A/C Designs of St. Augustine, LLC Blog: Posts Tagged ‘air quality’

Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?

Friday, March 10th, 2023

Air ducts are essential in keeping your home healthy and comfortable. However, as they become clogged with dust and other debris over time, they can negatively impact the quality of the air you breathe. That’s why it is important to schedule regular air duct service and cleaning to maintain your home’s indoor air quality. 

What Are Air Ducts?

Indoor air ducts are the conduits that transport air from your heating and cooling system to various rooms in your home. These ducts are typically made from metal or fiberglass and are designed to be as airtight as possible to prevent leaks and maintain proper airflow. 

Most air ducts are located out of sight in your home’s walls, floors, or ceilings. As time passes, your ducts may become clogged with dust particles, dirt, pollen, or even mold spores if moisture is present. This can pollute your home’s indoor air and cause serious health risks for you and your family. 

Air duct inefficiency can be directly caused by a lack of maintenance and proper cleaning. That’s why it is essential to clean all components of your heating and cooling system regularly to avoid poor filtration and dangerous airborne contaminants. 

How Often Should Air Ducts be Cleaned?

Maintain healthy indoor air quality in your home by staying on top of your unit’s duct maintenance. At AC Designs, we recommend scheduling air duct cleaning at least once every two to three years. However, some homes should have their ducts cleaned more frequently. 

If you have pets in your home, schedule more frequent duct cleanings to prevent dander from clogging your heating and cooling system. Indoor smoking can also lead to a buildup of smoke residue in your conduits, resulting in odors and even health hazards for non-smokers in your home. 

You should also have your ducts professionally cleaned after construction work takes place in your home due to excessive dust and debris build-up. If your overall home air quality begins to decline, don’t hesitate to schedule a professional cleaning with AC Designs. 

Issues Caused By Dirty Air Ducts 

A lack of indoor air duct maintenance can result in numerous consequences around the house, from respiratory issues to financial burdens. 

Allergies and Respiratory Issues

When your air ducts are clogged with dust and debris, the air circulating through your home carries these particles. This can irritate your respiratory system and exacerbate allergies and asthma symptoms.  

Reduced Airflow

Dirty air ducts can restrict the airflow in your heating and cooling system, causing your HVAC system to work harder than it needs to. This results in higher energy bills and can reduce the lifespan of your unit. This can also place added strain on your system, resulting in the need for expensive future repairs. 

Unpleasant Odors

Improperly maintained air ducts can also cause unpleasant odors to circulate throughout your home, especially if you have pets or if someone in your home smokes.

Mold Growth

When there is moisture in your air ducts, it can lead to mold growth. This can be a serious health hazard, as mold can cause respiratory issues, headaches, and other health problems.

Protect Your Indoor Air Quality 

In between professional air duct cleanings, there are many preventative measures you can take to minimize dust build-up. Install high-efficiency air filters in your home to assist your unit in filtering particles like dust and pollen from your indoor air. 

Dust and vacuum around your home often to prevent new contaminants from circulating. Be sure to change your air filters regularly to keep your system running efficiently and avoid blockages. You should also ensure that your ducts are properly sealed to prevent moisture and mold contamination. 

Schedule AC Duct Cleaning Service Today

Clean and efficient air ducts are essential in keeping the air inside your home safe to breathe. At AC Designs, we’ll provide the professional duct cleaning service you deserve to keep your family healthy and your electricity bill reasonable. Contact us today to schedule your air duct cleaning with our team of experienced technicians.

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The Benefits of Using UV Germicidal Lights

Thursday, March 9th, 2023

Poor indoor air quality can exacerbate allergies, worsen asthma, and make your family sick. Investing in UV germicidal lights is a great way to improve your air quality and keep your family safe and healthy. Here’s all you need to know about how these lights work and the benefits they’ll have on your indoor air quality. 

What are UV Germicidal Lights?

UV germicidal lights are designed to use small, safe amounts of UV radiation to destroy viruses, mold, and allergens that may compromise your home’s air quality. They work by deactivating the DNA of bacteria that lives inside your home.

By destroying the genetic material of these pollutants, harmful microorganisms are unable to replicate. This is a highly effective way to keep the air you breathe inside your home safe and reduce the spread of illness. 

