Most Florida residents have heard this saying before. What’s bothering you when it’s warm outside may not be the temperature; it could be the humidity. But have you ever thought about all of the ways that high humidity levels can affect the inside of your home?
A/C Designs of St. Augustine, LLC Blog: Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category
It’s Not the Heat: It’s the Humidity!
Monday, March 14th, 2016Getting the Right Air Filter for Your AC and Heating Needs
Monday, January 18th, 2016The filter in your AC and heating system serves two purposes: protecting your furnace and air handler from damage and keeping the air you breathe as clean as possible. Standard air filters help protect HVAC systems by removing pollen, dust, mold, dust mites, and bacteria from the air. Regularly changing or replacing your air filter is essential for maintaining both system protection and healthy indoor air, especially for those with allergies. It’s widely recommended to change your home’s air filter every 90 days.
However, the very first air filters were not designed for air cleaning so much as for system protection, and there are still many air filters out there that are not so effective at keeping your air clean and healthy. High-quality filters made from the highest quality materials are more effective at capturing allergens such as dust mites and pet dander, which can trigger allergies. Air filters with higher MERV ratings are better for managing pet dander, pollen, and dust. With so many options available, including custom air filters, there is a wide variety of air filter products and brands to meet different needs. High-quality air filters are conveniently available online for high-performance air purification. Selecting from a variety of trusted brands ensures you can find the right product for your system.
Premium filters, such as those rated MERV 13, often outperform original equipment manufacturer (OEM) filters in both filtration efficiency and durability. While OEM filters are standard, higher-rated filters can provide superior air quality and longer lifespan. Choosing the right filter can also save you money by improving energy efficiency and preventing costly HVAC repairs.
We are dedicated to providing each customer with a positive experience and high-quality air filtration solutions.
Our company is focused on supplying a wide range of air filters to meet the needs of both residential and commercial clients.
Introduction to Air Filters
Air filters are essential components in maintaining the air quality of both homes and commercial spaces. Our company serves both residential and commercial customers by offering tailored air filtration solutions designed to meet their specific needs. By acting as barriers, air filters help prevent harmful airborne particles, such as dust, mold, pollen, and bacteria, from circulating throughout your environment. This not only supports a healthier space to breathe but also ensures that the air you and your family inhale is as clean as possible. Activated carbon filters are effective at reducing indoor odors and neutralizing smells from sources like pets and cooking. Visible dust accumulation or dust on surfaces is a sign that your air filter needs to be replaced. With so many options available, including custom air filters designed for unique needs, it’s important to understand the different types of filters and their specific benefits. Choosing the right air filters can make a significant difference in the overall quality of your indoor air, helping to reduce allergens and improve your comfort.
Understanding Air Filter Types
When it comes to selecting air filters for your HVAC system, understanding the different types available is key to ensuring both air quality and system efficiency. Traditional fiberglass filters are commonly found in most homes due to their affordability, but they offer lower efficiency and need to be replaced more frequently. It is important to replace these filters regularly to maintain system performance. For those seeking better filtration, residential air filters with higher MERV ratings, such as pleated or synthetic options, are designed to capture smaller airborne particles and provide improved air quality. Deep pleated air filters are available in 4-5 inch sizes and also remove airborne irritants like pollen and dust. The right size filter is also crucial, choosing a filter that fits your system properly helps maintain optimal airflow and prevents unnecessary strain on your HVAC system. If you cannot find the correct sized filter, you can order custom sizes. By carefully selecting the type and size of your air filter, you can enhance both the performance and longevity of your system.
MERV Rating and Filter Efficiency
The MERV rating, or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, is a key measure of an air filter’s effectiveness in capturing airborne particles. Filters with a higher MERV rating are capable of trapping finer particles, which leads to better air quality throughout your home or commercial space. MERV ratings typically range from 1 to 16, with higher numbers indicating greater efficiency. For example, a MERV 13 filter can capture up to 98% of airborne particles, making it an excellent choice for those who want to maximize air quality and system performance. MERV 13 rated air filters can capture airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. Activated carbon filters work well for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Understanding MERV ratings helps you select the right filter for your HVAC system, ensuring that you achieve the best balance between filtration effectiveness and system efficiency.
