In the Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia area, we are all on the edge of our seats for sunny days and warmer weather. Feels like it has been a very long winter. At last trees are blooming and flower shoots are coming through. On the same hand, pollen counts will be starting to show up on your radar as well. You know pollen is here with the itchy eyes and nose, a little scratchiness in your throat.
Now is a good time to have your air ducts cleaned. You’re probably opening your windows to let in some fresh air on these temperate days, and this will increase the pollen, dust, dirt and other debris that are introduced into our homes. These allergens will make their way into your air handling systems and when you turn on the heat or air condition, they will be circulated in our homes. We always recommend the proactive step of cleaning or replacing the air filter in your HVAC system each month. However, you still need to hire a NADCA certified air duct cleaning company like Dapper Ducts to remove the debris, dust and other build up in your ducts. Call Dapper Ducts to get an air duct cleaning quote so that you can breathe easily.
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We’re going to take a slight detour from our typical topics around indoor air quality (air duct, dryer vent and chimney cleaning) and talk about the connection between indoor and outdoor air quality. I recently came across an interesting article out of Taiwan.
Taiwan’s environmental protection agency Administration announced regulations for indoor air quality (IAQ) and will impose fines for schools with poor IAQ. The Administration noted that the nation’s kindergartens are a top priority for improved indoor air quality. The most problematic pollutants are CO2, CO, PM2.5 and PM10, which are blamed on idling cars during drop off and pick up times. (FYI, since I had to look this up myself, PM2.5 and PM10 refers to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) that have a diameter of less than (insert # here) micrometers.) These regulations are super interesting to me for a lot of reasons. But mostly, to stay relevant to the main idea, I hope this drives home the connection between outdoor air and indoor air quality. Somehow I think we have this false sense of security that “Phew, I’m inside, it’s safe in here” with regard to the pollutants in the air outside, the allergens that we are triggered by, and the dust that we are trying to keep ahead of. And this just isn’t accurate. What’s going on outside most certainly follows us inside (could take that really deep if you want to) so I applaud the Taiwanese government for helping to bring awareness to how a simple habit that may not even be registering in the consciousness of parents’ minds (keeping the car running during drop off and pick up) could be potentially harming their kids. Something I’m sure they would never be doing intentionally. I encourage you to think about the air quality at your kids’ daycare or school. Have you ever glanced at the supply or return vents in the classroom and noticed a layer of grayish/black dust and debris? What can you do about it? Having Dapper Ducts or another NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) certified company perform air duct cleaning, so that all of your ducts, vents and the air handler unit are free from debris and dust is a big step toward improving the air quality for the little ones in your life. Call or email Dapper Ducts today for a quote! Often when we think of air quality, we think of the outdoor air and reports we hear on the TV or radio during warm weather for haze, smog, and days when more sensitive groups like children and older adults should remain indoors. However, what we often don’t think of when it comes to air quality is the fact that all the air we breathe in our homes, offices, hospitals, and schools comes from the outdoors. Indoor air quality is frequently just as bad if not worse than outdoor air quality. This is even more true doing the colder months. Why?
There are a lot of factors that impact the quality of indoor air, so I’ll give a few examples. During the winter, we usually aren’t opening our windows to let “fresh” air in. This means the same air is being circulated in each room, pulled back into your return vents, run through your air ducts (that may have years of dust and debris resting inside, let alone microbial growth), and then pushed back out your supply vents. YIKES, right? This makes changing the filter monthly essential and having your air ducts cleaned at least once every two years. Then we’ve got the chimneys to think about. Cuddling up in front of the fire with hot cocoa and a movie or good book is the quintessential image of winter, and we support that. We just want to be sure you do it safely. Many people do not know how to properly start a fire, which leads to smoke kicking back into the home before the flue is warm enough to pull it up and out of the house. Please, have your chimney cleaned and inspected every year if you use it regularly. And don’t hesitate to ask Yani how to start a fire. Ain’t no shame in the learning game. You could always pick up a tip you didn’t know before (plus he loves playing with fire :). Lastly, let’s talk about holiday decorations. Where do you store yours? Is it climate controlled? Are they out in the open in your basement or attic collecting dust? This can play a big role in introducing mold, mildew, dust and debris into your indoor air this time of year and then you’re breathing it the rest of the season. If any of these situations ring true for you, have Dapper Ducts or another NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) certified company perform air duct cleaning for your home, condo or apartment. Chimney cleaning and dryer vent cleaning is also important this time of year when house fires are more likely. Call or email Dapper Ducts today for a quote. We always offer discounts when you bundle 2 or more services. We are living during a time with very unusual weather patterns. Depending on where in the country you live, you may be experiencing extremely hot or wet conditions. This extreme weather is making flooding and fires more and more common. Aside from everything that comes from enduring a tragedy like a flood or fire that can damage and destroy much if not all of your house, you probably just want to fix what needs to be fixed and try to get your life back on track.
As part of the restoration process after any event like a house fire or flood, an inspection of your air ducts is strongly recommended. Any number of things can happen to your HVAC system, the air handler unit, the ducts, the vents, and many of the parts. Duct cleaning will likely be necessary to be sure you are breathing clean air. The smoke from a fire will linger in the ducts and be circulated throughout your home. The wetness from a flood can cause microbial growth in your ducts and spread it all over your home as well. Have Dapper Ducts or another NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) certified company perform air duct cleaning for your home, school or office. Ensuring all of your ducts, vents and the component parts of your HVAC or air handler unit are free from smoke, microbial growth (mold) and dust is an important step in any remediation and restoration job. Call or email Dapper Ducts today for an air duct cleaning quote! A recent study found that mold in your home can easily be spread into the air and cause health problems for you and your family. “But I don’t have mold in my house” is probably what you’re thinking so this doesn’t apply to me. Well, hold on a sec, do you have a bathroom that stays pretty warm and steamy after a hot shower? Do you have a basement that you always feels kind of damp? This doesn’t mean you definitely have mold or microbial growth, but it could play a factor.
In the DC metro area, all of us who live in Baltimore, Rockville, Silver Spring, Vienna, Arlington and Springfield, know that we live in a “wet” climate. The humidity during our summers makes it very easy for mold to grow just about anywhere that isn’t well ventilated, for example air ducts, your HVAC system, the HVAC ducts. Understandably, if mold can grow in a dark corner of your home, according to this study, it can easily be spread through your HVAC system and HVAC ducts. Having Dapper Ducts or another NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) certified company perform air duct cleaning, so that all of your ducts, vents and the component parts of your HVAC or air handler unit are free from debris, microbial growth (mold) and dust is a big step toward improving the air quality of your home, office, and school. Call or email Dapper Ducts today for an air duct cleaning quote! |
AuthorThe Dapper Ducts team wants you to know all about indoor air quality. Archives
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