Environmental and climate change concerns continue to be the primary drivers behind the national effort to improve energy efficiency. Over time, the construction industry has responded by implementing new testing methods and building techniques. Tightening the perimeter envelope has helped dramatically reduce the cost of heating and cooling a typical home, but the unintended consequence has been a substantial increase in the number of buildings with poor indoor air quality (IAQ).
The Epidemic of Polluted Indoor Air
Researchers have established a strong link between substandard indoor air quality and a variety of lung and respiratory ailments, especially in the elderly and young children. In fact, the EPA has determined that the air inside a typical home can be two to five times more polluted than the air outdoors.
Even older buildings can suffer the effects of contaminated air. Before ACCA Manual D duct design standards were adopted, ductwork was often improperly designed and poorly installed. Gaps and unsecured connections create negative-pressure leakage, which can draw fiberglass, dirt, dust and other ultra-fine particulate matter into the indoor environment.
How We Address IAQ Issues
Watley Heating & Air Conditioning understands there is nothing more important than the health of your family. We can design a complete IAQ strategy that will help ensure that the air in your home or office remains clean, fresh and free of airborne irritants.
We offer an extensive variety of IAQ solutions, including:
- Mechanical Ventilators: Ventilation appliances are designed according to ASHRAE Standard 62.2, and they introduce a prescribed quantity of fresh air into the living area. The continuous action of the ventilator exhausts accumulated contaminants while introducing fresh air into the indoor environment. Certain ventilation devices include an energy recovery feature, which moderates the temperature of the incoming air by transferring energy from the exhaust air during the exchange process.
- Air Purifiers: Central filtration is designed to keep your home and HVAC equipment clean by trapping contaminants during the heating and refrigeration cycles. The efficiency of a filter is measured by its Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), which is a calculation based on the size and quantity of particulate matter that is collected by the filter through a certain number of passes. Filters come in a variety of sizes and designs including fiberglass, pleated, HEPA and cabinet varieties.
- Ultra Violet Lamp Protection: Fungi, mold and other biological organisms tend to thrive in environments that contain moisture and nutrients. These ingredients are most often found at the evaporator coil in an air conditioning system. The ultra violet spectrum is very effective for eradicating many harmful pollutants, especially if the device is positioned inside the coil.
- Humidifiers: Central air humidifiers have an important role in a complete IAQ strategy. Excessively dry air allows contaminants to stay airborne for extended periods. When cycled through the HVAC system, viruses and other irritants can travel freely from room to room and aggravate respiratory conditions when inhaled. Maintaining appropriate humidity levels can also help alleviate certain skin conditions.
Complete IAQ Solutions
At Watley Heating & Air Conditioning, we help our customers create a healthy, comfortable and energy efficient indoor environment. We offer a full line of indoor air quality products and services that will help keep your home clean, healthy and smelling fresh.