Benefits of UV Germicidal Lights

UV germicidal lights offer many benefits for your home’s air quality. Investing in this technology will curb AC vent mold and bacterial growth, eliminating airborne viruses. This way, your family will experience a reduction in illnesses like the flu and common colds.

Protecting your home with UV lights will also reduce unpleasant odors caused by bacteria and other pollutants. This is especially beneficial in areas with high humidity levels or homes where pets are present. 

Germicidal lights will also play a role in removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from your indoor air. High levels of exposure may cause serious health issues. These can be found in many of the chemicals we use to maintain and clean our homes.

In addition to the numerous health benefits, these lights can also reduce clogging in your HVAC unit’s condensate drains, allowing it to operate more efficiently. This technology is easy to maintain and typically requires very little maintenance after installation. 

Schedule Indoor Air Quality Services

When there is a buildup of particles in your system, it cannot run efficiently. That’s why changing your air filters and using additional treatments like HVAC ultraviolet lights can help improve their efficiency. 

When combined with proper routine HVAC maintenance, germicidal lights can help reduce your energy bills and increase your unit efficiency. The expert indoor air quality team at AC Designs is here to help you improve your home’s air quality with UV germicidal lights and other services. 

Contact AC Designs Today

From VOC removal to the elimination of odors, the benefits of UV lights are endless. Take the steps to protect the air your family breathes and schedule an installation today. Contact the experts at AC Designs today to discuss UV germicidal lights for your home.

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Whole House Air Purifiers – Do You Really Need One?

Thursday, February 9th, 2023

Did you know that indoor air pollutant levels can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels? If your home’s poor indoor air quality is leading to allergic reactions, asthma, or other cold-like symptoms, it may be time to invest in a whole-house air purifier. Here’s what you need to know about air purifiers before buying one.  

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters 

Prioritizing your health is more than just eating well and exercising often – it’s also important to make sure that you are breathing clean, healthy air. Prolonged exposure to poor air quality can lead to flu-like symptoms, allergic reactions, and even asthma. 

Protecting your home’s indoor air quality benefits the overall health of you and your family. Whole-house air purifiers work to remove harmful particles in the air to reduce exposure to mold, dust, or even asbestos in older homes. 

The systems can even reduce pesky seasonal allergies and help you get better sleep. Cleaner air in your home results in fewer odors and less time spent dusting and cleaning. It can also extend the life of your HVAC filters and prevent them from being overworked. 

How Do Whole-House Air Purifiers Work? 

Because we cannot see air quality, it can often be difficult to know how whole-home air purifiers work to filter the air in your home. Here are the most common types and how they successfully remove harmful irritants and keep clean air in circulation. 

HEPA Filters 

HEPA filter air purifiers are the industry standard for removing airborne particles from your home. These systems are proven to successfully remove 99.97% of irritants like dust, pollen, dander, mold spores, and more from the air you breathe by pulling them through a pleated air filter. 

Activated Carbon Filters 

Air purifiers with activated carbon filters clean the air through absorption by pulling contaminants onto a surface containing activated carbon. This process in turn releases clean air throughout your home. These systems are best for reducing odors and gases like cigarette smoke that other filters can’t always catch. 

Ultraviolet Air Purifiers

Ultraviolet air purifiers contain short-wave UV-C lights that detect and inactivate airborne pathogens before releasing clean air into your home. They are known to effectively reduce bacteria, viruses, and germs to minimize your family’s risk of illness. However, these purifiers require additional surfaces like HEPA filters to successfully remove and trap particles after detection. 

How to Use an Air Purifier 

You will never be able to eradicate 100% of the dust, mites, and other airborne pathogens from your home and its surfaces. However, an HVAC air purifier can help keep the air that you and your family breathe free of them. 

In order to provide your air with the highest level of cleanliness possible, use your purifier the right way and minimize air leaks in your home. This starts with keeping your windows shut while the system is running to prevent extra particles from entering and purified air from escaping. 

Consider integrating a smart thermostat with your air purifier to auto-manage room temperature throughout your house. Better control over your home’s ventilation and humidity levels can help keep your purifier functioning efficiently.  

Keep in mind that whole-home air purifiers are not to be used in place of regular cleaning methods. Be sure to vacuum your space regularly and dust your home’s surfaces often. 

Air Purifier Installation in Jacksonville, FL

At AC Designs, your comfort is our top priority. That’s why we offer air purifier installation services to keep your indoor quality at the level you and your family deserve. Schedule an appointment with the experienced technicians at AC Designs today to discuss your home’s air purification options.

