When you think about your Treasure Valley HVAC system, you think about achieving comfort by avoiding a temperature that is too hot or cold. However, the same system that heats and cools your home is constantly circulating, filtering, and conditioning the air that your family breathes. A well-maintained system can ensure clean indoor air. However, neglecting an HVAC system can actively degrade indoor air quality.
The EPA suggests that HVAC indoor air quality in Ontario, OR can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Wildfire smoke and cottonwood season across the Treasure Valley make good home filtration essential. Want cleaner air at home? Contact Stan’s Heating & Cooling to schedule an indoor air quality evaluation across Ontario and the Treasure Valley.
Your HVAC System Is Your Home’s Air Circulation Engine
When you think about home air quality, your HVAC system is an important component. Your HVAC unit pulls air throughout the rooms of your home, conditions it, and pushes it back through your ductwork. During that cycle, the air filter, coils, ducts, and blower all touch the air before it reaches your living spaces. If any part of your system is dirty or malfunctioning, it can affect indoor air quality and may signal the need for AC repair in Ontario.
Your indoor air quality in Treasure Valley may be poor if you notice a musty or stale odor coming from your air vents. Some homeowners notice an uptick in their asthma or allergy symptoms while spending time indoors. You may notice dust returning soon after cleaning and still deal with humidity swings (sticky in summer and dry in winter) even when your system runs often. If your home has mold, water damage, or rodent activity, it could be a sign of poor home air quality that your HVAC system is making worse.
Routine maintenance should occur once per year. If it’s been a while since your last appointment, this may be negatively impacting your indoor air quality.
Air Filtration Is the First Line of Defense
Your HVAC filtration in Ontario, OR, helps remove particulates from your air. This includes things like pet dander, mold spores, dust, and pollen. By catching these contaminants in a filter, your system won’t recirculate them throughout your home.
Each HVAC filter has a MERV rating, with a higher rating translating to better filtration. Most residential HVAC systems can handle a filter with a MERV rating between 8 and 12. Anything higher will result in airflow restriction and HVAC problems.
One thing to keep in mind about HVAC filtration in Ontario, OR, is that it can be damaging to your system if you don’t keep up with filter changes. As your HVAC system runs, filter fibers clog with debris. This reduces airflow through your system and can cause blower strain and early component failure. Particles can also bypass the filter and end up back in your air. It’s best to check your filter every month and replace it every 30 to 90 days. If you’re not sure how often to change your air filter, we suggest reading some of our helpful tips.
Dirty Coils, Ducts, and Drain Pans Lead to Hidden Air Quality Problems
HVAC maintenance in Ontario is one of the best ways to improve your indoor air quality. Enrolling in the Stan’s Maintenance Club can help ensure your system receives the routine service it needs.
Your system’s evaporator coil removes moisture from the air and helps transfer heat. During our maintenance service, we clean this coil to ensure optimal heat transfer and to prevent mold and bacteria growth on the coil. We clean the condensate line and drain pan so there’s no standing water. Any time there is a clog in your condensate drain line, it can allow standing water to back up into the drain pan and produce mold alongside musty odors.
As air circulates through your ductwork, dust and debris can accumulate inside. This is especially common in older homes. This debris buildup can lead to an increase in mold or rodent activity. Your system’s blower motor and housing can accumulate dust over time. This can push unwanted airborne particles back into the fresh air that circulates to the rooms in your home.
Improving your indoor air quality in Oregon starts with proper AC and furnace maintenance. We recommend scheduling an annual appointment with our team.
Humidity’s Role in Indoor Air Quality
The relative humidity in your home has a direct impact on your indoor air quality. When humidity levels are high, it encourages mold growth and dust mite activity. If humidity levels are low, it can irritate your sinuses and increase static electricity. Reducing humidity in your home in Fruitland or Vale during summer is the key to maximizing comfort while minimizing indoor air pollutants.
A system that short cycles doesn’t run long enough to properly dehumidify the air. An HVAC system that is the proper size and functions properly helps keep humidity in a healthy range.
Wildfire Smoke, Pollen, and the Treasure Valley
Weiser and nearby communities face tough air quality issues, especially smoke during late summer and early fall fire season. There is also cottonwood season in the early summer, producing high pollen levels, and agricultural dust is also an issue. Your HVAC system works best with clean coils and a quality filter, helping it circulate clean air throughout your home. If your HVAC system is dirty or you skip maintenance, it won’t do much to protect your air quality during smoke season or any other time.
HVAC Upgrades That Improve Indoor Air Quality
There are many ways to improve your indoor air quality in Oregon with the help of your HVAC system. One of the easiest and most effective ways is to use a high-efficiency air filter. Choose one with a MERV rating between 8 and 12. Anything higher will be incompatible with your system and reduce airflow. While high-quality filters typically cost more than standard-rated filters, they can help your HVAC indoor air quality in Ontario, OR significantly.
Another great HVAC upgrade to consider is a whole-home air purification system. This installs at your air handler unit and works to filter all the air that travels throughout your ducting. Many air purification systems use UV germicidal lights on the evaporator coil to control mold and bacteria growth. This enhances your indoor air quality in Treasure Valley so you know your family is breathing safe, clean air.
Dirty HVAC air quality issues can all start with your ducting. If your last duct cleaning was many years ago, it’s time to schedule an appointment. Cleaning will remove visible debris, mold, and signs of rodent activity from your air ducts to enhance your home’s air quality level. While there are many HVAC upgrades you can invest in, one of the first things you want to do is get air quality testing in Ontario, OR. This can help our HVAC technicians understand the air quality challenges you are dealing with. Then, we can make recommendations for our indoor air quality services on how to improve HVAC air quality in Ontario, OR.
When to Call Stan’s Heating, Inc for an Indoor Air Quality Evaluation
It’s important to keep in mind that your HVAC system and pollutants that enter your home from the outdoors impact your HVAC air quality in Ontario, OR. Keeping up with cleaning your coils, changing air filters, and scheduling routine maintenance is the foundation of better air quality. We recommend air quality testing in Vale and air quality testing in Fruitland to determine where your air quality stands. Our team can recommend solutions like proper humidity control to help with allergy symptoms, lingering odors, and even smoke season issues.
Contact Stan’s Heating, Inc today to get your professional IAQ evaluation.
