Finding the Right Air Purifier for Your Home

Air purification systems are a great way to improve indoor air quality and overall health. Air purification is especially crucial for individuals who have asthma or who are susceptible to seasonal allergies. These filtration systems filter out airborne particles that trigger asthmatic symptoms and seasonal allergies, they can also help limit the severity of symptoms for both conditions.

While air purifiers will not 100% rid you of the coronavirus, they can help create a safer and healthier environment inside your home. With more families sheltering in place, a household’s indoor air quality along with air conditioning services are more important than ever.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

Air purifiers work to remove these airborne particles. Air purifiers also work to remove airborne asbestos particles, which are known to cause Mesothelioma.

Most importantly, air filters protect children, seniors, and the chronically ill from respiratory illnesses, which is everyone’s number one concern at this time.

Installing an air purification system in your household can provide you and your family with numerous health benefits. Most airborne particles that trigger asthma attacks can be found inside the home, so spending prolonged periods indoors can worsen your symptoms.

These triggers can include:

• Dry Skin Cells
• Dirt
• Dust
• Mold
• Pollen
• Other Allergens

Air Purifiers and Quarantine

With the entire world on lockdown, families are desperately looking for ways to protect their living space from contamination.

The CDC has instructed individuals to practice social distancing by staying six feet away from other people, avoiding gatherings, and staying away from public spaces with mass crowds.

With these strict quarantine guidelines in place, families sheltering in place are scared for their children and their loved ones, especially those at risk for developing complications. More and more families are choosing to purchase air filtration systems for their homes to limit their chance of exposure.

Stay Informed

The current virus is passed from person to person through sneezing or coughing. Because the virus is airborne, many households are looking to purify the air entering their house. People should be wary of companies making unfounded claims, and trust fact-checked truthful companies.

Air purification systems can help reduce the chances that your household contracts any virus by trapping airborne particles and stopping them from multiplying. Because the virus can live on a surface for up to three days, an air purification system can trap virus particles and hold them until they are no longer dangerous.

However, no purification system can 100% filter out every dangerous particle that enters a home. While installing an air purification system isn’t a foolproof plan to protect your household, it is an excellent preventative measure to take to improve your home’s overall air quality and lessen the chance that harmful particles will infect your family.

Contact a Local Expert

Offering full-service HVAC services, Mid Florida A/C will complete every job promptly and at a fair price. Whether you need repairs on your air conditioner or are looking to invest in an air filtration system, Mid Florida A/C is the HVAC expert Melbourne residents trust.

Keeping Your HVAC System Like New

August 21st is World Senior Citizens Day, and while it’s meant to celebrate those in their Golden Years, it shouldn’t include your HVAC system. When you let your HVAC system get too old and worn, it can cause a barrage of problems - including health issues for you and your loved ones.

So, in recognition of this World Citizens Day, let’s discuss the important role that heating and air conditioning play in our daily lives and what problems can arise when the systems are allowed to age or aren’t properly maintained.

Let’s Talk About Your Air Filter

The filters used in your HVAC are vital to ensuring only pure, clean air is passed through your home. Are you aware of how often you should change your filters?

Typically, you’ll want to change your HVAC air filters every 4-6 weeks; however, if you have a smoker in the home or pets, you’ll want to change the filter more often than that.

If when you go to change your air filters they’re always covered in a bed of dust, you know that they aren’t being changed often enough. When you keep your filters changed regularly, not only does it keep your air clean in your home, it also helps to ward off allergens and other health problems.

Dirty Air Can Lead to Health Issues

When you think about things you can do to improve your health, it’s not often that your HVAC system comes to mind - but it should. The air quality in your home directly impacts your health in an important way.

When you aren’t breathing in clean and filtered air, you and your loved ones could experience health problems such as:

• Aggravated asthma.
• Worsened allergy problems.
• Wheezing, trouble breathing.
• Trouble sleeping.
• Coughing.
• Aggravated sleep apnea.

