Indoor Air Quality

A new term often heard in connection with buildings is “Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS), described by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.” While many factors can contribute to SBS, indoor air quality problems occur in as many as 30% of all commercial buildings, according to the World Health Organization. A report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reported that 23% of U.S. office workers experience symptoms related to Sick Building Syndrome, decreasing overall productivity nationwide by 2%. The cost? $60 billion annually. Inadequate ventilation is only one potential cause of Sick Building Syndrome. Contaminants from indoor sources, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can produce acute reactions and cause symptoms such as headaches, respiratory distress, fatigue and other health problems. Along with source removal and increased ventilation, the EPA recommends high-performance air purification as a measure of protection against Sick Building Syndrome. Advance Mechanical offers a range of products to provide effective removal of air pollutants.

It might surprise you to hear that the air inside your home is often dirtier than the air outside. According to the World Health Organization air in the average home can be 8x more polluted than outdoor air. That’s because indoor air is made up of outdoor air plus all the pollutants and allergens generated from cleaning products, pets, dust, smoke, and so on. Outside we can help but not fully control, but at home let’s be in charge. In order to be in charge you need to know what you have to control. Below is a list of common indoor air pollutants.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs are pollutants emitted as gases in the atmosphere. Its sources can be solid or liquid with short- and long-term adverse health effects. The most known VOCs are Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Toluene. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outdoors. The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that they are 2-5 times higher indoors and can stay in the air long after initial exposure. The measurement is the mass of a chemical per unit volume. In regards to the home, this unit is Cubic Meters (M3). This concentration measurement is given in ppb (part per billion). The World Health Organization provides guidelines regarding the different VOCs concentration with thresholds for households. Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can be found in paints, glue, varnish, solvents, home and laundry cleaning products, DYI material, cleansers and disinfectants, repellents, air fresheners, scented candles, varnishes, cosmetic products, dry-cleaned clothing, furniture, etc. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them and while they are stored in a process known as off gassing. Some of the most common health effects of VOCs are dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, rashes, respiratory and throat irritation (nasal congestion, persistent cough), eye irritation, lethargy, fatigue and increased angina in persons with coronary heart disease. Some of them have been declared group 1 carcinogenic to humans, so they are as dangerous as asbestos or cigarette smoke.

Some homes may need technology to greater reduce the pollutants in the air, especially if you suffer from allergies or asthma. At Advance Mechanical we offer a wide range of products to reduce particles, germs, and many toxins in the air. We also offer monitoring systems so you will know exactly what is in the air you breathe. Improving air quality in the home is a goal that is easily attainable. Start with the little fixes and then undertake the more complex remedies as needed. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to improve the air you breathe.

Carbon monoxide testing is regularly performed during the cool weather months when you own a Comfort Club Membership or you can call and we will check it for you with our tester. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, nonirritating poisonous gas that is completely undetectable to your senses. It is created when fuel such as propane, natural gas and oil are burned. We use commercial monitors to test your home. These are available for purchase, with Comfort Club members receiving a special discount when ordered through us. For tips on how to avoid carbon monoxide or to know the symptom see our safety section.

High-efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) filters are critical in the prevention of the spread of airborne bacterial and viral organisms and, therefore, infection. To be considered a HEPA filter the filter must satisfy certain standards of efficiency such as those set by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). To qualify as HEPA by US government standards, an air filter must remove (from the air that passes through) 99.9% of particles that have a size of 0.3 µm or larger. Typically, HEPA filtration systems also incorporate high-energy ultra-violet light units to kill off the live bacteria and viruses trapped by the filter media. For ultimate purification we recommend pairing the HEPA filter system with our industry leading Oxy Quantum LED UV light system. Call us for an appointment to evaluate your indoor air quality.

The MicroPower Guard® uses an active electromagnetic field to magnetize both airborne particles and the fibers of the disposable filter pad. This creates a virtual “force field” within the ductwork, capturing many of the smallest, most dangerous to breathe submicron airborne particles. When the air is recycled through the MicroPower Guard in your ductwork, this air cleaner will remove 97% of particles at .3 microns. This 1″ filter is the most cost effective and easiest to maintain electronic air cleaner available for the Nature’s Home® and is an essential component of any Premier air purification system. Each disposable filter pad remains at peak operating efficiency for about four months before needing to be replaced.

The ultimate in duct-mounted air purification. Superior control of air-borne particles, organisms and gas. The dual lamp OxyQuantum® LED can reduce or eliminate mold, germs, viruses, bacteria and airborne toxic gasses from the indoor air your family breathes every day. This unit is a cost-effective solution to controlling infectious agents and toxic compounds. The unit operates continuously at maximum efficiency which is about three times the output of competing single bulb systems. Completely silent, a properly installed OxyQuantum® LED will prolong the life of all heating and cooling systems and provides Danger Level 2 and 3 control for cleaner, fresher and healthier air. An OxyQuantum® LED is installed through sheet-metal in your duct work. All UVC and UVV light produced is safely contained within the duct work.

When hot humid air from your home passes through the cooling coil in your furnace it causes condensation and the coil sweats and drips into a pan. The standing water in this pan becomes stale and slimy breeding odor causing germs. An EPA registered, time released pan treatment strip in this pan will prevent this and protect your home from damage caused from slime build up in the pan’s drain. Pan treatments should be replaced at least once a year depending on the length of your cooling season.

Do you ever wonder what is in the air you breathe?  With Foobot you no longer have to worry. Indoor air pollution impairs our health with several many possible symptoms like fatigue, headaches, eyes–‐ nose— throat irritations… and contributes to the aggravation of allergies and asthma. To protect our health and preserve our life quality, it is fundamental to improve our indoor air quality. Foobot is the first intelligent device dedicated to indoor health and wellness. Foobot will measure:

• It tracks the smallest particles suspended in the air which are the source of allergies.
• It tracks chemicals in the air generated from our products, appliances and furniture.
• It helps us to set the humidity of the room to create a more comfortable living space for the whole family.

Foobot will take all the data that it gathers and transmit it in real time to our company. By utilizing Foobot we are able to measure our customer’s indoor air quality over an extended period of time (2 weeks) and create a plan that is customized to fit their unique needs based on the findings. The Foobot is also available for purchase through our company and will include on-site set up. Want to schedule your personalized indoor air quality assessment? Click here Learn more about FooBot: http://foobot.io/demo/