Healthy Air, Save Money
(NAPS)-Clearing the air in you home could help you family breathe better and save you some cash. That’s the advice from experts who say that the accumulation of everyday dust and dirt– a long with pet dander, smoke residue and other contaminants– in a home’s ductwork can cause a number of health problems and boost your utility bills.
People with asthma or allergies, and young children and older adults may be especially susceptible to indoor air contaminants.
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) says that air-handler units should be inspected once a year and cleaned as needed. When hiring an HVAC inspection, maintenance and restoration contractor, the EPA recommends on the use of service providers that comply with NADCA air duct cleaning standards. For more information call 202-737-2926 or visit www.nadca.com.
Cleaning your air ducts in your home could help keep your family healthy.
News & Announcements Reduce Airborne Particulates During Asthma and Allergy Month With an Air Duct Cleaning Done Right:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Mozena
(313) 964-4447
jmozena@starrconstand.com
WASHINGTON, DC—[5-20-09]—As Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, May is a great time for people who are sensitive to indoor air quality to learn how to choose the right contractor for cleaning their home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. NADCA – The HVAC Inspection, Maintenance and Restoration Association offers consumers a wide range of tools and information on its Web site to help make informed decisions when selecting an HVAC cleaning contractor.
“There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to clean a home’s heating and cooling system, and NADCA wants to help consumers understand the difference and find a reputable and reliable contractor,” said NADCA Executive Director John Schulte. “Every month, NADCA helps thousands of Americans find HVAC cleaning contractors who get the job done right.”
At NADCA’s Web site at www.NADCA.com, consumers can find useful tools such as a checklist of questions to ask potential contractors, search tools to find a NADCA member contractor in their area, video of the air duct cleaning process and information on the NADCA ACR 2006 standard and NADCA’s certifications for Air System Cleaning Specialists, Ventilation Inspectors and Ventilation System Mold Remediators.
“May is a good time to take a look inside your home’s duct work to see if it looks dirty enough to require a professional inspection,” said Schulte. “We say that if your ducts look dirty, they probably are, and that it can’t help people who are especially sensitive to air quality to be breathing air that has moved through dirty HVAC systems.”
All NADCA members must have a certified air system cleaning specialist on staff, and commit to following the NADCA ACR 2006 standard. Trusted authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety & Health Administration in the U.S. to the Asthma Society of Canada all recommend that consumers and businesses that choose to have their air ducts cleaned do so with contractors who follow the NADCA standard.
About NADCA: NADCA –
The HVAC Inspection, Maintenance and Restoration Association was formed in 1989 as the National Air Duct Cleaners Association, and has since expanded its mission to become a trusted advocate for consumers and the industry on environmental and health issues surrounding heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. NADCA was the first organization to develop industry-standard best practices and its standard, “Assessment, Cleaning & Restoration of HVAC Systems,” is in use in more than 30 countries worldwide as a best practice and/or basis for national law. NADCA has more than 1,000 corporate members and more than 1,500 individuals certified as Air System Cleaning Specialists, Ventilation Inspectors or Ventilation System Mold Rem
Selecting an air duct cleaning company in Utah.
There is some debate over whether or not cleaning the air ducts in your home is necessary. Most people don t run into problems with their air ducts, but if there is a malfunction in your duct system or someone in your home has allergies, it can be a good idea to get them cleaned. It is extremely difficult for a person without the proper training to clean their own air ducts. As such, most people decide to hire a professional service for the job. As with any major repair job, it is important to choose a company that is reliable, knowledgeable and affordable.
The first step in your search for a good air duct cleaning company is simply to identify air duct cleaning companies in your local area. Depending on where you live, there may not be any nearby, so you may need to find one that is willing to make a trip. If you are lucky enough to have multiple companies that can do the job nearby, then it s time to start looking at prices.
It s wise to get an idea about what sort of costs you should expect to pay to have your ductwork cleaned before you make any calls. The average amount for a duct cleaning will vary depending on the amount of ductwork to be cleaned and the level of service provided by the company. The average cost for cleaning your air ducts is between $500 and $1,000, though it can go higher or lower. You can call the various companies in your area and get rough estimates for how much they will charge. Some companies may also have websites that can provide estimates.