3 Indoor Air Quality Products and Services for Better Health and Lower Bills
Monday, November 23rd, 2015If allergies and asthma symptoms seem to get worse as you run your heating and air conditioning systems, there’s a reason. Recirculating the air in your home through your ducts means recirculating various particles that aggravate symptoms and may worsen some illnesses. Calling a technician for indoor air quality services can help to solve many common issues with air contamination—but would you guess that many professional indoor air quality services can also lower your bills? Here are a few of our favorite examples.
Clean Your Air with UV Lights
Monday, October 5th, 2015Clean, breathable air is something that all of us should have access to in our own homes. Unfortunately, this is not guaranteed, even if you have an air filter in your HVAC (heating and air conditioning) system. Air filters trap contaminants so that they cannot continue to circulate in your home. However, the standard air filter can only remove particles 10 micrometers in size or greater. And some of the worst contaminants are much smaller than this.
3 Benefits to Indoor Air Filters
Monday, May 4th, 2015Ready or not, summer is headed our way, and when you live in Jacksonville, FL, that means a lot of heat and humidity. A good air conditioner can help keep your home cool, but there’s more to a comfortable household than cool air. The quality of your air can make just as much of a difference in your daily life as the temperature of the air, and good indoor air filters can be as important as a reliable HVAC system. Air filters can range from simple filters in your AC to elaborate units featuring UV lighting and similar features. But all of them offer tangible benefits to homeowners who use them. Here’s a quick list of 3 benefits to indoor air filters.
Warning Signs You Have Leaky Air Ducts
Tuesday, January 13th, 2015Most homeowners don’t pay too much attention to the ductwork of their home as long as they have somewhat sufficient heating or cooling power. Of course, the ducts are vital in the heating and cooling process, bringing air to the HVAC equipment so that it can heat up or cool off and then delivering the newly conditioned air into the home. But unfortunately, ducts are often poorly installed or sealed, and you end up paying more to keep your home comfortable.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, most homes have a problem with leaky ductwork, with the average home losing about 20% of the air that moves through the ducts due to cracks, holes, and loose connections. So how can you tell there’s a problem in your house? Look for the signs in today’s guide, and call AC Designs Inc. for immediate duct repair in Orange Park to learn how sealing and repairing ducts benefits you.
There are a couple of ways to tell that you may have leaky ducts. Perhaps the most noticeable is limited airflow in one or more areas of the home. Perhaps you have rooms that take longer to heat or cool or areas that always feel stuffy. In any case, spotty airflow is likely a result of air leaking out in one or more areas of the ducts.
Another common way to tell is if you seem to be spending far too much on air conditioning and heating costs. While this may be due to faulty HVAC equipment, it’s best to find a contractor who will check the ducts as well, to make sure that there are not multiple problems affecting your energy costs.
You may also be able to tell whether a home has poorly performing ducts by paying attention to the signs given off from your air conditioning and heating system. A system that appears to struggle may only do so because it’s running for too long to meet your home’s temperature demands. A unit that has to work overtime to heat or cool the home may end up breaking down sooner than you’d expect, or it may develop problems resulting from low airflow such as a frozen evaporator coil.
Whatever your heating and air conditioning needs, call AC Designs Inc. for a thorough check of all of your equipment and professional duct repair service in Orange Park.
Problems Solved by Duct Repair
Friday, May 23rd, 2014The ductwork of your home’s ventilation system must retain an airtight seal along its length. It only takes a small air leak in the ductwork to begin to cause serious problems that will lead to poor heating/cooling, HVAC repairs, and a drop in the quality of your indoor air. Duct breaks of any kind need the work of trained repair specialists.
At AC Designs Inc., we are now entering our second decade helping people throughout the Jacksonville and Daytona areas maintain high indoor air quality and efficient HVAC performance. When it’s time for duct repair in Orange Park, FL, make our experienced team your first call.
What Professional Duct Repair Will Do For You
- Restore proper airflow: The seal along ductwork helps prevent a reduction in pressure of the conditioned air from the HVAC system. It only takes a minor air leak to begin to cut into this pressure, and this will cause the airflow from the vents to begin to drop. Impaired airflow will cause reduced comfort and place extra strain on the heater and air conditioner. Fast and effective repair work will return proper airflow.
- Stop dust and dirt infiltration: Because damage along ducts will occur in places that are filled with dust and dirt, such as attics and between walls, they will allow large amounts of contamination to enter. This will lower your air quality and also lead to trouble inside your air conditioner and/or heater.
