Breathe Easier with Better Indoor Air Quality

June 18, 2020

The weather is warming up, and that’s great news if you’re eager to get outside. Most people spend about 90% of their time inside, and growing evidence shows that indoor air is often more polluted than the air outside.

The good news is there are several ways to improve the air quality inside your home.

Air Filtration / Purification

Basic, 1-inch air filters in your HVAC system can trap larger dust and dirt particles. High-quality pleated filters can offer 90% or better filtration and can trap bacteria, virus-carrying particles, mold spores and smoke. For even better whole-home filtration, the Carrier Infinity Air Purifier captures and kills some viruses, bacteria, allergens and other pollutants.

Additional steps you can take to improve air filtration include:

Run your indoor furnace or fan coil on constant fan
Inspect/replace your air filter routinely
Have your HVAC system cleaned and maintained semi-annually by your local Carrier HVAC contractor

Ventilation

Indoor air pollutants come from a number of sources – pollens, molds, viruses, dust mites, animal dander, carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke and volatile organic compounds from common household products. Locating and minimizing these sources can help improve your home’s air quality.

Improving ventilation is the next step:

Use available exhaust fans when cooking, showering, cleaning or using other household chemicals
Contact your local Carrier dealer about whole-home ventilation systems – Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) and Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) that efficiently bring fresh air inside and exhaust stale air outside

Humidity Control

Most people know that high humidity can cause discomfort in the hot, summer months. But according to the CDC, dust mites thrive in 70% – 80% humidity and temperatures between 75° – 80° F. High humidity also provides an environment conducive to mold growth. That’s why maintaining relative indoor humidity between 40% – 60% is recommended to help keep dust mites and mold at bay.

To control humidity in your home:

Run the air conditioner when it’s hot and humid
Talk to your local Carrier HVAC contractor about whole-home humidifiers and dehumidifiers
High-end AC systems like the Carrier® Infinity® 26 air conditioner with Greenspeed® intelligence allow you to select a specific humidity setting for moisture control

If you have anyone living in your home considered vulnerable to the effects of poor indoor air quality, or if you just spend a lot of time indoors and want to breathe a little easier, your Carrier dealer is an excellent resource for finding a solution.

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Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier is the world’s leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy-efficient products, building controls and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and food service customers. Carrier is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.carrier.com