These problems can be even worse for senior citizens, children, pregnant women and those with pre-existing conditions.

HVAC Services Are Essential to Your Home’s Air Quality

Your HVAC system is one thing in life that you don’t want to age. In fact, it shouldn’t get past 10 years of age; if it does, it should be replaced.

Older units not only won’t filter your air properly, but they’ll also raise your utility bills because they have to work harder and longer to do their job.

For units younger than 10 years, it’s essential that they have regular HVAC services. When you ensure your system is serviced regularly (at least twice per year) it allows it to work at optimal functionality throughout its life span and provide clean and filtered air in your home.

Aging for our beloved senior citizens is like the aging of fine wine; our HVAC systems, unfortunately, don’t age gracefully like this. Your HVAC system has a particular life span that it shouldn’t exceed, and it should be well-maintained throughout.

If you think your system is due for service, replacement, or repair - don’t hesitate to call Mid Florida A/C at (386) 668-8752. We’ll send an HVAC technician to your home ASAP to ensure your everything is in tip-top shape.

The True Benefit of Mom’s Life Lessons

As Mother’s Day approaches, we’re all reminded of the extraordinary moms that shaped us, loved us unconditionally and kept us in line. It’s the season to be especially grateful for their tireless work and especially supportive of those moms that are exhausted from the day-to-day demands of being a mom.

As you say “thank you” this Mother’s Day, it’s hard not to think about how wise your mom is and how great her advice has been over the years. When it comes to taking care of your home and HVAC system, a good rule of thumb is to remember what your mom said. She knew what she was talking about.

No Fire In or Around the House!

Moms are pretty consistent about having a firm “no fire in the house” rule. As we get older, though, we tend to play a little fast and loose with this rule – burning things indoors, near the house, or in the yard.

But, no matter how safe and under control this might seem, it can lead to lots of dangerous fumes in and around your house.

Trust mom’s advice and keep fires away from your house and yard to help ensure high air quality for your home. Not only do these fumes impact your health, but in many instances, it can lead to serious property damage. And if your house is ruined, where is Mom going to stay and visit?

That Green Thumb Goes a Long Way

Anyone else’s mom obsessed with her garden, yard, and plants? It seems like most are! And, it turns out – as usual – that they’re on to something. Gardens and plants help to keep the air in and around your home cleaner.

The improved air quality is good for your health; plus, having plants and a garden takes some of the pressure off of your HVAC’s air filter.

Fewer air filter changes in the year can mean added savings, while still keeping your air ducts and AC clean and free of dust and grime. So, follow in your mom’s footsteps and plant a garden or considering investing in some house plants.

Vacuuming Does More Than Just Clean Your Floor

No one liked this reminder as a kid, and even as an adult, many of us try to shirk this responsibility.

While no one can blame you for dreading this chore, regular vacuuming helps to reduce the allergens in your home and can have a significant impact on your home’s air quality.

Regular vacuuming is especially important if you have pets or family members with allergies. So, even though you might not like it, make sure that vacuuming is a regular part of your routine. Your family and air filters will thank you!

As is so often the case, mom knows best, and she was right when it comes to advice about your home and air quality. Remember to give your mom and all mother figures in your life a big hug this Mother’s Day. And, don’t forget to thank them for their years of good advice and let them know how right they were.

Protect Your Air Quality for Earth Day

How many times have you stepped outside for a lung full of fresh air after being cooped up inside? Breathing in quality air gives you a feeling of catharsis. The quality of the air we breathe is directly linked to our health, and well being.

With the ever-rising pollution levels in our atmosphere, it’s no wonder that people are starting to become concerned about our planet. Mother Earth is the only home we have in this great galaxy.

Protecting the air we breathe is essential to preserving our way of life. You can help right now by simply making some changes to your own home. Not only will it help the planet, it will keep you and your family healthy and happy!