It is recommended that you get an on site, written estimate by having the company visit your home before they start working. Then, you can ask them to show you the trouble spots in your air ducts that really need cleaning. If they can t identify these spots and justify the cost of the cleaning, then you probably want to try another company or reconsider the cleaning entirely.
Now that you have gotten a better idea of what an air duct cleaning can do for you, it s important to establish whether or not they can actually deliver on their promises. You may be able to ask the company for references from previous jobs that they ve completed successfully. You might also be able to find reviews or testimonials online that can give you a better idea if the company does a good job and does it quickly.
Once you have checked out the duct cleaning companies credentials and reliability, then it is time to make your final choice. If the company charges by the hour, make sure that you get a written contract with them stating how long the job should take. You don t want the cleaners to be able to stall to try and get more money. Once you ve drawn up an agreement that works for both party, your work is done and it s up to the cleaners to do their job.
Duct Cleaning Toronto Company servicing residential, commercial and industrial customers. Visit one of our locations at: Duct Cleaning North York, Scarborough, Stouffville, Aurora. http://www.ontarioductcleaning.ca/
Here in Utah Royalty Services Group will clean your air duct at a reasonable price and you get the most thorough cleaning. We are a ASCS with NADCA.
Air Duct Cleaning Air Quality Quiz
By: eliz
How is the air in your home? If you are like most people you probably think it is fine but chances are you are sadly mistaken. According to the United States government, air quality in most homes is worse than many factories or crowded city streets. Find out if your home would benefit from professional SLC air duct cleaning services with this quick air quality quiz.
Answer True or False for each of the following questions. Any single “yes” response indicates your home may have air quality issues. Three or more “yes” answers indicate the potential for serious air quality issues.
1. My local area has experienced fires or other severe weather related problems including dust storms since the last air duct cleaning.
2. I know the local ozone levels for Fort Worth and have taken precautions to prevent ozone related problems in my home.
3. I can often see particles floating around the house – for example “dust” in the air.
4. Someone in the house smokes cigarettes, cigars or other forms of tobacco.
5. I have pets including dogs, cats, birds or even reptiles.
6. I live in an area with a lot of pollen.
7. I live in a high traffic area with many cars in the vicinity.
8. I live near manufacturing or other industrial plants.
9. I live near farming or agricultural concerns.
10. home is new and used traditional paint, carpeting, cabinets or other building materials that give off noxious fumes and
volatile chemicals.
11. home has experienced flood or water related damage in the past.
12. I use chemical air fresheners and deodorizers on a regular basis.
13. I use chemical cleaning products for carpeting, floors, bathrooms and kitchen cleaning.
14. I live in an area with high levels of humidity or moisture.
15. I have hobbies that require the use of chemicals or metals.
Remember, this is just a small quiz to determine if your home could benefit from professional SLC Utah air duct cleaning to restore the air quality in your home. According to research, most homes would benefit from cleaner air especially if a family member suffers from headaches, allergies, Asthma or other respiratory related problems. Always use a licensed, bonded and insured provider like Royalty Services who is committed to using only environmentally friendly products that eliminate bacteria, dust and other pollutants rather than add to the problem.
Article Source: http://www.wisdomextract.com
Johns Hopkins Indoor Air Quality Study
For the study, researchers from the Center for Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment—a joint center of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine—followed 150 asthmatic children, ages 2 to 6, for six months. “We found that substantial increases in asthma symptoms were associated both with higher indoor concentrations of fine particles and with higher indoor concentrations of coarse particles,” said Meredith C. McCormack, MD, MHS, lead author of the study and an instructor with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
For every 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air (ug/m3) increase in indoor coarse particle concentration, there was a 6 percent increase in the number of days of cough, wheeze, or chest tightness, after adjusting for a number of factors. For every 10 ug/m3 increase in fine particles measured indoors, there was a 7 percent increase in days of wheezing severe enough to limit speech and after adjusting for various factors, a 4 percent increase in days on which rescue medication was needed. In many cases, the level of indoor fine particle pollution measured was twice as high as the accepted standard for outdoor pollution established by the EPA.
