Here at Airflow Diagnostics Institute, we understand that residents of the Greater Charlottesville Area care about their health and well-being. Improving your indoor air quality is one of the easiest, and most important, things you can do to lead a healthier life. ADI has a four-pronged attack plan for improving indoor air quality.
Four-Pronged Attack Plan
1. Pollutant Removal
• Wood or alternative-friendly flooring is recommended instead of carpet and vinyl, which, when installed with glue, can cause a number of respiratory problems.
2. Dilute The Air
• Replace your ventless gas fireplace with a vented system. Open a window while in use and install a good carbon monoxide detector.
3. Improve Filtration
• A heating and cooling system is recommended to have room by room returns to keep house pressure equal or slightly positive. Do not buy a heating system with a central return. Central returns cause negative pressure and draw in moisture which can lead to more problems.
• Most homes have one dollar air filters which allow debris to flow in the air that you breathe. The solution is to invest in a high quality air filter that is able to trap dust and smaller particles.
4. Humidity Control
• If your house is over 50% relative humidity, a whole house dehumidifier is the solution. High humidity supports molds, bacteria, viruses, dust mites and rot. A dehumidifier can help manage these problems.
• If your crawl space is vented, the crawl space humidity can be excessviely high and cause many other problems. The solution is to seal the vents and install proper vapor barriers.
• Learn how to operate your heating and cooling system. Do not set the thermostat above 78 or below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. By setting indoor temperature too high or too low you can cause condensation to form in the wall itself. This causes rot, mold and paint to peel.