Thanksgiving is this week, and the focus is usually on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for our family and friends; however, amidst the preparations, it's crucial not to overlook the quality of the air that they and we breathe. Maintaining clean and healthy indoor air is essential for the health and overall well-being of indoor occupants and guests, especially during gatherings when there may be increased activities and potential pollutants. We are going to provide some tips to ensure cleaner and healthier air this Thanksgiving and review how you can maintain your home’s indoor air quality during your celebration.
A Refresher on What Indoor Quality is
We have reviewed before what indoor air quality (IAQ) is and why it is important, but here is a brief refresher. Indoor air quality refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants (EPA). Poor indoor air quality has been linked to continued sickness, reduced productivity, and impaired learning and thought processes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rates poor indoor air quality as an area of major concern, noting that common contaminants, endlessly redistributed by a central air system, can contribute to allergy symptoms and sickness. What’s in your home’s air directly impacts the IAQ.
As mentioned above, your home’s indoor air quality is important, because it can directly impact the health and well-being of the people who are in your home. There can be short-term and long-term effects. Immediate effects typically are similar to those of colds and other viral infections, while some long-term effects may include respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer, and more. Basically, poor indoor air quality can really make people miserable and put a damper on your holiday celebrations, which is why having cleaner and healthier air this Thanksgiving will give you something to be extra thankful for.
Tips for Cleaner and Healthier Air this Thanksgiving
The holidays are a time for increased indoor air pollutants. This is because of added cooking and baking, increased household occupancy, windows being closed due to the weather, and more people going in and out potentially bringing in contaminants with them. When it comes to maintaining indoor air quality and having cleaner and healthier air this Thanksgiving, there are some things you can do. Let’s review.
As you prepare to celebrate the season, prioritize the quality of the air in your home to ensure a healthy and comfortable environment. By following the above tips for cleaner and healthier air this Thanksgiving and being mindful of potential air pollutants, you can create better indoor air quality for a memorable gathering. Enjoy the festivities while breathing easy and knowing that you've taken steps to maintain your home’s excellent indoor air quality.
If you want to ensure that the air you and are family are breathing every day is safe, Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can help. We can assess your current IAQ situation by performing a fast and easy air quality test that measures the level of particulate concentration in your air. We will then make recommendations based on our findings.
Let our comfort specialists help you breathe in clean indoor air. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.
It’s the season for ghosts, goblins, witches, and more. There are plenty of things to scare you this Halloween, and a strange odor coming from your HVAC system shouldn’t be one of them. If your home’s heating smells funny, it could be trying to tell you something. We are going to review some of the potential reasons for those peculiar odors, to help you get to the root cause of the issue, so you can get back to pumpkin carving, apple bobbing, and all of the other fun seasonal activities.
Some Odors that You may Smell Coming from Your HVAC
Almost everywhere that you go this season, the smells of apples and pumpkin spice fill the air, if your heating system is overpowering those aromas and smells strange, you likely want to get to the bottom of it and resolve it as soon as possible. To help you unravel the mystery, below we are going to review some common odors your HVAC system may be producing and what your home’s heating smelling funny could mean.
This Halloween season, if your home’s heating smells funny, the unusual aromas might be trying to tell you something. Regardless of the odor, if you smell something strange, you should contact the experts at Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing to solve the mysteries lurking in your heating system and restore peace and comfort to your home. Things like professional duct cleaning, advanced air filtration systems, and an annual heating tune-up, should help you avoid less than desirable smells coming from your heater. If you have a strange odor coming from your furnace, you should always power it down and call in a professional to help.
At Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing we offer fast same-day HVAC service as we know you can’t be without your heat for long. Regardless of whether it is a repair or replacement, you can depend on Bragg for expert consultation that meets or exceeds your expectations. We will always give you an honest assessment of your heating situation so you can make an informed decision.
Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing is a full service HVAC company that is licensed to solve all your furnace related problems, including repair, replacement, and maintenance and safety inspection. We’ve been repairing and installing furnaces since 1968. Contact us today.
