Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category

Air Filters: Your AC Filter Isn’t Enough for Cleaner Air

Monday, August 5th, 2019

air-fliter-cuOne of the important jobs we do for our residential customers is install air filtration systems to help improve indoor air quality. Low indoor air quality is an unfortunately common occurrence in modern homes, and putting in these filters can make a tremendous difference in the amount of airborne pollutants circulating through a home.

If you have a central air conditioning and heating system with ductwork, then you already have at least one air filter in your house—the filter on the HVAC cabinet. This filter is usually located in a slot on the cabinet between where the return air duct meets the blower unit. You might think this filter is good enough for most air cleaning. But this is not the case. The filter isn’t even there to clean the air your household breathes at all. For quality air filtration, you’ll need to arrange for installation of air filters in Delaware and Maryland.

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Indoor Air Quality Killers

Monday, March 4th, 2019

sick-woman-blowing-noseHave you ever wondered just how many particles there are in your home’s air space, right now, that are actively lowering the quality? Well, you don’t have to wonder if you choose to get an air quality test from a trusted indoor air quality expert in Delaware and Maryland. The results of the test can show you definitively which pollutants and contaminants are floating around in your indoor air. With that knowledge, you’ll be able to confidently research your options for improving air quality.

There are various types of contaminants that can lower your air quality, and they’re mostly found in these categories:

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Should I Have My Ducts Tested?

Monday, February 18th, 2019

duct-sealingHave you ever tried to drink soda with a cracked straw? Upon trying to take a drink, you would be unpleasantly surprised to find that the soda was not quite moving up the straw like it should. That’s because the straw requires a tight seal of air pressure in order to get the liquid into your mouth.

The air ducts in your HVAC system are somewhat similar. If there’s a tear or disconnect in your ductwork, it will create a leak that will compromise the air’s ability to make it through the ducts and into the rooms of your home.

If that’s happening in your ducts, you’ll want to have them sealed immediately. Of course, you can only know for sure by having them tested. Here are a few signs that you should schedule a duct test:

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Choosing an Air Filter for Your Home

Monday, October 29th, 2018

woman-blowing-noseNow, don’t let this headline mislead you. Your HVAC system requires an air filter in order to protect sensitive components, such as the evaporator coil, from exposure to dust and dirt particles. However, these air filters have little to do with the overall indoor air quality in your home.

You may not have realized that a separate class of air filters exists and, if you or your family members have allergies and asthma problems, they might be just the thing to make all the difference. In this post, we’ll go over what you need to know about these kinds of air filters.

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Alleviate Asthma by Removing the Humidity

Sunday, August 19th, 2018

air-contaminantsIf the worst part of summer was the sun, then being indoors all day wouldn’t be a problem. The real problem is the humidity, which can linger for hours into the night, making it hard to sleep or feel comfortable.

For asthma sufferers, though, it’s more than just discomfort. Humid air is harder to breathe than normal air, which can aggravate the usual asthma symptoms (which are bad enough already). In this post, we’ll go more into depth on what high humidity means for asthma sufferers and how you can fight back.

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Install a Dehumidifier to Fight Muggy Air

Monday, August 7th, 2017

dehumidifiers-air-quality

Delaware summers mean high temperatures and lots of rain, and this summer is new exception. Most homeowners focus quite rightfully on air conditioning in such circumstances, and a good AC is likely the most important part of your home in the summer. But air conditioners are built to deal with heat, not humidity, and while they can cut down on the mugginess in your home, it’s often more of a side effect than an intended action.

Whole-house dehumidifiers, on the other hand, can remove excess moisture in your home the right way, as well as providing a number of other advantages. Here’s a quick breakdown on how they work and what they can bring to your home.

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Can Your Home Benefit from an Energy Recovery Ventilator?

Monday, July 10th, 2017

ERV-energy-efficiencySummer is here, and that means high temperatures hitting us relentlessly for the next few months. Your air conditioning system is going to be put to quite a test, as it is every summer. You’re usually going to have to pay more in monthly costs for air conditioning during the summer, since your system will need to run for longer periods of time. But just because you’re paying more doesn’t mean you should pay more than is necessary. Timely upgrades to your existing system can help you cut down on those high costs, and provide other benefits to the air conditioner as well.

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The Benefits of a Dehumidifier

Monday, March 20th, 2017

Indoor_Air_Quality_Filters_Duct_Cleaning_dreamstime_xl_20144812We’re still digging ourselves out after last week’s big blizzard, which hopefully marks the end of our winter. Temperatures are expected to be cool for a bit longer, but soon enough they’ll warm up and with them comes a marked increase in humidity levels. You likely have an air conditioner in your home to handle the hot and muggy weather of the summer. But you might also consider installing a whole-house dehumidifier to handle the humid air in your home. It can make a huge difference not only in your home comfort levels, but in the performance of your air conditioner as well.

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UV Air Purifiers Help Cut Down on Winter Colds

Monday, February 20th, 2017

Indoor_Air_Quality_Filters_Duct_Cleaning_894326_54591782-meUV stands for ultraviolet, a spectrum of light we can’t see. But we can often feel it when we go out in the sunshine: it’s what causes our skin to tan and burn. At lower levels, UV lights or blacklights are a common fixture at rock concerts, and in dark rides at amusement parks. They interact with chemicals in your laundry detergent to make your white clothes appear to glow in the dark. But UV lights can do more than just provide amusements or help your tan at the beach. They can form a very powerful weapon against germs and colds.

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Stop Winter Colds with a UV Air Purifier

Monday, January 23rd, 2017

Winter colds are a constant problem in the Dover, DE area, and chances are you or your family have already experienced the misery they can bring. Colds are common in the winter for a number of reasons, but luckily, there’s an easy way to help cut down on them – and other types of illnesses to boot. A UV air purifier installed in your furnace ducts could be just the thing to shut them down.

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