Purify the Air in Your Home

Helping to purify the air in your home can be simpler than you think. There are many different ways to add the quality back into your home’s atmosphere. Implementing these easy DIY tips can make the world of difference for you and your family!

• Use a Salt Lamp- Salt Lamps (or Himalayan Pink Salt) is a great way to purify the air in your home. Salt lamps are essentially a big piece of pink salt with a bulb inside. To give you a general idea of how it works; the salt attracts and absorbs water along with any bacteria contained within. Not only are the lamps going to be beneficial to your air quality, but they are aesthetically pleasing and relatively inexpensive. Plus, they work even when the bulb is not lit!
• Burn Beeswax Candles-Burning beeswax candles is another way to promote good air quality in your home as they are a natural air purifier. Unlike their paraffin counterparts; beeswax candles do not contain any harmful fumes. When you burn a beeswax candle, it releases negative ions which help keep pollutants at bay. These natural candles emit very little smoke; they are odorless and burn longer.
• Essential oils- It’s understandable that many people hesitate to opt for a beeswax candle because they generally have no scent. That is a major plus for burning candles, right? There is a solution, however. Essential oils are a great way to keep your home smelling great, and they also add to the purity of your air! Scents like cinnamon, oregano, tea tree, lemon, rosemary, and thyme work to eliminate toxins found in indoor air.
• House plants- The benefits of having indoor plants is an entire book onto itself. Purifying your air is only one small perk of adding some leafy friends to your home, but a very important one! Indoor plants work the same way as outdoor plants do; by filtering the toxins in the air we breathe.

Don’t Forget Your Air Filters

The next step is to keep an eye on your air filters; especially in rooms that have little to know ventilation. Rooms without windows, or rooms with poor circulation, are more apt to be a breeding ground for bacteria and pollutants.

A simple way to combat this is to periodically clean your filters. While cleaning your air filters with water is fine, vinegar is more effective in getting rid of bacteria and allergens.

Needless to say, using non-toxic products to clean your air filters is key. Using products that have a high chemical composition will do more harm than good to your home, and the planet.

Outdoor Ventilation is Key

This may be a no brainer, but letting fresh air in from the outside is essential to your air quality!

Opening windows even in the winter months will vastly improve the overall air conditions in your home.

Even if you close the door to one room at a time (and open the windows), you will allow clean fresh air to combat the dust, stale air and mold that is squatting in your living space. Outdoor ventilation may be the most effective and easiest way to breathe easy in your home.

Make Air Quality a Priority

Air quality may seem like something that is too big for one person to tackle. Yet, even making the effort to go green can have a huge impact on our planet. Small changes to your home, will benefit you, your family, and our entire atmosphere.

We have only been given this one planet, and it is our duty to ensure we protect the natural systems given to us. Following all, or even a few, of the tips above will drastically help the air quality of your home, but sometimes a professional is needed.

At Mid-Florida A/C we know how important the quality of your air is to your family, home, and our planet. We are always available to answer your questions. Please call us at (386) 668-8752

Don’t Suffer - Make Sure You Have Clean Indoor Air

For some people, Spring is the start of a miserable time of year. As nice as it is to have nature springing back to life again after winter, it also means that there are more dust and pollen in the air.

If you have allergies, that means your suffering goes up pretty quickly. If you think that you don’t have allergies and that this doesn’t pertain to you, you might be wrong.

When dust and pollen are in your indoor air, even non-allergic people can feel the symptoms without even knowing it. Making sure you have good indoor air quality can help improve the quality of life for everyone in your house, as well as saving you money.

How You Feel With Poor Indoor Air Quality

If you’ve ever felt like you are just battling a lingering cold, especially during Spring, you might be suffering from the effects of poor indoor air quality. Some examples of this can be headaches, fatigue, and congestion.

While you think this may be battling a bug, in reality, it can be your body fighting off the pollen and dust in the air. Your immune system still has to battle all the foreign particles in the air and it takes a toll on your body.