When was the last time you replaced your home’s air filters? If you can’t remember, it is likely time to do so. Fall is the season of transition and the perfect time to embrace change not only around us, but also within your Marin, Sonoma, or Napa County home. The changing of the season is a great time to tackle some very important indoor air quality and HVAC maintenance items to ensure your system if ready for the colder weather to come and your family is breathing in fresh and clean air when they are likely to be inside more.
We are going to review the importance of changing your home’s air filters, the benefits it brings, and how it contributes to a healthier living environment during the autumn months.
The Importance of Your Home’s Air Filters
Air filters play a critical role in maintaining the quality of the air that we breathe indoors. They serve as barriers that capture and trap dust mites, allergens, pet dander, pollen, and other airborne particles that circulate in our homes. Over time, the filters become clogged with pollutants, reducing their efficiency and compromising indoor air quality. The air in our homes is often worse than the air found outdoors. This is typically due to the limited circulation area inside our homes. With less room to circulate properly, it’s easier for allergens and other air pollutants to affect our health and comfort.
According to the EPA, people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. Meaning, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors, especially during the colder seasons when people are inside more. Maintaining the air filters in your furnace and air conditioning (HVAC) system can help to improve indoor air quality. HVAC filters are designed to filter air throughout a home, that’s their job, to reduce indoor air pollution and filter out as much as possible. An unchanged and dirty or soiled air filter means unclean, airborne particles are being spread throughout your home.
If you can’t remember the last time you replaced your home’s air filters, or maybe you never have, it is probably long overdue.
The Benefits of Replacing Your Air Filters in the Fall
While it may seem like an unexciting task, regularly changing your home's air filters can have a significant impact on your home, HVAC system, and family’s health. Fall, in particular, presents unique challenges as the season brings an influx of allergens such as ragweed and mold spores, which can aggravate and intensity respiratory issues and allergies.
Some other benefits of replacing your air filters on a regular basis include:
How often you should change your home’s air filter really varies by home. Having clean air filters is key to breathing clean air. We recommend changing your air filters at least once a month, but there is no exact number of days in which you should change your filters, as each home is different and it depends on the strain you put on your filter, what particles are in the air, and also what type of filter you have. It’s a good habit to check your air filters weekly and if you notice they are dirty, change them.
Improve Your North Bay Area Home’s Indoor Air Quality
If you can’t answer when the last time you replaced your home’s air filters was, now is a great time to do so. Don't let the changing leaves distract you from the essential task of maintaining your indoor air quality. By regularly replacing your home's air filters, particularly during the fall season, you can enjoy improved air quality, enhanced energy efficiency, and prolonged HVAC equipment lifespan, plus, it can increase the comfort for all of the people in your home.
If you are concerned about the air quality in your home, our experts at Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can help you come up with the right solution. We offer professional air filtration services for homeowners in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties and also have UV air sanitizing solutions. There are several options when it comes to air filtration and purification. The right product for your home will depend on your specific air quality concerns. Our experts will help you navigate the different options and narrow down the best choices for your home.
Call us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.
With summer here, while you and your family may be spending less time indoors, indoor air quality should still be something you think about, as it can impact your entire household’s health. What’s in your home’s air can vary by the home, its occupants, and the seasons. Is indoor air quality worse in the summer?
What is Indoor Air Quality and Why Does it Matter?
Indoor air quality refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants (EPA). Poor indoor air quality has been linked to continued sickness, reduced productivity, and impaired learning and thought processes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rates poor indoor air quality as an area of major concern, noting that common contaminants, endlessly redistributed by a central air system, can contribute to allergy symptoms and sickness.
Your home’s indoor air quality is important, because it can directly impact the health and well-being of the people who are in your home. There can be short-term and long-term effects. Immediate effects typically are similar to those of colds and other viral infections, while some long-term effects may include respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer, and more.
Is Indoor Air Quality Worse in the Summer?