“Children spend nearly 80 percent of their time indoors, which makes understanding the effects of indoor air very important,” said co-author, Gregory B. Diette, MD, an associate professor in the School of Medicine and co-director of the Center for Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment.
“Improving indoor air quality and lowering indoor particulate matter concentrations may provide additional means of improving asthma health, especially for children living in inner cities,” added co-author, Patrick Breysse, PhD, a professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and co-director of the Center for Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment.
The research was supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the Johns Hopkins NIEHS Center for Urban Environmental Health.
Source: Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (2009, February 27). Indoor Air Pollution Increases Asthma Symptoms, Study Suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 13, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090219101700.htm
Make your air conditioning system more efficient
Friday, July 17, 2009
Glenn Haege: The Handyman
We are getting to that point in the summer where we are starting to close up the house and run the air conditioner more often. But just because we have air conditioning doesn’t mean that the inside of our home will be comfortable. Some rooms may feel too hot, others too cold. And the air still can feel humid even though you are running your air conditioner night and day.
To improve your indoor comfort, you first need to understand what air conditioners can do. Air conditioners are designed to cool and dehumidify the air in your home. In order to do that, your air conditioner needs to run frequently so it can have time to take the humidity out of the air. Unfortunately, many people’s air conditioners are oversized and actually cool the air too quickly, thereby hindering its ability to truly “condition your air. If you are planning to replace your old air conditioner, make sure your contractor does a heat gain study and replaces it with a properly sized and Energy Star-rated air conditioner that will make you more comfortable and save you money.
Another area of maintenance you should consider is getting your air ducts cleaned to get rid of any debris, dirt and other pollutants that can restrict your cooling system’s air flow and contribute to your allergies. Some reputable duct cleaners include Dalton Environmental, (800) 675-2298; Dusty Ducts, (313) 381-7801; and Safety King (800) AIR-DUCT. Michael J. Palazzolo of Safety King also said that homeowners should consider getting their air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils and blower fan cleaned to help the system work more efficiently.
“Dirty and clogged coils will reduce the cooling capacity of an air conditioner and reduce air flow,” Mike said. “A recent study by Pacific Gas & Electric showed that cleaning the coil can increase energy efficiency by up to 30 percent.” Mike said it costs around $150 for Safety King to clean the coils and blower fan, but the added energy savings quickly makes up for the cost of cleaning. He also recommends changing your furnace filter regularly to help filter the air, but doesn’t recommend a MERV rating much higher than 8 because the higher-numbered filters can restrict air flow, which can lead to the evaporator coils icing up.
Controlling your indoor humidity is another way to keep your home comfortable in the summer. While your air conditioner should lower the humidity level in your home below 50 percent, it may not be doing that effectively. You can check your humidity level by buying a portable digital hygrometer at your local home center or hardware store. If you have too much humidity, you might be able to alleviate the problem with a portable dehumidifier that is Energy Star-rated. Brands include DeLonghi, (866) 528-8323, www.delonghi.com; Whirlpool, www.whirlpool.com; Frigidaire, (800) 374-4432, www.frigidaire.com; or Kenmore, (888) 536-6673, www.kenmore.com. You might also want to consider installing a whole-house dehumidification system from manufacturers Aprilaire, (888) 257-8801, www.aprilaire.com, or General Aire, (866) 476-5101, www.generalaire.com.
You could also look at a new thermostat control system from Honeywell, (800) 328-5111, www.forwardthinking.honeywell.com called the Prestige Comfort System that allows you to control both the temperature and the humidity level when combined with the company’s True Dry whole house dehumidification system.
But remember, even the most efficient air conditioner is designed to lower the inside temperature 15 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. Also, when you leave your home for 8 hours or longer, dial up the temperature by 4 to 6 degrees. DO NOT TURN OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER. So make sure your home is well insulated, your air conditioning system is in good working order, your humidity is under control, and then pick a temperature you can live with, and let the air conditioner do its job.
In Utah we are your #1 choice for air duct cleaning. We guarantee the most thorough cleaning ever.
