Summertime Air Quality Considerations
Summertime Air Quality Considerations
Indoor air quality should be an important consideration all year long. Each season presents unique air quality challenges, but with the right steps, you can maintain high indoor air quality at any time of the year. Summer weather in Detroit is typically warm and humid. Understanding how these conditions and other factors play a role in your home’s air quality and how you can maintain indoor comfort will help you enjoy a cooler, more comfortable summer this year.
Heat
Air temperature is a considerable factor in indoor air quality. The easiest way to maintain a comfortable home is to use your air conditioner or heat pump during hot weather to cool the air inside your home. Ceiling and floor fans can also improve comfort in your home—however, these appliances don’t actually cool the air. Fans create additional circulation, which makes the ambient temperature feel lower. You can save energy by only running fans in rooms that are occupied. Most ceiling fans should turn counterclockwise in the summer; this motion will push cooled air down toward the floor, helping you to feel cooler.
Humidity
Humidity is another important factor that can affect indoor air quality and comfort. Excess humidity can cause discomfort as well as prompt condensation that may damage your finishes or promote mold growth. Running your air conditioner will help remove humidity from the air during the cooling process. Thus, it’s best to use your air conditioning to remove moisture from the air when the humidity outside is high. Even if you don’t need a significant amount of cooling, keeping your air conditioner on low will still help reduce indoor humidity for a more comfortable home. Humidity is typically lower at night, so you can turn your air conditioner off at night if moisture removal is no longer necessary.
Pollen and Dust
Pollen and dust are common allergens during the spring and summer months. Leaving your windows and doors open can allow dust and pollen to enter your home, where they are recirculated via your HVAC system. If you or a family member suffers from allergies, increased amounts of pollen and dust in your indoor air can cause discomfort. Changing your furnace filter once a month will help to trap these particles before they can enter your ducts. If you are still having trouble with allergies indoors, switching to a higher-quality filter with a higher MERV rating will capture smaller particles for cleaner indoor air. However, switching to a furnace filter with a significantly higher MERV rating can tax your HVAC system if adjustments are not made. Talk to your HVAC service expert before upgrading your filter to make sure it won’t cause excess strain on your system.
Your HVAC system plays an important role in maintaining indoor air quality during the summer as well as throughout the year. Click through our website to find out how we can help improve your indoor air quality with duct cleaning, air cleaners, and whole-house humidifiers. We also invite you to read through our blog for tips, tricks, and industry information to enhance your HVAC system’s performance.