The EPA advises that, “Most people in the United States spend about 90% of their time indoors. The air we breathe indoors, and ultimately our health, can be impacted by many factors, including the air quality outdoors, people’s activities indoors, and the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a building”. While the summer may mark a time of the year that you are outside more, indoor air quality still plays a major role on your family’s health and well-being.
As heat and humidity set in, indoor air quality can be impacted. Is indoor air quality worse in the summer? In most home’s the answer is, “No”. Winter is usually the worst season for indoor air quality, but that doesn’t mean that summer just gets a free pass.
Summers are filled with many things outdoors that can directly impact the air that is indoors. Things like fireworks, bonfires, forest fires, increased travel, open windows, use of central air conditioning, and more can affect the air that you breathe while inside your Marin, Napa, or Sonoma County home.
When it’s hot outdoors, while your North Bay Area cooling system will try to keep up, the heat and humidity can creep inside and into your system. Increased indoor dampness and humidity can lead to increases in mold, dust mites, bacteria, and other biological contaminants indoors. Extreme weather events can also create conditions that support increases in the spread of pests and infectious agents that can make their way indoors (EPA).
Tips for Better Summer Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality may not be worse in the summer than the colder and drier months of the year, but it is still something you should pay close attention to for you and your family’s health and comfort. There are some things you can do to try and improve your home’s air quality in the warmer months of the year.
If you want to ensure that the air you and are family are breathing every day is safe, Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can help. We can assess your current IAQ situation by performing a fast and easy air quality test that measures the level of particulate concentration in your air. We will then make recommendations based on our findings.
Let our comfort specialists help you breathe in clean indoor air. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.
April 20, 2023
Spring is in the air, and for many people that includes tackling a spring cleaning list. Spring cleaning is the practice of thoroughly cleaning a house in the springtime, after some months of spending a lot of extra time indoors. Spring signals the time for fresh and new things, and with people tending to have more energy and excitement, it marks a great time to take on some things that you have been putting off. Air ducts play a critical role in your North Bay Area home, so if you haven’t had yours cleaned in a while, and are noticing signs that they may need it, now could be the perfect time. Should duct cleaning be added to your spring cleaning list?
What is Duct Cleaning?
Before we dive into if duct cleaning should be added to your spring cleaning list, if you have never had this done before, you probably are wondering what it is, and if it is useful for your family and your home. We have got you covered.
We have taken our definition directly from the EPA, their definition states, “Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling system components of forced air systems, including the supply and return air ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers, heat exchangers heating and cooling coils, condensate drain pans (drip pans), fan motor and fan housing, and the air handling unit housing”. Basically, duct cleaning gives your home’s ductwork a thorough cleaning, like you do for most other visible areas throughout your home.
The quality of your indoor environment and your home's indoor air quality, greatly depends on the quality of your air ducts. Dirty or blocked air ducts won’t just create air quality issues in your home, it can drive up your utility bill as well.
Should Duct Cleaning be Added to Your Spring Cleaning List?
Whether you are trying to decide to have your ducts cleaned in the spring, or any other time, generally, it is recommended that a typical home has its ducts cleaned every three to five years. If you can’t remember the last time you had this done, it is probably time, and spring can be the perfect time of the year to do so.
As the weather begins to warm up, and you and your family begin spending more time outdoors, duct cleaning becomes more convenient because many homeowners prefer to vacate their property while this is done. Duct cleaning is also great in the spring because it helps to remove winter dust buildup and accumulation from the more time spent inside, it can reduce and combat spring allergies, remove pet dander and shedding, improve system efficiency before you are relying more heavily on it for cooling your home in the warmer months, and more.
There are several benefits that come with having your ducts cleaned. These include:
Are There Signs That you Need Your Marin, Napa, or Sonoma County Ducts Cleaned?