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HVAC Tips to Reduce Allergens in Your Home This Spring

Wednesday, April 6th, 2022

Springtime and seasonal allergies are just around the corner. This time of year, it’s crucial to ensure that your AC unit is working correctly to reduce allergens. If it’s not, you and your family could suffer from pollen, pollutants, and worsened symptoms of coughing, sneezing, and itching from allergies or asthma.

The signs of a poorly running unit can be subtle, and you may not notice your indoor air quality isn’t what it should be. By understanding how you can improve your HVAC unit’s efficiency, you can reduce allergens in your home and help your family breathe easily.

Here are our top tips to get your AC unit ready for the spring.

Perform DIY Maintenance

Your air filter plays an important role in your home’s air quality, and one of the best things you can do for your allergies is to keep it clean. On average, air filters need to be changed every 90 days due to the buildup of particles in the air. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, changing your filter every 45 days can help improve your symptoms immensely. This is because your filter collects allergens such as pollen and other air particles.

If you’re not sure whether your air filter is dirty or needs to be changed, you can try a simple method called the white sheet test. Hang a white sheet in front of your AC unit for an hour or so, and then check to see if it’s dirty. If your sheet is grayish or looks dirty, it means that your air filter needs a change. You can also invest in an air quality monitor that alerts you to high allergens, poor air quality, and pollutants.

Managing humidity levels in your home will help keep your allergy symptoms mild as well. The amount of humidity in your home greatly affects your indoor air quality and can irritate your allergies. Investing in a dehumidifier is a great way to control your indoor humidity levels.

Keep Your Home Clean

Keeping your home clean is one of the most important things you can do for your AC unit to reduce allergies. Upholstery, rugs, and carpets can hold in dust, allergens, and other particles that can affect the quality of the air you breathe. That’s why it’s essential to clean them regularly.

Pollen clings to almost any surface, including your shoes and clothes. Remember to take off your shoes when you come into your home, and clean regularly to eliminate the particles you accidentally bring in. Dusting, especially in hard-to-reach areas like ceiling fans, is another great way to help combat pollen and other small particles.

Schedule Routine AC Maintenance

The best way to ensure your AC unit is running smoothly is through routine HVAC maintenance.  Because there are multiple components within your unit that require maintenance from a certified HVAC technician, scheduling professional maintenance twice per year is recommended.

During your bi-annual AC maintenance appointment, your HVAC technician will inspect your entire unit and offer recommendations to improve your indoor air quality. These recommendations may include technical improvements like upgraded air filters, air purifiers, and dehumidifiers. They may even recommend some easy lifestyle changes you and your family can try to improve your home’s air quality.

By joining a maintenance plan like AC Designs Preferred Customer Maintenance Program, you can have regular HVAC maintenance performed on your unit and keep it working to the best of its ability. On top of that, joining our maintenance program helps save you money on HVAC costs in the long run.

If you’re looking for AC maintenance for spring to help reduce allergens in your home, contact our team at AC Designs. We take pride in being the number one family-owned and operated AC company in Jacksonville, Florida, and we’re ready to help you with all your HVAC needs.

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4 Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality in Florida

Monday, February 7th, 2022

Everyone deserves clean air to breathe. That’s what makes your comfort zone your favorite place to be. However, when you suffer from unnecessary symptoms of bad indoor air quality, sometimes you don’t even realize it. Excessive coughing, sneezing, sniffling, or trouble breathing are all signs of poor air quality in Florida.

Regain your health and start breathing easy once again with the help of your favorite AC Company in Jacksonville, FL. By following these tips, you can improve your home’s indoor air quality in Florida and get your household back to its comfort zone.

Change Your AC Filter

Are your allergies acting up and it is not even allergy season? It could be time to change your air filter. Germs, dust, and other contaminants easily build up in your AC filter over time.

Many of these substances can cause discomfort for you and your family, carrying you swiftly outside of your comfort zone. Make sure you check and replace your air filters regularly to keep your home’s air healthy.

Keep Your Home Clean

Staying tidy and organized are effective ways to improve your home’s air quality. Vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting your home each week can keep dirt, dust, and other particles from circulating throughout your home.

Rugs, carpets, and other upholstery trap dirt and contaminants, so keeping these clean will also improve overall air quality. Bring them to a laundromat to have them deep cleaned.

