You spend 90% of your time inside. Here’s how to stop breathing 💩 air.
Did you know we spend 90% of our time indoors? Who says, you ask? The EPA apparently.
They know their stuff and while it might not be advisable normally, it’s recommended to stay inside during extreme heat. Especially when it's 100 degrees outside and feels like you could cook an egg on your forehead.
The dog days of summer are truly here so it can be tempting to button down the hatches and crank up your AC to its highest setting.
Unfortunately, that could A) be bad for your health, B) it’s a sure-fire way to overwork your AC, and C) your wallet will want to backhand you when you get your bill at the end of the month.
Without good ventilation, indoor pollutants can build up and these can have long and short-term effects on your health. So how do you keep your air quality good and your energy bills low?
How to improve your indoor air quality?
Pollutants can be 2-5 times higher inside than outside, so how can you improve your indoor air quality and reduce indoor air pollution?
1. Remove sources of pollutants
This might seem obvious in the summer, but avoid burning anything inside. Things like fireplaces, cigarettes, and combustion heating appliances can have a nasty impact on your health. You should also try to store any cleaning supplies outside of your living area and remove any building materials like paints or insulation that you might have left lying around after spring cleaning.
2. Replace your filters
If you have read our other blogs, you know we love to rant on and on about filters - and for good reason. They stop your air conditioner from pumping dust and pollutants into your home. That’s pretty important when you spend 90% of your time inside.
Plus, we find they’re often the culprit when clients come to us with a faulty system. They get clogged up surprisingly fast so it’s recommended that you replace them at least every 90 days or more. Otherwise, you could be breathing dirty air and putting unnecessary stress on your AC. That extra stress could add up to 15% to your energy bill so try to replace them regularly. Trust us, it's better for your health and your wallet!
3. Plants
They make you feel good and cool you down. Fact. Whether you’re putting them outside or inside, plants go a long way to making your home more livable. Inside they clean pollutants from the air, increase humidity and make you more productive, focused, and happier. Outside they cool your home and increase its value. While the filtering of pollutants effect is small. Plants positive effect on mental health is significant. Still not convinced? Here are six reasons why you should get some plants for your home, according to NASA (no big deal.)
4. Air purifiers
If you want the best air quality, you’ll want an air cleaning system. Without a top-caliber indoor system, air quality comes under attack from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pollutants, humidity, and ventilation. They work to reduce or eliminate allergens like dust, chemical fumes, or mold as well as harmful air pollutants, viruses, and bacteria. Lucky for you, we are factory authorized and certified representatives for Carrier which has some of the best air cleaning systems around. We can give you a free consultation to work out which product best suits your needs.
How to keep your energy bills low while spending 90% of your time inside?
1. Get a fan.
They’re wayyy more efficient than your AC and will stop you from feeling uncomfortable even when the mercury creeps past 90 degrees. Fans and AC should go together like Simon and Garfunkle. They make you feel five degrees cooler than you actually are so you can set your AC to a higher temperature and enjoy some cool energy savings. Particularly if you want to run your AC at its advised setting.
2. Shut those blinds
If it feels like an inferno outside, board up your windows and shut the doors. No - seriously. It can be tempting to crack open the window during a heatwave but hold your horses. Closing your windows and blinds can reduce heat gain by 30%. This is critical when it’s as hot as an oven outside and your AC sounds like it's about to blast off into space. The last thing you want is for it to break down in the middle of a heatwave from being pushed too hard. Don’t worry, you can open your blinds again in the evening to make the most of the cool air. But during the day it's best to keep your house locked down.
3. LEDs
‘But how will I be able to see anything’, we hear you whine? LEDs my friend. These little guys are the future. They are brighter, live longer, and are much more efficient than their old-school incandescent bulb counterparts. If that doesn’t make you switch, then saving hundreds of dollars a year should.
4. Service your AC
You won’t regret it. Well-maintained systems last 40% longer on average and are less prone to sudden breakdowns. Every homeowner's worst nightmare in the middle of a heatwave. Plus, maintenance is often a requirement as part of the manufacturer's warranty so it avoids a nasty surprise if you do break down. Get in touch with us if you think you might need a service.
If you suffer a breakdown and you’re inclined towards DIY, then try our troubleshooting guide to fix things up in a flash.
In all seriousness, if you’re struggling in this heat, give the experts a call or get in touch here. We’ll know what to do and are available 24/7 for any of your cooling needs. We offer free in-home consultations and will give you honest advice without trying to sell you the Super Deluxe Frozone 5000 that you probably don’t need.