When it comes to whether duct cleaning should be added to your spring cleaning list or not, it really depends on the home. The time frame in which you should have your ducts cleaned will vary by home and family, so you should really pay attention to if there are indications that this needs done. Some of these signs include:
At Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing we are committed to helping our neighbors throughout Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties improve their indoor environment, enjoy greater energy savings, and achieve their comfort goals. Whether you need air duct cleaning or you have a problem with leaking ductwork that requires sealing or insulation, you can count on the Bragg team to provide the best solution for your home.
February 2, 2023
February is the month of love, so while we know love is in the air, do you know what else you and your family could be breathing in in your home? The truth is, with every season there are different contaminants that can make their way into your Marin, Sonoma, or Napa County home, and some of those things can be really bad for you and your family. What’s in your home’s air?
We are going to provide a quick refresher as to what indoor air quality is, what the most common things found in the air in North Bay Area homes are, and things you can do to improve your home’s indoor air quality.
What’s Indoor Air Quality?
Before we can jump into what’s in your home’s air, we think it would be a good idea to cover why that even matters in the first place and what indoor air quality is.
Indoor air quality refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants (EPA). Poor indoor air quality has been linked to continued sickness, reduced productivity, and impaired learning and thought processes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rates poor indoor air quality as an area of major concern, noting that common contaminants, endlessly redistributed by a central air system, can contribute to allergy symptoms and sickness.
Your home’s indoor air quality is important, because it can directly impact the health and well-being of the people who are in your home. There can be short-term and long-term effects. Immediate effects typically are similar to those of colds and other viral infections, while some long-term effects may include respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer, and more.
What’s in Your Home’s Air?
Every home is different; however, for most homes, there are several things that may be in the air that can lead to your family feeling a general sense of unwell and for it to seem like people in your home are constantly passing a “bug” back and forth (the truth is, they probably are). Below we review some of the most common things that may be in your home’s air.
- Dust Mites: Dust mites occur naturally and can appear in almost all homes. They are very common during the winter months when your furnace is likely running a lot. Eight out of 10 people in the United States are exposed to dust mites (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America). Dust mites are microscopic, insect-like pests that generate some of the most common indoor allergens and can trigger allergic reactions and asthma in lots of people.
- Mold and Mildew: Most people don’t realize they have a mold and mildew issue until they have an indoor air quality test. Mold and mildew are fungi that reproduce and grow “seeds,” called spores that travel through the air. Mold and mildew develop in damp environments with little to no air movement. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions) and irritants. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (EPA).
- Pet Dander: Six out of 10 homes are subject to cat or dog dander. Pet dander is composed of tiny, even microscopic, flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs, rodents, birds and other animals with fur or feathers. Animal allergens are carried on small particles that remain airborne and easily attach to surfaces and clothing. People suffering from pet allergies will have symptoms consistent with swollen nasal passages. This includes a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and shortness of breath (American Lung Association).
- Cockroach Allergens: As disturbing as this may sound, cockroaches aren’t just unsightly pests, crawling across your kitchen floor in the middle of the night. They can be an allergy trigger as well. The National Pest Management Association reports that 63% of homes in the United States contain cockroach allergens. In urban areas, that number rises to between 78% and 98% of homes. Cockroach allergy symptoms include: coughing, nasal congestion, skin rash, wheezing, ear infection, and sinus infection (ACAAI).
- Viruses and Bacteria: If it seems like people in your home are constantly getting sick, it may be because viruses and bacteria are living in your home’s air. People, pets, and pests will inevitably bring microbes into your home. In most cases, they are carried by hosts and transferred to others through direct contact rather than the air; however, microbes can also become airborne and spread throughout your home environment. Your heating system may be pumping germs as well as warm air throughout your home.
When love is in the air, the last thing you want to have to worry about is being sick and stuck indoors. There are things you can do to improve your indoor air quality and prevent home allergens to ensure the only thing you and your family are being hit with, during this time of the year, is cupid’s arrow, and not some unwanted illness.
Do you know what’s in your home’s air? If you want to ensure that the air you and are family are breathing every day is safe, Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can help. We can assess your current IAQ situation by performing a fast and easy air quality test that measures the level of particulate concentration in your air. We will then make recommendations based on our findings.