In addition, if you actually have allergies, the constant exposure can just aggravate the problem, even elevating it to the point of causing rashes or other skin problems.

Using an Air Filter to Feel Better

If you have an HVAC system, you have an air filter so wouldn’t that solve the problem? Simply having the filter is just half the battle. Without proper maintenance, the air filter will cease to function properly.

To make sure everything stays in tip-top shape, make sure your air filter gets replaced regularly, something many homeowners neglect. Filters should be changed as often as every month or so if you have lots of pets and sensitivities to allergens in the air.

If you don’t have pets and your surrounding air quality is good, you can stretch that to once or twice a year. The best way to know for sure is to have an expert from Mid Florida A/C do an analysis and let you know how often it is best to change our your filter.

Saving Money & Feeling Better is a Win-Win

The benefits extend beyond the physical. Keeping the air quality in your house high will also help your pocketbook by adding additional savings. An HVAC system regularly maintained uses less energy, reducing your monthly utility bills.

Using less energy means working less hard and that means that your system gets less wear and tear. This means a longer life, extending the time between costly repairs and replacements. Couple this with less exposure to dust and pollen in the air and you have a big win-win.

Some songs just have a season and, for us, the song of Spring is “Another One Bites the Dust.” That’s because we spend a lot of time changing out air filters of people who have neglected it to the point of their system malfunctioning. We end up looking like Pigpen from Charlie Brown as the dust clouds from dirty filters come at us. Make sure the dust and pollen aren't making their way into your house by calling Mid Florida A/C at (386) 668-8752.

Signs Your Dirty AC is Hurting Your Health!

It isn’t pleasant waking up in the middle of the night coughing up a lung, is it? This is your AC speaking, telling you that you are getting sick because I’m full of dirt, dust, grime, and goodness knows what else!

Haven’t you ever heard of changing a filter or maybe hiring someone for air duct cleaning!? If you’re not careful, I’m going to make you, your spouse, AND your kids sick with nasty coughs and infections.

All jokes and drama aside, we do want you to know the importance of a clean AC system. We are going to discuss what can happen when you have a dirty AC, the types of illnesses that can be caused, and what you can do about it! Keep reading for more information!

Upper Respiratory Illness

Upper respiratory illness is the generic name that doctors give minor infections of the lungs. They are typically marked with heavy coughing and sometimes sinus problems.

It may also simply be called bronchitis. Whatever you want to call it, the illness is caused by dirt, debris, and build up in your air ducts and vents.

Over a period of time, as the amount of debris grows, moisture tends to collect. When this happens, mold and bacteria tend to grow, and because this is all happening in air ducts, they are spread throughout your home for you to breathe.

Allergies Not Related to Smelling The Roses

Many people have allergies at some point or another throughout the year.

This typically occurs in spring or fall, when there are pollen and other fun things floating around. Unfortunately, allergies can be worsened by breathing in dirty air from your AC.

You might be lucky and have it respond to allergy medication, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes the only way to manage it is to keep your ducts clean and dusting on a regular basis.

Asthma Issues

You may have experienced bouts of asthma throughout your life or have experienced it through one of your children.

It is somewhat odd for an adult to suddenly develop this condition without reason, and if nothing else has changed, you should look to your AC.

Asthma is one of those conditions that once you have it, you can manage it but it can always come back. It is far better to attempt to avoid it in the first place by having a clean home and air ducts.

What You Can do to Ease These Problems

Although you can’t prevent 100% of illnesses and health-related problems, you can reduce the severity of them by simply changing your air filters.

Vacation homes or homes with only one resident should change their filter every 6-12 months, while homes that have several residents, pets, or someone with allergies should change the filter every 45 days.

This is definitely a big difference, but the easiest way to find out how often you should change your filter, based on your home, is to call Mid Florida A/C. We are trained to figure out how often the filter should be changed if you’re using the correct kind, and if your ducts need a little TLC.

