Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘IAQ – Indoor Air Quality’ Category

Preventive Air Duct Maintenance for Your Fresno Home

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

If the air quality in your home is a concern, preventive air duct maintenance can go a long way toward keeping your indoor air quality at an acceptable level. Any allergy sufferers in your household will greatly benefit from clean, allergen-free air circulating through the home. As a homeowner, you can give the air ducts a partial inspection to decide whether a complete inspection and possible duct cleaning is necessary.

Continue Reading

Steps for Buying an Efficient Ventilation System for Your Home

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

Buying an efficient ventilation system for your Fresno area home is important for several reasons. With today’s homes being constructed with an emphasis on energy efficiency, mechanical ventilation becomes critical if healthy indoor air quality is to be achieved and maintained. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air pollution can be much worse than outdoor pollution. The number one solution to counteracting unhealthy levels of indoor air is adequate ventilation.

Continue Reading

Allergy Prevention Tips for the Fall

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

Allergy Prevention Tips for the FallThe most effective way to beat allergy symptoms this fall is to prevent them. You may be especially susceptible to allergy symptoms such as frequent sneezing, itching and watery eyes inside your home. Long-term exposure to stale, humid air and various airborne allergens can trigger late onset allergy symptoms. Doctors are reporting more people being diagnosed with allergies later in life, as well as children and adolescents. Along with the increase in allergy sufferers, fortunately, scientists and HVAC contractors alike are getting better at recommending ways of allergy prevention inside the home:

Continue Reading

Indoor Air Pollutants and the Cleaning Technologies That Will Fight Them

Thursday, August 7th, 2014

Indoor Air Pollutants and the Cleaning Technologies That Will Fight ThemA typical home has more indoor air pollutants than most people realize. The tiniest airborne particulates can threaten health and indoor air quality in general, and they need to be controlled. Luckily, a variety of effective air-cleaning technologies are available that can help combat airborne pollutants.

Continue Reading

How Dryer Vent Cleaning Can Improve Your IAQ

Thursday, July 31st, 2014

How Dryer Vent Cleaning Can Improve Your IAQThe dryer vent in your Fresno area home could be clogged with lint at this very moment and you wouldn’t even know it. Most homeowners will clean the lint trap of their dryer but then overlook the entire vent system. This could be a costly and potentially damaging mistake. Thankfully, professional vent cleaning can provide many benefits for your home including:

Continue Reading

Ventilation Fans: A Low-Cost Cooling Solution

Thursday, July 24th, 2014

Ventilation Fans: A Low-Cost Cooling SolutionWith the San Joaquin Valley summer blazing away outside, you probably spend ample time considering ways to stay cool in your home. To many people, that means cranking up the air conditioning. Modern air conditioning provides efficient cooling, but often comes with a high energy price tag. Don’t forget the power and economy of a few good ventilation fans while you’re looking to stretch those cooling dollars. Adding ventilation fans to the mix creates a more efficient, money-saving, whole-house solution. 

Continue Reading

Houseplants Are Nature’s Air Purifiers

Thursday, May 8th, 2014

Houseplants Are Nature's Air PurifiersAs bad as the air quality may be outside your home, it can be even worse inside. The federal EPA estimates that indoor pollutant levels may be as much as two to five times higher than outdoors, which can pose a risk to your health and comfort. While there are a number of ways you can help to clean your indoor air, one of the easiest and most effective is by placing any or all of the following houseplants in your home, and letting nature do the work for you:

Continue Reading

UV Lights and How They Eliminate Germs

Thursday, May 1st, 2014

UV Lights and How They Eliminate GermsThere are many contaminants that can lower the quality of the indoor air you breathe. They can cause discomfort, trigger allergies, exacerbate respiratory conditions and can even make you sick. Various microorganisms – including mold spores, mildew, bacteria and viruses – are particular contaminants that you should try to eliminate in your home. Not many strategies are as effective for targeting airborne organisms in your home as are ultraviolet (UV) light filtration systems.

Continue Reading

How Air Balancing and HVAC Maintenance Help Your System

Thursday, April 24th, 2014

How Air Balancing and HVAC Maintenance Help Your SystemOne important goal of any forced-air heating or cooling system is a proper balance of airflow, both into rooms and back to the furnace or A/C air handler. Air balancing, simply speaking, is making sure that all forced-air vents in the house are putting out air equally. There are some do-it-yourself methods to test the air balance in your home. Try walking between rooms to see if the temperature changes. Place your hand near the ceiling to check for air flow from the vents. If the air isn’t balanced, you may need have a trusted technician install restrictors or dampeners, although the problem may be solved by adjusting or unblocking registers, replacing your HVAC’s air filter, or checking for and fixing ductwork problems, such as leaks or blockages.

Continue Reading

Humidity and 4 Tips on Balancing the Levels

Thursday, April 17th, 2014

Humidity and 4 Tips on Balancing the LevelsMaintaining proper humidity levels in your Fresno-area home increases indoor health and comfort for you and your family, while lowering energy use, reducing wear and tear on your HVAC system and preventing moisture damage to furniture and other wooden household possessions or fixtures.

Continue Reading