Let our comfort specialists help you breathe in clean indoor air. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.
January 19, 2023
Each season brings different temperatures and humidity levels for homeowners in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties. When it comes to being comfortable in your home and keeping your family healthy, humidity can play a major roll. Do you know what your home’s humidity level is? The average American is indoors 90% of the time, making keeping indoor air at optimal moisture levels very important. What is the ideal humidity level for your home and why does it really matter?
How Marin, Sonoma, and Napa County Humidity Changes Throughout the Year
Like the colors change with each season, so do the humidity levels. In the North Bay Area, winter doesn’t impact the humidity levels as much as it does in other parts of the country; however, with colder weather, can come drier air, and that can have an impact on you, your home, and your family.
The least humid months we have in our area are early fall, and the most humid months, are late winter and early spring (that is much different than other places in the country). In the spring not only comes flowers blooming, but also comes more moisture in the air, which can affect your home. The average humidity in the North Bay area is around 75% with the most humid month being in March.
What is the Ideal Humidity Level for Your Home?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you keep the humidity in your home between 30 and 50%. You need to reduce the humidity in your home if it is above 50%, but especially if it gets to 60% or higher.
We have reviewed before how dry air can affect your home and family, and the same is true with air that is too damp. High humidity can lead to HVAC issues, mold and mildew, and damage to your home and belongings. Mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, and more, thrive and grow when humidity levels are in excess of the recommended levels mentioned above. Not to mention, when the air in your home is too damp, it can be uncomfortable.
How Can High Humidity Affect Your Home and Family?
Now that we have reviewed what the ideal humidity level is for your home and how it changes throughout the year, as we look towards some of the most humid months we will face, it’s important to understand that high humidity doesn’t just make things uncomfortable, it can have negative effects on your home as well.
Below we review some of the reasons you will want to keep your home’s humidity within the ideal levels.
How to Keep Your Home Within the Ideal Humidity Level
When it comes to adding moisture to your home you can do that with humidifiers, plants, and other methods. Reducing humidity in your home can be solved by adding a dehumidifier, using vents and exhaust fans, having an HVAC system that is maintained with a clean air filter, and resolving any areas throughout your home where moisture may be entering through.
When it comes to your Marin, Sonoma, or Napa County home’s comfort, Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can help. We know that you rely heavily on your HVAC system for year-round comfort. Our experts are here to help with your indoor comfort needs and make sure you enjoy peace of mind no matter the season.
Whether you are looking to replace your AC, fix a broken furnace, or tune up your comfort systems, you can count on our experts for quality solutions that will help you enjoy improved indoor comfort and greater energy efficiency. Contact us today.
December 20, 2022
Do you like to keep your home warm and cozy? Do you like to lower the temperatures in your home and keep it cooler while you are sleeping? Did you know that there is actually a recommended temperature range that you should keep your home at? Try to take a guess at what that range is. Do you think you have it? The truth is, most people keep their homes much warmer in the winter months and much cooler in the summer months than they really should. So, what’s the ideal temperature for your home?
What’s the Ideal Temperature for Your Home?
We all find different temperatures to be comfortable throughout our homes, but most Marin, Sonoma, and Napa County homeowners want to find a balance between comfort and higher energy bills. By keeping your home at the temperatures we review below, you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling expenses. Energy.gov provides the below recommendations.
Depending on the season, the ideal house temperature for both comfort and efficiency is between 68° to 78°F.
You can save energy in the winter by setting your thermostat to around 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home. To stay comfortable and save money in the warmer months, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78°F when you are home and higher while you are away. While 68°F may seem much too cold for your home and 78°F may seem way too warm, these temperatures have proven to cut energy costs and still keep most people comfortable.
During winter, the lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature. The same concept applies to raising your thermostat setting in the summer; a higher interior temperature will slow the flow of heat into your house, saving energy on air conditioning.
