Clean indoor air is essential for improving and maintaining your health and quality of living. Skylands Energy focuses on the implementation of the most accurate and timely strategies that will improve the indoor air quality for residents in Edison NJ and the surrounding areas. As experts in home comfort and HVAC, we are your partners in ensuring that your home is a comfortable and energy-efficient haven.
All the HVAC services that we offer are performed by experienced and NATE certified HVAC technicians. You can feel confident that the technicians that we send to your home have undergone constant education and training to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. They are knowledgeable in the latest trends and information in the industry.
Our services include repairs and the proper maintenance of the ventilation system in your home to keep the indoor air quality at its optimum. Our technicians have an excellent understanding of the processes required to maintain indoor air healthy. We know how important it is for every home to prevent health issues caused by poor indoor air quality.
Skylands Energy offers an expansive range of HVAC services that include air conditioner and heater maintenance, installations, and HVAC repairs. Our in-home consultations are free, and we can provide a second opinion at no cost to you. Schedule your home visit today by calling our office.
Understanding Indoor Pollution
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Most homeowners do not equate their home with pollution. Air pollution is just not something that happens inside the house. Homeowners who have excellent hygiene and cleaning habits would never imagine that their home may present an issue like this. However, air pollution is not just the gray-brown haze that hangs overhead.
Indoor air pollution can find its way into your home. In fact, some studies show that the air indoors can be as much as five times as polluted as the air outdoors. It may seem unbelievable, but that is what studies have discovered. It is a sobering fact indeed to know that the air inside your home could be more dangerous for your health compared to the air outdoors.
Causes of Air Pollution Indoors
Although most air pollutants outside could float into a house, the poor quality of air indoors can also be caused by:
VOCs
VOCs or volatile organic compounds are chemical fumes emitted by paints, solvents, turpentine, and varnishes when they begin to dry. They can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
Combustion Byproducts
The appliances inside your home can emit toxic gases. Fuel-burning appliances such as gas stoves, space heaters, and fireplaces produce nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. The production of these gases occurs when fuel burns at very high temperatures. In homes with poor ventilation, these gases can pose a higher health risk.
Cleaning Products
You may not know it, but you may be using products to keep your home clean with potentially harmful substances. Products that contain ammonia, petroleum-based solvents, and chlorine are notorious for causing headaches, and skin and eye irritations.
Asbestos
The use of asbestos is against the law and has been for many years, but you can still find it in many old homes. It contains tiny fibers that can lead to cancer and significant respiratory diseases when inhaled.
Minimizing Air Pollution Indoors
There is no perfect way to eliminate causes of indoor air pollution in your home. However, there are ways to improve indoor air quality and reduce health risks significantly. You merely have to take stock of your facilities and take action. The EPA, for example, offers excellent resources on indoor air quality facts and ways to improve your indoor air quality standards. Here are some necessary steps to follow:
Change Air Filters on a Regular Basis
Air filters trap air pollutants and prevent them from entering your home. Air filters, however, do become saturated and must be cleaned or replaced regularly to keep them efficient and effective. It is also essential to use high-quality filters that meet safety standards. High-quality filters are far more effective in trapping different sizes of particulates than low-quality air filtration screens.
Use Hoods or Exhaust Fans
Bathrooms and kitchens are two places in every home where particulates and potentially harmful substances are present. These are also areas that encourage humidity, which in turn promotes the growth of molds and mildew. Exhaust fans help circulate air, promote evaporation, and regulating moisture levels.
Buy An HRV
An HRV or heat recovery ventilator improves indoor air circulation and prevents stale air by bringing in fresh air from outdoors. It also helps prevent mold growth and is one of the best indoor air quality products on the market.
Bring Nature In
Plants such as aloe, English ivy, and bamboo, and palm are not only aesthetically pleasing. They are also great for keeping air indoors fresh and safe by absorbing harmful gases.
Keep the HVAC System Running Smooth
No matter how efficient your HVAC system is, it is bound to fail and malfunction without proper use and maintenance. Have your system serviced by a professional based on manufacturer’s recommendations to keep it at its peak form.
A well-maintained HVAC system is an efficient system that eliminates potentially harmful substances in your home while keeping a comfortable environment. Without proper maintenance, the system will start to fail and become susceptible to issues that will later turn out to be costly and problematic.
To keep the HVAC system at its optimum performance, perform regular cleaning and maintenance, particularly before the summer and winter months. Be sure to have the unit serviced professionally to detect potential issues. Lastly, make sure the system is checked by a trained HVAC professional periodically to help prevent costly problems. Unless you have the proper skills and knowledge, we do not recommend that you attempt any repairs on your own.
Indoor Air Quality Edison NJ
Indoor air quality should not be an option in your home – it should be compulsory. As a homeowner, maintaining good air quality indoors should be a top priority. Now that you know the factors that lead to indoor air problems and the ways to prevent them, you have the proper knowledge about what to do to keep your home safe.
Skylands Energy is your partner in ensuring that your indoor air quality meets the safety and comfort standards. We are equipped with the know-how, experience, and tools to make the proper diagnosis of the problem and find the best solutions to keep you and your home healthy. Talk to us today about indoor air quality testing and the best steps you need to take for your health and the safety of your home.
Some of the areas we service include Edison, Fords, New Brunswick, Somerset, South Plainfield and these zip codes: 08817, 08863, 08901, 08873, 07080 as well as all surrounding areas in Middlesex County, New Jersey.
Contact us today or give us a call at (908) 707-1776 if you have any questions.