Hopefully, you’ve learned a thing or two about keeping your AC cleaned and if you have, please share this blog with your friends! If you’re in need of air duct cleaning or any other AC related issue, give us a call!

Look for the Signs of Air Duct Mold in Your Home

Are you worried about the air quality in your home? It's an issue that can have an effect on everybody's health. Airborne contaminants, such as dust and mold spores, can cause respiratory problems along with eye, throat and skin irritation. In the worst of cases, these symptoms can develop into deeper, more serious medical conditions.

Mold in the HVAC system can be a serious problem for homeowners, especially those who live in the Melbourne, FL area. This part of the country experiences high humidity levels during the summer. On a hot and muggy day, condensation can form inside a home's air conditioning system. If the humidity is high enough, this moisture will build up instead of evaporating and become a breeding ground for mold. Since this mold develops in your ventilation system, it can spread into every room of your home.

So how can you tell if there's mold in the air ducts? It's best to identify the problem before you call an air quality company to take care of the problem. Here are the signs of air duct home in your home.

There's a Strong Stench In Your Home

The first indication of mold growth in your HVAC system is its trademark stench. Even if you don't know what mold smells like, you will be able to tell something is wrong with the air quality.

Think rotting food or dirty gym clothes. The odor can also make it hard to breathe. If it gets stronger the closer you are to grates and vent openings, there's a strong possibility you have mold in your ventilation system.

Your Family Experiences Health Issues

Are you frequently experiencing shortness of breath while at home? Has anybody in your family suffered an increase in allergy and asthma attacks?

These are telltale signs of bad indoor air quality. These symptoms, plus any eye, throat or skin irritation, are an indication of the presence of mold.

If anybody has problems breathing or you find yourself sneezing or wheezing often while inside, you should get in touch with a duct cleaning company to inspect and clean your HVAC system.

There Are Clear and Visible Signs of Mold

Considering how humid it can get here during summertime, it's no wonder mold tends to develop in a home's HVAC system.

One way to ensure the problem doesn't spread too far into your home is by routinely checking the vents. Look for signs of moisture around the outside and pop out the grates to check out the inside for signs of mold.

High humidity levels make it easy for mold to grow, so your best defense might be to remain vigilant and inspect your ducts every now and then.

Best Practice Tips to Maintain Good Air Quality at Home

Maintaining good air quality in your home is key to maintaining a healthy and happy household. Believe it or not, the concentration of pollutants can be two to five times higher indoors than outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Considering we spend most of our time inside, poor air quality can contribute to a number of health problems, including respiratory infections, sinus infections, asthma attacks and allergy attacks.

Thankfully, there are a number of ways Melbourne, FL homeowners can cut down on the amount of pollution we bring into our abodes. Here are some tips to maintain good air quality at home.

Get Rid of Any Toxic Cleaning Products

Many of us use a variety of cleaning products—soaps, detergents, bleaching agents, polishes, fragrances and specialized cleaners—that contain harsh chemicals in order to achieve the perfect shine.

The ammonia, chlorine, phosphates and petroleum-based compounds found in many of the bottles we keep in our closets or under the sink greatly contribute to high toxicity levels.

These products can cause burns and irritation of skin, eyes, nose and respiratory systems. These days, it's easy to replace traditional cleaning products with eco-friendly alternatives.

Stores often stock cleaners that don't include harmful ingredients. Avoid products that have warning labels about poison and corrosion. Consider home-made remedies, such as cleaning solutions with water, baking soda, vinegar or lemon.

Plants Can Act as Natural Air Filters

Bringing nature indoors is another effective way of increasing the air quality in your home. Houseplants act as natural air purifiers and offer some protection against airborne toxins.

This can be especially beneficial if somebody in your household suffers from respiratory problems. The more plants, the better off they will be.