Change your temperature settings when you sleep and are away from the home.
As referenced above, you should change your home’s temperatures when you are away or sleeping. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can easily set day and time ranges, so it can change the settings for you. This will help you avoid any discomfort by returning temperatures to normal before you wake or return home. The Department of Energy suggests changing your normal temperature settings by 7° to 10°F while you are away from the home.
What is the best temperature for sleep?
When it comes to the ideal temperature for your home, as we said, this varies by time of year, time of day, and if you are actually there or not; however, did you know that there are also scientific reasons why you should sleep at a certain temperature? It’s true, changing the temperatures at night won’t just save you money, it can lead to a much better night of rest as well.
The suggested bedroom temperature is between 60°F and 67°F for optimal sleep (Sleep.org). When trying to fall asleep, your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep and the proposed ideal temperatures can help accelerate this. If your room is cool, rather than warm, it will be much easier to shut your eyes for the night. Keeping the temperature while you sleep either too hot or too cold while you are trying to catch some shut-eye may affect the drop in your body’s internal temperature and cause you to have an anxious sleep.
Did you Guess the Right Ideal Temperature for Your Home?
Remember when we had to guess the ideal temperature range above, did you get it right? The truth is, most people don’t really think about saving money when it comes to heating and cooling their homes, they just want to be comfortable, but by giving the recommended temperature range a try you could see some major rewards in your wallet.
While Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can’t be there to adjust the temperature in your home every day, we can help you with all of your Marin, Sonoma, and Napa County heating and cooling needs.
When it comes to your comfort, you deserve the best solutions at the best value. All of our technicians and installers are Bragg employees dedicated to providing you with personalized solutions that meet your goals and budget. Contact us today.
November 8, 2022
In the North Bay Area the fall and winter seasons don’t impact the humidity levels as much as it does in other parts of the country; however, with colder weather, can come drier air, and that can have an impact on you, your home, and your family. While our humidity levels average to be around 75% throughout the year, when you turn on your heater for the season, that can make your home less humid, which can lead to skin irritations, illnesses, and damage to your home. We are going to take a look at some ways you can combat dry air in your home.
How Dry Air can Impact You and Your Home
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you keep the humidity in your home between 30 and 50 percent. Before we jump into how to combat dry air in your home, we thought it would be a good idea to review why it is important to try to keep your home at ideal humidity levels in the first place.
The average American is indoors 90% of the time, making keeping indoor air at optimal moisture levels very important for a number of health reasons. Some health problems associated with dry air include: respiratory issues, sore throat, dry and irritated skin, higher stress levels, and increased risk of illness.
Dry air can not only impact the health of you and your family members, it can have effects on your home as well. If your home is dry, it can cause structural damage, especially to wooden components of your home by taking the moisture out of them, create static electricity, and damage your belongings by making them brittle, which can lead to them cracking and breaking.
How to Combat Dry Air in Your Home
While we seem to battle the humidity most of the time here in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties, as we reviewed above, having air in your home that is too dry, can be a bad thing. There are things you can do to combat dry air in your home and keep your humidity levels within the desired range.
Add houseplants to your home. Houseplants are a great way not only to increase humidity levels, but to purify your indoor air as well. Plants are effective natural humidifiers. They absorb moisture through their roots and circulate it through the stems to the leaves, resulting in moisture being released into the air through the leaves. The soil for the houseplants also holds water that slowly evaporates and can increase humidity levels in your home.
Only use your heater when needed. When it comes to humidity within your home, the warmer air is, the more water vapor it can hold. Cold air holds less water vapor. With that in mind, it may seem like when your furnace is on, there should be more humidity, but the fact is, since the furnace pulls in air from the outdoors, the colder outside air is what causes the indoor humidity to drop. Try to use your heater only when it is needed, to prevent the dryer air from coming indoors.
Make sure your doors and windows are sealed properly. As noted above, the outside air can directly impact the air inside your home. To combat dry air in your home, you should ensure your doors and windows are sealed properly and are not letting any air inside. Check for gaps and drafts and resolve them if you find them.
