We are getting numerous questions lately in regards to indoor air quality in the home so I wanted to try and address a few here today.
Personally and professionally I do not feel it ethical to try and profit off of a crisis. That said, I feel information is power and the more information we have the better. Most of this information is just that. But as always, we are here to help if you need further assistance.
“With everything going on should I change my filter more often to prevent the potential spread of virus?”
A standard 1” pleated filter from the local hardware store is going to have a MERV rating of 13 at absolute best. A MERV 13 filter can collect particles down to about .3 microns. The current COVID-19 virus has been reported as at about .12 microns. So it will pass through a highest end standard filter.
However, with the amount of time we are all going to be spending at home, it wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and put a new clean filter in now. It will still filter out all of the rest of the junk in the air it normally does. And spring is here so pollen levels are up as well. Changing the filter a little more often this time of year isn’t such a bad idea.
“Is there something easy I can do to keep my household as healthy as possible?”
In general when it comes to potentially working or home schooling for the foreseeable future, this time of year is optimal. We won’t be too reliant on either the heat or the air for the next few weeks.
Our recommendation would be opening up the windows for fresh air whenever possible. Studies show that indoor air can been much more unhealthy than outside air quality. This gives the house a chance to breathe and keep any potential VOCs from building up.
If the house has to be closed up for long periods of time, but neither the furnace nor air conditioning need to run, turn the fan to the “on” position on the thermostat a few times a day. This gives the system a chance to cycle the home air through the filter without running the heater or air and just circulate the air. If you have a newer 2-speed or variable speed furnace you can let the fan run continuously this way for clean air all day long without a big draft. If your thermostat fan has a “circulate” mode this is a great option as well. It will just circulate the air for a few minutes of every hour automatically.
“Wondering about UV lights and their effectiveness”
This one is harder to answer. It is known that UV light breaks down organic and even inorganic items over time. And UV light systems have been used for years in hospitals and other public spaces to help with sanitizing.
When installed properly in a central heating and air conditioning cooling coil or air handler a UV light bulb can help ward off mold, algae, bacteria, and viruses that may be prone to want to set up camp in such an inviting space. Nice and dark and wet, a cooling coil is exactly where all these things thrive. A constant on UV bulb can and will keep them from breeding.
Where it gets a bit more tricky for me is how much is able to be killed or neutralized in a moving HVAC airstream. The air is moving slowest through the coil, so it does have the best chance of killing airborne particulates here, but how much? I am uncertain. Do I think it is worth the investment to have it added to your system? That depends on your home health, personal needs, and how you use your system. I have a huge mold allergy. So yes I have one on my system. If you are more susceptible or sensitive to these types of issues, it might be worth looking into.
“Saw an ad for a high end filtration system, do you have a recommendation?”
For eradicating the specific virus we are currently addressing? Nothing I am aware of is going to eliminate it, no matter what the ad says (and they sent me the ad and it sadly claims to eliminate COVID-19). No air filtration system should be advertising being able to eliminate any virus, bacteria, mold spore, etc because that is irresponsible. Especially a small portable unit that at best will clean the air within a small radius of the air cleaner. Tests have been done numerous times over the years on claims for portable air cleaners and how well they clean room air. It isn’t much.
For the best chance of cleaning the air in a home, a whole house approach is necessary regardless of an ad’s claims.
