Indoor air quality has become a a very important concept lately. Homeowners are learning that dust, dirt, pollen, mold and pet dander –among other things– cause bad indoor air quality. Indoor air quality is worse than the air outdoors; however, homeowners don’t call an HVAC contractor in Macon, GA and say, “please come fix my indoor air quality. It’s broken.” But they should.
They spend eight hours in a building for work, and then they spend the rest of their time indoors at home. They’re inhaling contaminants 24/7. At what point should they fix the problem? Do they have to see the contaminants like they see the haze over the city as they drive to work? What are these contaminants, and are they caught by A/C filters?
Indoor Air Quality Contaminants
Examples of contaminants include:
Furnishings that off-gas
Radon gas
Gas ovens and ranges
Fireplaces, gas or otherwise
Cleaning products
Cigarette smoke
Cooking smoke
Adhesive and other parts of building materials like wood floors, carpets, paint, etc.
Pests
Mold, bacteria, pollen, smog
Dirty HVAC filters
What HVAC Filters Can’t Catch
Filters only catch physical particulates such as dust, dirt, mold spores, pet dander, and bacteria. They can’t filter out the off-gas from formaldehyde in furnishings or the volatile organic compounds or VOCs of aerosol sprays or carpet adhesive. Today’s homes are made with a lot of petroleum-based products; off-gassing is a byproduct of using such materials.
Homeowners should call their HVAC contractor in Macon, GA, or the one in their local area, for a checkup. The contractor will test the air, examine the filters, and alert the homeowner about the scope of the problem. Maybe all they need is clean filters and an air purifier system, but whatever the problem, homeowners owe clean air to themselves and their families. Contacting Hammond Services at can help to ensure that homeowners have good indoor air quality moving forward.