Add a humidifier to your home. Humidifiers can make a difference when it comes to adding some of the seasonal depleted moisture back into your home’s air. A humidifier’s job is to add humidity into the air; thus, it will do just that. When the air seems too low in humidity, a humidifier can help you combat that dry air in your home and add some moisture back into it.
As we said, in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties, we don’t have to face air that is as dry as it is in other places of the country, but as the cooler breezes set in, it can have an impact on your home’s air and comfort levels.
At Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing we know that when it comes to your comfort, you deserve the best solutions at the best value. All of our technicians and installers are Bragg employees dedicated to providing you with personalized solutions that meet your goals and budget. We are here for all of your Marin, Sonoma, and Napa County heating and cooling needs. We can also help you improve your home’s indoor air quality.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
October 20, 2022
Having better indoor air quality in your North Bay Area home is usually at the front of many homeowner’s minds. If you and your family can breathe better air, why not try and do so? One way to improve your home’s air quality is with UV air sanitizing. If you are like most people you may not know what that is, have any idea how it works, and/or if you need it for your home. We are going to take a deep dive into this form of air purification to help you answer some of your questions.
What is UV Air Sanitizing?
A UV air purifier uses ultraviolet light waves to target or “inactivate” airborne germs. According to Molekule, UV air purifiers are designed to use short-wave ultraviolet light (UV-C light) to inactivate airborne pathogens and microorganisms like mold, bacteria and viruses. They have the same ultimate goal of all air purifiers: to reduce indoor air pollutants. UV air sanitizers typically mimic natural sunlight and prevent viruses, bacteria, and other airborne pathogens from reproducing; leaving your air cleaner.
As air passes through an ultraviolet light air purifier, short-wave ultraviolet light waves inactivate pollutants. This makes them unable to function or reproduce. You cannot feel or see ultraviolet light; however, it has a lot of energy.
Professionally installed UV lights in your HVAC system are among the most effective ways to keep your household breathing clean and healthy air. UV air purification can get rid of harmful pathogens, viruses, and bacteria that often affect more vulnerable individuals, such as those with chronic respiratory issues.
What are the Benefits of UV Air Sanitizing?
The average American spends approximately 90% of their time indoors, making the air that we breathe inside, more important than most people even realize. Nothing is more important than the air that we breathe, so if your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) is less than stellar, you and your family could be breathing in allergens and other pollutants. Poor IAQ can not only aggravate allergies, it can lead to your family getting sick more often and make it just flat-out harder to breathe.
Unlike other air filtration systems, UV lights are designed to target mold, bacteria, and viruses, allowing you to enjoy the following benefits:
Is UV Air Sanitizing Right for Your Home?
When it comes to your indoor comfort, UV lights aren’t one-size-fits-all solutions. As a result, the decision to install UV lights in your HVAC system will depend on your individual needs and situation.
Many homeowners whose primary concern is the removal of allergens (such as pet dander, tobacco smoke, and dust mites) will benefit from an air cleaner or high-quality furnace or AC filter. UV air sanitizers, on the other hand, are often recommended in situations where household members are suffering from long-term respiratory conditions.
Where the UV air sanitizer is installed will greatly impact your results. When having UV air sanitizing installed, to improve effectiveness, it’s important to determine the most appropriate location to place the UV lights. The lights are typically installed in the air handler (the indoor unit of your air conditioner or heat pump) or inside the duct system.
Marin, Sonoma, and Napa County UV Air Sanitizer Installation
If you are looking for UV air sanitizer installation in the North Bay Area, Bragg Cooling, Heating & Plumbing can help. Every household deserves to enjoy clean indoor air. Let our team help you improve your air quality with the right solution. We will take the time to address your concerns and go over your options.
If UV air sanitizers are the right fit for your home, our experts will provide you with an upfront estimate and make sure you have the information you need to make the best decision for your household. Contact us today.