Some of the most effective houseplants at cleaning up the air include the Peace Lily, Lady Palm, Bromeliad, Dracaena, Boston Fern, Spider Plant, Jade Plant and Aloe Vera.

Bring Fresh Air into the House

Perhaps the easiest and most inexpensive way to increase indoor air quality is by opening windows and ventilating the air in your home.

Cooking, especially when using a gas stove, can be a major source of air pollution, so it's important to ventilate your kitchen.

Ventilating also reduces moisture levels, which can be a major source of poor indoor air quality. If your bathroom has a fan, make sure to use it when you bathe to vent out all of the steam and avoid mold and mildew growth.

If you're concerned about outdoor pollution getting inside your home, you can invest in trickle vents to safely cycle your air supply or exhaust fans to expel any bad air indoors.

Change the HVAC Filter Regularly

For many homeowners, the filter in their heating and air conditioning systems can act as a first line of defence against any harmful particles that may circulate throughout a home.

Installing a fresh filter on a regular basis can prevent any dust, spores and debris from circulating and reaching every corner of your household.

A clogged and dirty filter won't be able to trap any contaminants. It would also make it more difficult for air to pass through your HVAC system and make it less energy efficient.

We recommend checking the filter every few months to determine whether or not it needs to be replaced. Poor indoor air quality can be problematic, especially if anybody under your roof suffers from a respiratory problem. But the above steps can help you clean up your home at a low cost.

Overwhelmed With Remodeling? Refocus On These 3 Air Quality Tips & Gain Peace of Mind

There’s nothing quite as satisfying—or expensive—as committing to buying an old home and renovating it to meet your modern needs. Or, just having saved up enough money to finally do something similar to the home that you’re currently living in.

But depending on the scope of the project, there may be issues with keeping the quality of the air safe for both the workers and the residents of the home. By following our three key tips, you can help to keep the air safe.

Block & Dampen Any Work Areas

If there’s a space, like a kitchen, basement, or attic, that you’re opening up, tearing down walls, or even putting new walls up, this is bound to create a lot of dust.

You can minimize just how much dust gets into other parts of the home by blocking off areas being worked on with plastic barriers and ensuring proper ventilation.

Another great tip for this kind of work is to dampen the work area. If you’re going to be sanding things down, grinding, cutting, or anything else that normally sends particles into the air, just mist down the area with some water. This dramatically cuts down on just how many these particles actually go airborne.

Make Sure Flooring Gets Proper Moisture Control

If the type of work you’ll be doing will make some kind of permanent addition to the flooring, such as adding carpet to the attic “man cave,” keep moisture control in mind for this. The surface of the flooring should have some resistance to moisture, but more importantly, the area under the flooring should be protected with moisture resistance.

If you don’t do this in a carpeted area, for example, you may unwittingly provide a warm, dark, damp region of your home that is perfect for mold to grow. Once a mold infestation begins, it spreads by sending mold spores into the air. When your HVAC system blows, these spores are now distributed throughout the entire home.

This can make healthy people sick, but for people that already have a chronic respiratory condition, such as asthma, this can make home one of the most uncomfortable and potentially dangerous places for the person to be in, threatening health and well-being on a daily basis.

Put In a New Filter

Now that the major remodeling is done, and the house is finally finished, you only have one final air quality tip to follow. Go the filter in your HVAC system, take it out, and replace it with a fresh one.

Normal, day-to-day living would only require you to do this every three months or so, as the seasons change. But, with all the particles that have been released into the air with remodeling, once your HVAC system kicked in, those particles were pumped back into the HVAC system itself and caught by the filter.

If a filter is too dirty, this impacts the efficiency of your HVAC, and you’ll see that inefficiency manifest as higher energy bills. Regain your efficiency with a new filter. Once that’s all done, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your remodeled home Melbourne, FL. Not only do you have a house that matches your needs, but you've also even added to the value of your property, and managed to keep your air quality safe while doing it.