There are many before and after representations of what duct cleaning can and has done for metal ducts. However, in all ducts, cleaning can often dislodge matter that may then re-enter the airstream. That leaves the following question:

Unless we leave the ducts completely clean, has the practice of cleaning ducts been successful in reducing indoor air contaminants?

Are the practices consistently applied that produce a good result?

The NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) has very good training and application guidelines on the proper cleaning of most duct systems. If well-trained professionals consistently apply these practices with well-maintained and cleaned equipment, then we will yield the best outcome.

My experience has shown that many companies that provide duct cleaning services do not consistently or fully abide by NADCA standards. Failure to follow those standards can result in a poor outcome as well as possible damage. When damage does occur due to improper duct cleaning practices, contractors often conceal it. So, the property owner will be unaware that there is an issue.

Is the cost of properly cleaning the ducts vs. replacing them represent a real value?

Here is an excerpt from the NADCA website:

The Environmental Protection Agency says that duct cleaning services typically “ but not always“ range in cost from $450 to $1000 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, climactic region, and level of contamination and type of duct material. Consumers should beware of air duct cleaning companies that making sweeping claims about the health benefits of duct cleaning such claims are unsubstantiated. Consumers should also beware of blow-and-go air duct cleaning companies. These companies often charge a nominal fee and do a poor job of cleaning the heating and cooling system. These companies may also persuade the consumer into unneeded services with and/or without their permission.

This excerpt makes it clear that proper duct cleaning does come at a price. In many cases, the cost of proper cleaning may not be cost-effective when compared with replacement. Of course, the decision to clean or replace also depends on the age, condition, type, and access to the duct system currently in place.

The Verdict

In summary, I would advise the following:

1. Only have ducts cleaned if it is necessary. In most cases, we can achieve cleaner air more easily and consistently through air filtration/purification.
2. If you are going to have ducts cleaned, make sure to use a NADCA-accredited professional. Check that contractor’s work against the NADCA checklist HERE.
3. If your ducts need cleaning, look at the comparable cost of replacement vs. cleaning.
4. Recognize that Florida duct systems are often not very conducive to proper cleaning, reducing your potential success rate.

Feel free to contact us with any further questions. We hope this was helpful!

– Bryan Orr, VP Service Kalos Services Inc. Licensed A/C Contractor CAC1814620

Resources mentioned in this article can be found: EPA.Gov, NAIMA.Org, and Angie’s List. You can also check out these videos of news teams exposing the potential scams that can come with duct cleaning:

The post The Dirty Truth About Duct Cleaning appeared first on Kalos Services.

Humidifiers

We, in our experience, haven’t ever seen a good use for humidifiers in Florida, except in the case of a winter stuffy nose. The lack of humidity can dry out your skin and mucous membranes. Low humidity also makes the air feel colder than it actually is. Excessively dry air can also dry out the wood in the walls and floors of your home or business. As this drying wood shrinks, it can cause creaks in floors and cracks in drywall and plaster.

Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers, on the other hand, are more commonly used in Florida to improve indoor air quality. High humidity can usually leave one with that muggy, heavy feeling that fills the air. Often this occurs when it’s rainy, foggy, or hot outside (sounds like Florida!). Excessive humidity can make your hair frizzy and may seem to dampen everything, as well as allow spores to grow and wood in the home to swell, and … well, you get the idea.

When talking about relative humidity, an average home typically maintains from 30-55% humidity when the air conditioner is operating properly. An air conditioner in cool mode acts like a dehumidifier by condensing moisture on the coil and draining it outside. Increased dehumidification is offered on many new systems by pairing variable speed blowers with single or two-stage condensers. If your home is not maintaining a low comfortable living space, it may be an issue with the A/C system or a system being oversized for your home.

Ultraviolet light

Another option for indoor air quality is an invisible form of electromagnetic radiation. That may sound scary, but UV light can be a great friend! UV light is not visible to the naked eye, but it can cause some substances to emit visible light. We call that visible light fluorescence. UV light, which is present in sunlight, can be beneficial to your health, as it stimulates the production of Vitamin D. It also kills many harmful microorganisms. UV light has many uses, and it can help keep your equipment and air safe from these microorganisms when put in an air handler. In addition, UV lights are an effective way to keep molds and spores from growing and increases the air quality of the whole home or business.  

If you’re interested in any of these indoor air quality options for your home or business or need some more questions answered, please visit www.KalosFlorida.com or call us at 352-243-7088!

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The kind of air filter you buy can make a huge difference, and you should be aware of a few things when planning on how to maintain and choose the correct filter for your air conditioning system in your home or business.

A discussion on air filters could last forever, but here are three things to be aware of when planning on how to maintain and choose the correct filter for your home or business’s air conditioning system.

MERV rating

The MERV rating is a measurement scale designed in 1987 by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers to rate the effectiveness of air filters in indoor air quality. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, and you can check out a chart in a previous post if you want to know what the numbers mean. In general, filters with a higher MERV rating need to be changed more often since they pick more contaminants out of the air—but that’s why you want them. Filters with a high MERV rating get more out of the air! Another factor to consider is the air filter’s thickness. For example, a MERV 8 pleated 1 ” filter doesn’t filter any better than a MERV 8 pleated 4″ filter. However, the 4″ filter will last longer because of the increased surface area compared to the 1″ filter.

Changing intervals

There is a common myth sold to homeowners concerning the infamous “30-Day Air Filter” vs. “90-day Air Filter.” As filters pull things out of the air, they block your air more and more, making your equipment work harder, even keeping it from cooling the house well! Running your system with a dirty filter can make your costs skyrocket. The reality is that each home has different conditions within it; those conditions will affect how much is in the air for the filter to remove. If you have pets, or if your kids are going in and out of the house all day, you will probably need to change your filter before the box’s recommendation. There are options for those who do want a filter that will last longer than 30 days, but they often aren’t cheap.

The most common option is purchasing a system that uses a larger filter. Go to our indoor air quality page for some information on these types of systems. Lower airflow due to a dirty filter can decrease capacity. Consequently, the system’s energy efficiency ratio or performance factor can increase your heating and cooling cost. A filter should be periodically checked and replaced when needed, not just every 30 days!

Correct Sizing

Using the correct size filter for your return is essential when selecting your air filter. Your filter is meant to protect your air-conditioning equipment, not just you. Under-sizing a filter can result in the air flowing into the return grille. So, it bypasses your filter, dropping dog hair and dust on the expensive, heat-exchanging coil instead of the changeable filter. That would allow your system’s components to suffer the consequences of a lack of protection from your air filter. You essentially waste the money you spent on an air filter. Moreover, poor filter sizing might result in higher energy bills and possibly damaging the equipment.

The most common under-sizing would be in cases where a filter is an inch or less from a more common size, like 15×20 or 20×21½. If you are under-sizing, the dust and debris that you see on your filter every month may only be a part of what is traveling through your air system or even clogging up expensive equipment!

We hope this article helps your selection process. If you have any questions, please visit our homepage, www.KalosFlorida.com, or call us at 352-243-7088.

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