- Reduce chances of mold growth: Dust and other debris will cause severe trouble for your indoor air quality, but bacterial growth is even worse. The humidity insides ductwork will increase because of gaps and breaks, and this will make it much easier for mold to get a foothold and start growing. Eliminating mold from ducts requires specialized equipment, but with prompt duct repairs you can lower the chance of this becoming a problem for your ventilation system.
Reach For The Phone, Not For Duct Tape!
You cannot perform duct repair on your own using store bought material like duct tape (which isn’t even designed for use on ducts). It requires trained professionals to locate the repair issues and determine the best way to fix them. Repair technicians will use sealant, metallic tape, and duct replacement to restore your ventilation system to protect indoor air quality, heating, and cooling.
AC Designs Inc. has a team ready to assist you with duct repair and other HVAC services in Orange Park, FL whenever necessary. You can trust to their experience when you need the job done fast and accurately. Give us a call today to schedule your next appointment.
Here Is How Professionals Perform Duct Cleaning
Thursday, March 20th, 2014Calling professionals for duct cleaning in Jacksonville, FL will help you have cleaner indoor air and a more efficient and effective HVAC system. Duct cleaning specialists come equipped with special tools to get this job done, so leave the work in their capable hands. Contact AC Designs Inc. for skilled duct cleaners ready to take care of your ventilation system.
The way professionals clean ducts
Duct cleaning requires more than sticking a vacuum hose into an open vent. Ductwork is extensive, and dirt that can get ground into it is resistant to standard “scrub and suction” methods. Duct cleaners must take a different approach.
To clean your ducts, technicians will bring into your home an immense power vacuum, which doesn’t simply suck up dust, it also places whole areas of the ducts under “negative pressure.” The technicians place the power vacuum near your HVAC system, shut off the blower motor, and then cut a hole into the main duct leading from the HVAC system into the ductwork. They attach the wide end of the vacuum to this hole and seal it, then activate the vacuum to put the entirety you ventilation system under negative pressure. This dislodges dirt and floats it away from the walls. The technicians then turn on the suction, and the vacuum collects the freed dirt, dust, and grime.
If necessary to dislodge other debris, the technicians will use powerful rotary brushes on long lines to reach inside and agitate the debris from the walls, then use vacuum power once more. After this, cleaners may use deodorants on the ducts (which aren’t harmful to the air) as a final cleaning touch.
How often should you schedule duct cleaning?
Aside from when you know you need it (as we showed at the beginning of this post), duct cleaning is something you should have done every one or two years, based on the advice of your cleaners. You can’t stop dust from gathering inside your ducts, but you can have it cleaned out regularly.
To schedule duct cleaning in Jacksonville, FL, contact our air quality specialists at AC Designs Inc.
Signs You Need Duct Cleaning
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013Duct cleaning is an important part of your home maintenance. Duct cleaning improves the quality of air in your household, helping to reduce the frequency of allergic attacks and lowering the amount of dust on your rugs and furniture to boot. Here are some signs that you may need duct cleaning in your Jacksonville, FL home.
- Poor air quality. Dust in your ducts gets blown about when your heating system or air conditioner runs. You might notice an excess of dust on your furniture, or sensitive family members may experience an uptick in allergic reactions for no apparent reason. You may also experience a dry nose and throat, or similar health irritants created by the excessive dust.
- Higher monthly bills. Dust in the ducts often means dust in your heater and/or air conditioner a well. That increases friction on moving parts and lowers the efficiency of your HVAC unit in general. Decreased efficiency means you pay more for heating and cooling. If you find you need to change your air filters frequently, you might have dust buildup in your ducts. Have a professional examine your system to determine the cause of your HVAC system running inefficiently.
- Reduced air flow. Though this doesn’t happen in every case, severe dust build-up can hamper the flow of air through your system. That can also lead to higher monthly bills, since reduced air flow means reduced energy efficiency. If you notice that the air isn’t coming out of your ducts like it should, and the HVAC unit itself doesn’t seem to be the problem, it may be due to excessive dust in your ducts.
If you spot signs that you need duct cleaning, call the experts at AC Designs Inc. to help. Give us a call today for expert Jacksonville, FL duct cleaning services.