If that doesn’t do the trick, consider a whole-home air purification system to reduce airborne and surface bacteria and viruses. After having an indoor air quality test completed, ask your technician about air purification devices for your home.

Control Your Home’s Humidity

Humid and moist conditions breed mold and mildew that can trigger respiratory issues like allergies and asthma. This is especially true in Florida, where the hot summer months can bring about especially humid conditions.

Reduce the amount of moisture in the air and curb the growth of irritating molds with a few well-placed dehumidifiers. There are a variety of humidifier options on the market that will help maintain consistent humidity levels and create comfortable living conditions in your home.

Ask your technician at AC Designs about dehumidifiers for your home that will improve poor air quality.

Schedule Regular AC Maintenance

Your AC unit is a big purchase. Protect your investment and ensure you get the most out of your HVAC system by scheduling regular appointments with a professional AC technician. Routine AC maintenance is also one of the best ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality.

The professionally trained and certified technicians at AC Designs have the knowledge and experience to help maintain your unit properly and offer suggestions on ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality.

When your unit is properly maintained, your unit will be more efficient and reliable, leading to a better quality of air in your home.

At AC Designs, our priority is to do our due diligence to keep you in your comfort zone. We will provide the quality HVAC service you need to improve your home’s air quality and in turn, your overall quality of life. Schedule an appointment with AC Designs today to discuss your home’s indoor air quality in Florida.

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How to Test Your Indoor Air Quality

Wednesday, October 20th, 2021

Time spent at home should be comfortable. Keep your family in their comfort zone all year long by learning how to test your home’s indoor air quality. Poor indoor air quality can put your family at risk, especially if they suffer from asthma or allergies. Luckily, testing your air quality and scheduling regular maintenance with your trusted AC specialists can help you discover new ways to keep your home’s air healthy.

Common Indicators of Poor Air Quality

It’s a best practice to test your home’s air quality regularly to keep your family and friends healthy. However, sometimes your home will exhibit clear signs of poor air quality. A dirty HVAC system can harbor many allergens and other pollutants that irritate your allergies and sinuses. If you begin to notice prolonged congestion, sneezing, and sinus problems, it may be time to test your AC unit or schedule a service visit from your HVAC provider.

Frequent headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, coughing, throat irritation, dizziness, and fatigue are all common signs that your air isn’t as clean as you think. These issues are often caused by dust and various particles that settle into your home’s vents and ducts.

How to Test Your Air Quality

If you don’t already use an indoor air quality monitor, it may be a good time to invest in one. These electronic devices consistently test and report on the pollution in your home. Most standard monitors will test your air for particulate matter, like pollen and dust. They will also monitor for chemical pollutants and humidity.

Advanced monitors may also track temperature, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and formaldehyde levels. AC Designs’ team of air quality specialists can help you test your air quality and find a solution that is right for your home.

Keeping Your Air Clean

There are many ways to keep your air fresh and clean. One of the most basic ways to improve your air quality is to remove airborne pollutants from your air circulation. Our expert staff can get your AC unit fitted for the best air filters, or recommend an air purification system.

An unbalanced level of humidity in your home can negatively affect your comfort and the condition of your household. Humidity can make your home feel stuffy and can lead to wood rot or peeling paint. High humidity levels can also promote the growth of biological pollutants, such as allergens, viruses, and mold. AC Designs can install a whole-house dehumidifier in your Northeast Florida home to remove excess moisture from the air to help you live in a healthier, more comfortable environment.

If you are concerned about the presence of bacteria and other biological pollutants in your home, you may want to consider using UV germicidal lights. Our HVAC specialists can install these UV lights in your home to destroy these pollutants.

Breathe easier this year by taking charge of your home’s indoor air quality. If you think your home’s air quality needs improvement, schedule an appointment with AC Designs. AC Designs’ Indoor Air Quality Specialists in Jacksonville can get your indoor air back on track, so you can do you, comfortably.

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Tips to Improve Air Quality & Make Indoor Air Safer to Breathe

Monday, May 24th, 2021

Your home’s indoor air quality can affect your health, especially if you have asthma or other respiratory conditions. Taking steps to improve air quality means you’ll have safer and cleaner air to breathe. Keeping these important tips to improve air quality in mind will help you make a healthier home.

