Many people are aware of how harmful outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the average home can be more polluted—reliant on actual situations, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so bad, that the EPA has indoor air pollution ranked as a top five environmental danger. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon, and even formaldehyde are commonly found inside. Since Americans spend around 90% of their time indoors, superior indoor air quality is a necessity for decent health, whether it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help manage this pollution and increase our indoor air quality, we can take several measures. But first, we are required to grasp some lingo consistently used to discuss indoor air quality.

HEPA

HEPA is a term many people have heard or seen, but did you know it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are created—and certified—to capture at least 99.97% of .3-micron particles (tinier than the diameter of a human hair) from the air that filters through the system. This greatly increases your home’s indoor air quality when dust, pollen, mites, and other contaminants are trapped.

MERV

Minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV describes the effectiveness of an air filter. With metrics ranging from 1–16, you should pursue a top rating that indicates the filter will remove more contaminants and allergens from your air without restricting the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.

At Temp Air System Inc., we can help you understand the importance of indoor air quality and help you work on breathing the best air possible. After all, the normal adult breathes about 11,000 liters of air each day. Give us a call if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.

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Temp Air Heating & Cooling
Temp Air Heating & Cooling

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