Best Indoor Air Quality Services near Champaign-Urbana, IL

Sources of Humidity

• Humidity plays a major role in indoor air quality and human health. The ability to add and remove humidity as needed to your home has a positive effect on your overall health.
• Balance the Humidity in Your Home
  • Maintain an optimal level of between 35 and 60
  • Mold, dust mites, and other air pollutants thrive outside of that range
  • To maintain ideal humidity levels throughout the entire home, add humidity with a whole-home evaporative or steam humidifier
  • Remove humidity and help your AC with a dehumidifier

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

These devices help maintain a healthy and comfortable moisture balance in the home’s air, regardless of the season. During wet and rainy seasons, a whole-house dehumidifier dries the air; during dry seasons, a humidifier adds moisture. All units are built right into the heating and cooling system and serve the entire house, not just one or two rooms

When humidity is too high or too low.

• Dirt and neglect are the #1 cause of system failure. Keeping your filters and system clean can reduce your energy consumption up to 15% according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Control Air Pollutants at the Source
  • Vacuum rugs, carpets, and pet bedding frequently with HEPA-quality vacuum cleaner
  • Wash bedding in hot water weekly and dry on a hot cycle to kill dust mites
  • Regularly dust furniture and hardwood floors
  • Keep pets off the furniture and out of the bedroom to reduce pet dander
  • Avoid smoking inside
  • Consider cleaning your ducts
• Install a Whole-House Air Cleaner
  • Add an air cleaning system to your central HVAC to help remove airborne pollutants
  • Consider an Electronic Air Cleaner which removes up to 99.98% of airborne particles and is up to 100 times more effective than a standard 1 inch filter

The main categories of indoor air pollutants are:

• Fine Particles smaller than 2.5 microns
• Gases & Vapors Known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Biological Compounds (Viruses & Bacteria)
• Humidity

The first line of defense against these are your air filter. Even if it doesn’t look dirty, there are still tiny micron particles that clog it making your system work harder than it needs to.

Home Ventilation Systems

If your home is well-sealed and insulated, it may inadvertently trap air pollutants generated by building materials, furnishings, cooking, and even cleaning products. Home ventilation systems exchange stale, polluted air for fresh outside air at recommended rates without wasting the energy.

ASHRAE and the CDC have recently proposed guidance to operating buildings during the COVID – 19 pandemic; the guidance related to HVAC are as follows:

Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats are not only convenient, they are a proven way to save up to 30% of your heating and cooling energy costs. Zone controls allow you to adjust the temperature of various areas within your home from a control panel that operates dampers in your forced-air heating and cooling system. They also help lower your energy bills by enabling you to heat or cool only the zones that you are using.

Tips for Maintaining Air Quality in the Home

• Stay aware of local weather reports for news of pollution blown in from fires nearby or other areas. Many communities offer forecasts for the next day’s expected air pollution levels. Levels predicted to be orange, red, or purple days signal unhealthy levels of ozone. However, pollution from fires may bring unhealthy levels of soot or fine particle pollution, which may be on days when ozone levels are not high.
• On days when air pollution from fires (or other sources) is predicted to be high, limit time spent outdoors and avoid exercise outside, especially if you have asthma, lung disease, or are a child or senior.
• Use a high-efficiency furnace filter and replace it every two to three months. A high efficiency filter not only protects the furnace but can also capture up to 30 times more pollutants such as smoke, pet dander, and pollen than standard fiberglass filters. So that air is always passing through the filter, run the furnace fan continuously regardless of the outdoor temperature. To do so, set the furnace thermostat to the “on,” rather than the “auto,” position.
• Have a professional inspect the furnace once a year to make sure that the air intake is adequate and the unit is operating at peak efficiency. A smooth-running furnace helps the filter capture more soot particles in the home.
• Prohibit smoking in the home.
• Make sure gas cooking appliances are vented to the outdoors.