How to Create and Promote a Healthy Workplace Environment?
Studies have shown that, for offices, 1 percent improved productivity would be equivalent to the whole energy cost of a building or, nationally, $2 billion annually.
Tampa, FL 5/11/2009 08:25 PM GMT (TransWorldNews)
It’s one thing to work in a well-kept building, but is it also a healthy workplace? While your office may look sparkling clean to the eye, there are a number of invisible factors that can seriously affect the health of your workplace. Chief among them is the quality of the air your building occupants breathe while indoors.
What’s the problem?
Up to 72 trillion microscopic irritants, or allergens, find their way into your offices every day. They include dust, pollen, dander, dust mites, insect biodetritus, lint, mold, mycotoxins, and bacteria. Many of these particles are so small that your nose and throat can’t filter them out and they can get deep into your lungs.
Indoor air quality is a major concern to businesses, building managers, tenants, and employees because it can impact the health, comfort, well being, and productivity of building occupants.
Most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors and many spend most of their working hours in an office environment. Studies conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others show that indoor environments sometimes can have levels of pollutants that are actually higher than levels found outside.
Pollutants in our indoor environment can increase the risk of illness. Several studies by EPA, states, and independent scientific panels have consistently ranked indoor air pollution as an important environmental health problem. While most buildings do not have severe indoor air quality problems, even well-run buildings can sometimes experience episodes of poor indoor air quality.
Twenty years ago, EPA Report to Congress concluded that improved indoor air quality can result in higher productivity and fewer lost work days. Today, the EPA estimates that poor indoor air may cost the nation tens of billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and medical care.
What are the costs associated with poor IAQ?
The costs associated with IAQ problems are indisputable but are often extremely broad with the total cost to a particular facility being difficult to quantify. From an energy cost vs. worker productivity prospective, the benefit for providing comfortable work environments is clear. With the estimated energy cost to operate the building of $2 – $8/square foot/year and a worker salary cost of up to $300/square foot/year it is obvious that worker productivity is the dominant economic factor.
What are the benefits of good IAQ?
According to the US Department of Energy (DOE) the “HVAC system accounts for 40 to 60 percent of the energy used in U.S. commercial and residential buildings. This represents an opportunity for energy savings using proven technologies and design concepts”. Studies have shown that, for offices, 1 percent improved productivity would be equivalent to the whole energy cost of a building or, nationally, $2 billion annually.
What’s the solution?
1.) Perform routine/periodic Building Health Checks to identify baseline IAQ conditions
2.) Fix building breaches, leaks in duct work, HVAC tune-ups, etc…
3.) Improve regular housekeeping with modernize protocols
4.) Environmentally clean and treat the HVAC system
5.) Perform an annual environmental topical cleaning with a bound antimicrobial solution to assure the sanitization of all surfaces
6.) Perform post remediation clearance to provide certification that the facility is environmentally clean
About Pure Air Control Services:
Alan Wozniak founded Pure Air Control Services, Inc. in 1984 as a small mechanical contracting firm. Today, the work distributed from its offices in Tampa, Atlanta, West Palm Beach, Houston and Washington D.C. sets the industry standard for indoor environmental quality diagnosis and remediation.
Pure Air Control Services is a national provider of the following IAQ services: Building Sciences Evaluation; Building Health Check (USP 797 monitoring compliance); Environmental Diagnostic Laboratory (EDLab) an AIHA accredited micro laboratory (USP 797 Lab analysis); DIY IAQ Green Check test kits, Environmental Project Management; HVAC System Cleaning and Mold Remediation Services, among other indoor environmental services.
The company’s expanding valued client roster includes the General Services Administration (GSA); Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; and Naval Air Station – King’s Bay, Georgia, and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Pure Air Control Services the reliable industry leader in IAQ.
For more information on Pure Air Control Services, Inc. please contact Ed Ziegler, VP at (800) 422-7873 x 804, or visit www.pureaircontrols.com.
In Utah for indoor air quality experts call 8669717801
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When HVAC systems need cleaning
Dan Stradford, PlantServices.com
Out of sight, out of mind is not a good excuse for avoiding the task.