The majority of people understand how dangerous outdoor air pollution like car emissions can be, but they don’t realize that the air inside the usual living space can be more polluted—reliant on actual circumstances, it can be up to five times more. Things have become so bad, the EPA has indoor air pollution ranked as a top five environmental danger. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are commonly found indoors. Since Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, good indoor air quality is crucial for great health, no matter if it’s in our homes or our workplaces. To help handle this pollution and better our indoor air quality, we can take several measures. But first, we are required to understand some vernacular commonly used to discuss indoor air quality.
HEPA
HEPA is a term many people have heard or seen, but did you realize it stands for “high-efficiency particulate air” or “high-efficiency particulate arrestance”? HEPA filtration systems are designed—and certified—to capture at least 99.97% of .3-micron particles (tinier than the diameter of a human hair) from the air that filters through the system. This greatly increases your home’s indoor air quality when dust, pollen, mites and other contaminants are destroyed.
MERV
Minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV refers to the effectiveness of an air filter. With metrics ranging from 1–16, you should look for a higher rating that indicates the filter will remove more contaminants and allergens from your air without limiting the airflow of your home comfort system. Ask us which MERV-rated filter will work best for your home.
At Wallpe Heating & Cooling, we can help you understand the importance of indoor air quality and help you work on breathing the best air possible. After all, the normal adult takes in about 11,000 liters of air each day. Give us a call at 812-663-7252 if you have any questions or concerns about your home comfort system or if you want to schedule an appointment with us.