It finally happened: your kids put together a convincing argument for why a dog would be the perfect addition to your family. You did your research and picked out the cutest fluff ball you could find.
Since the puppy’s been in your Grafton home, your kids have been running in and out of the house more and tracking in muddy footprints to boot. Not to mention, the amount of dog hair you’re finding is astounding. Dust is accumulating on your home’s surfaces, and even though you’re not allergic to dogs, you’ve been a bit sniffly.
Now you’re wondering, “What can I do to stop all this dust? What is going on with my air quality? Is there a problem with my HVAC? Do I need an air filter?”
The Impact of HVAC Air Filters
The quality of your home’s air is largely impacted by the filter in your HVAC system. These filters play a crucial role in the health of the system and in the quality of the air you breathe. Air filters catch debris, particulates, and allergens as air goes into your system. This keeps your HVAC clean and running smoothly. It also makes sure that clean, healthy air blows back through your house for you and your family to breathe.
Did you know indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air? It’s true! (and gross!) And that’s why it’s so important to maintain this hardworking, essential component of your system. But, there are a few misconceptions about air filters that you should know.
Find the Right Balance Between Efficiency and Restrictiveness
Your first instinct may be to find the most restrictive filter to remove every last particulate, allergen, and speck of dust in your home.
However, too restrictive of a filter will suffocate your system. When your HVAC can’t get proper airflow, the heat exchanger can overheat, or the coils can turn into blocks of ice. Either way,will be unhappy.
On the other hand, without proper filtration, you’re stuck breathing in all those nasty little invisible particulates. If you’re unsure about your current air quality, you would benefit from our air quality audit. We test for allergens, chemicals, humidity levels, and more. Once we have all the results, we explain exactly what we found and help create a detailed plan catered to you and your family’s needs to achieve clean, healthy air. We’ll handle the dander, while you handle the fun.
Take a Look at the MERV Rating
So you want to find a happy medium between efficiency and filtering ability, but how is that even measured? Is there anything specific to look for?
Air filters are measured in MERVs. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and ranges from 1 to 16. Most residential homes use air filters rated 1 to 4, but those aren’t great at filtering out fine particles like mold spores, pet dander, and aerosol sprays. Here at Captial, we’re fans of MERV 8 for most residential homes, but you’ll want to take into account your home’s specific needs. If someone is prone to allergies or there a lots of people and pets in your home, you may need a little bit of outside help to keep your HVAC running like an Olympian this summer.
Beyond Your HVAC Air Filter
A whole-home air purifier can work in tandem with your HVAC system and it’s air filter to get you that clean, pure air you deserve without overworking the system.
Depending on your specific needs and lifestyle, we have carbon-activated filters, UV light purifiers, and more. Each of these air purifiers has its own strengths that can add to your defense against the particulates floating around your house.
Capital’s Commitment to Clean, Healthy Air
Keeping your home’s air quality top notch is one of our favorite things. Our technicians are essentially clean air magicians who work with you and your home’s needs to find that perfect solution to get you breathing easy.
Our Capital team is standing by to answer your questions right now—even if it’s 2am and you’re awake making sure that new puppy isn’t chewing your favorite pair of shoes. Again. Give us a call, and let’s start planning your path to pure air today!
Is Duct Sealing Worth It?