Keep Your Home Clean

Making sure your home is clean on a regular basis is an effective way to improve your indoor air quality. You should vacuum all of the carpeting and rugs in your home once or twice a week to remove dust and other debris. Cleaning your bedding, curtains, and other fabrics throughout your home also helps cut down on the amount of dust and other debris that get into the air.

You can help reduce dust and other debris in your home by using dust mite-proof covers on all of your mattresses, box springs, and pillows. While you should be washing these regularly, these special covers also help keep them clean in between washes. Getting rid of trash and clutter in your home is another way to limit the amount of dust, allergens, pollutants, and other harmful particles that get into the air.

Change Your Filters

The air filters your HVAC system uses can have a big impact on the quality of your indoor air. These filters should be as clean as possible in order to cut down on indoor air pollution. Otherwise, pollutants and other particles can get into your air when your air conditioning or heating is running.

Consider using HEPA filters rather than regular air filters; HEPA filters are able to catch dust, pollen, other allergens, smoke, and other particles more effectively. Look for an air filter with a higher minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating. These filters can remove tiny pollen and dust particles from your air.

You should use a filter replacement every three months, or sooner if needed. You should also change the filters in your vacuum cleaner and other appliances on a regular basis.

Control Humidity Indoors

Having the right amount of indoor humidity is an important part of keeping the air clean. Too much humidity, especially in bathrooms and other moist areas, allows mildew and mold to grow. These can lead to significant health issues like respiratory problems.

Because the summer months can make your home even hotter and more humid, you should take steps to lower your indoor humidity. Using a dehumidifier can help with this issue. Dehumidifiers are able to eliminate excess moisture in the air, which helps reduce the risk of mold. Having a lower humidity level during summer also keeps your home feeling more comfortable overall.

Following these tips means you can enjoy having healthier and cleaner air inside your home. Getting air purifiers and measuring indoor air quality from time to time can also help. Contact the indoor air quality experts at A/C Designs to schedule an appointment if you need additional help.

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Save on HVAC Costs in 2021 with Preventative Maintenance

Friday, January 8th, 2021

Your HVAC system is crucial to keeping your Jacksonville home comfortable in all seasons. When you’re finalizing your 2021 budget, make sure it includes HVAC costs for preventative maintenance. This kind of maintenance can improve the average lifespan of HVAC systems. While these systems can last for over a decade, their lifespan can be cut short without proper care. 

Keep these maintenance tips in mind to reduce HVAC costs in the new year.

Extend Your HVAC’s Lifespan

Your HVAC system will last longer with preventative maintenance. Include the cost of routine inspections in your budget for the new year. Schedule them through your local service team once or twice a year. Routine maintenance checks will keep you from having to invest thousands of dollars in a new system before it is absolutely necessary to do so.

Reduce Your Risk of Repairs

Your HVAC system can cost a significant amount of money if you need emergency repairs. While you might not be able to prevent repairs entirely, such as storm damage, you can lower the risk of needing them with preventative maintenance. This type of maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system runs properly. HVAC technicians can inspect your system and make minor repairs as needed, such as tightening loose components. Over time, this can lower the risk of your HVAC system breaking down.

Boost Indoor Air Quality

The condition of your HVAC system can have an impact on your budget when it comes to healthcare costs. Routine maintenance can help you improve your indoor air quality (IAQ) throughout the year. Healthier indoor air means a lower risk of catching colds and other viruses for you and your family. In turn, better air quality results in fewer healthcare costs for existing respiratory conditions that may worsen with poorer IAQ.

Improve Energy Efficiency

Having maintenance done on your HVAC system doesn’t only help it last longer. This kind of maintenance can also help your HVAC system run with better energy efficiency. This can help you save on your energy bills. Running your air conditioning in summer and your heating system in winter can add up throughout the year. With routine maintenance, you can ensure your HVAC system uses less energy all year round, resulting in reduced heating and cooling costs.

If you’re looking for more ways to save on HVAC costs in the new year, contact A/C Designs. We’re here to handle all of your HVAC needs, including preventative maintenance. We have years of experience providing heating and cooling services for homeowners in and around Jacksonville.

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How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Thursday, October 15th, 2020


Did you know that the air you breathe indoors can be 5 times more polluted than outdoor air? An air purifier can help you clear the air indoors, which reduces your exposure to carcinogens, allergens, and other harmful pollutants.

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