5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality Without a Humidifier

5 Ways to Improve My Indoor Air Quality Without a Humidifier

Does your family spend more time indoors? Indoor air quality is a common concern, especially since poor quality air can lead to short and long-term health problems.

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Allergens can accumulate on your floors, especially if you have carpet or you live with pets.

Whether you live in an apartment or your own home, you need to implement proactive steps to improve indoor air quality. Besides, the toxic glues and finishes found in household or office furniture can contain harmful chemicals. Applying proactive steps helps improve the existing indoor air quality and protects your family’s health.

So, how do you improve the indoor air quality of your home? Here are the five top ways to improve your indoor air quality without using a humidifier.

  • Change the Air Filter Often

The air filter in your air conditioning system collects dirt and other debris over time. The dirt and debris may obstruct the airflow and increase your cooling system’s workload. Besides, the debris contaminates the air flowing into your AC ducts.

By replacing the air filter regularly, you ensure clean indoor air and increase the AC’s efficiency while reducing the wear and tear on your AC.

When changing the AC filter, go for the thicker models. They provide a wider air filtration surface and serve you longer.

  • Invest in a High-Quality Air Scrubber Unit 

An air scrubber unit is a device attached directly to the AC ductwork and helps remove the air pollution. The modern air scrubber uses UV light technology to detect microorganisms such as mold spores and other contaminants like pet dander, dust, pollen, and other pollutants flowing into your house.

Therefore, a high-quality air scrubber provides your family with cleaner, healthier indoor air quality.

  • Put on the AC for Proper Air Circulation and Filtration 

A proper AC unit is the first step to ensuring high-quality indoor air. When your AC unit functions efficiently, it filters any air contaminants. Besides, good AC regulates the indoor temperature and humidity while removing pollutants and mold from the air. The AC is essential for people who suffer from allergies and asthma since it minimizes the irritants that trigger an allergic attack.

5 Ways to Improve My Indoor Air Quality Without a Humidifier

  • Regular AC Maintenance 

Ensure you engage a qualified AC technician for unit maintenance at least two times a year. Regular maintenance involves changing the air filtration units, cleaning and disinfecting the air ducts, and changing any defective AC parts.

A well-maintained AC unit has a longer lifespan. Besides, the Ac is more energy-efficient since the HVAC maintenance company replaces the defective parts. Ultimately, you enjoy quality indoor air and save on utility bills.

  • Buy a Portable Air Filter Device 

Consider investing in a portable air cleaner or an air filter for that extra air filtration. Attaching the device to your AC provides additional air filtration. It is easy to install, and you can carry it to different rooms.

Portable air filters trap pollutants in the paper-like fibers, and you can easily place them on the AC unit to remove 99.97% of particles from the air flowing into your home.

Conclusion 

Indoor air quality impacts overall health and wellbeing. Breathing contaminated air is health-threatening and can lead to various chronic conditions. The above five tips will help you improve indoor air quality even without using a humidifier.

While they are easy to implement, it is best to have a qualified HVAC expert help you with AC maintenance.

At Anthem CV, we provide experienced AC technicians serving the greater Coachella Valley and Riverside area. Call us today to help you improve your indoor air quality.

If you live around the Coachella Valley area – Indio, Indian Wells, Palm Desert, or La Quinta – a reputable heating and air conditioning repair and provider company is nearby. Let Anthem Heating & Air help you with all your air conditioning and heating questions and needs! Visit us at www.anthemcv.com/ or call now at (760) 895-2621.

How Often You Need to Clean Your Ducts (& Why)

Anthem Heating and Air Duct Cleaning

Anthem Heating and Air Duct Cleaning

Is the Air in Your Home Healthy? What You Should Know

One of the main causes of indoor air quality issues is the presence of dust, allergens, or bad smells. The quality of air in our homes can be improved by reducing the amount of dust. 

The heating and air ducts in your home can be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. So, make sure you hire a professional to clean them to ensure your home has a clean heating and air system. We will answer any questions you have about duct cleaning and make sure your system is free from mold or bacteria.

Some may think that there is not much they can do to improve their indoor air quality. But there are plenty of different things we can do, including using better cleaners, changing furnace filters more often, and cleaning the ducts.

What is Duct Cleaning?

Duct cleaning is the process of removing dust and other debris from heating and cooling systems. This is an important step in preventive home maintenance. Because facility ducts can go uncleaned for many years, dust builds up and needs to be cleaned as it can lead to poor indoor air quality, can cause allergies, and can even cause lung cancer.

How to Tell if You Need to Clean Your Ducts

Hire a professional to clean your ducts if you notice any, or all, of the following:

– You have strong allergies in your home.

– Your home smells bad.

– You can’t afford to buy an air filter for your whole house.

– You see dark stains on the ceiling or walls of the room where the return vent is located.

Can I Do It Myself, or Do I Need a Professional to Help?

Vent cleaning is not something you can do yourself. A professional needs to clean the venting system of your home for you.

The reason is because of the amount of time and the machinery involved. The average person does not have the time or the knowledge to do it properly, so it’s better to call in a professional who does this for a living.

How Do I Prepare My Home for Duct Cleaning?

A professional from the company will set up in one part of the house. He will remove the vent covers and contain all contaminated items within his machinery. Duct cleaning can be a little noisy during the process, but the machine usually runs only a couple of hours. The professional also makes sure no dust contaminants are released into your home during the process. 

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Hire a Professional Today for Clean Ducts and Clean Air in Your Home!

Anthem Heating and Air can answer all your questions regarding duct cleaning. They make sure your home has a clean heating and air duct system and cleaner air!

Why is My Heater Making Noises?

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Your heater is like a friend who comforts you when the weather is screaming minus degrees. It’s the best feeling ever, right? Now imagine that same friend, but this time they’re yelling at you and making all sorts of weird noises. That can be pretty annoying, especially when you can’t figure out what’s wrong with them. This is what a noisy heater is like.

These problems are common with many home appliances, heaters included. There are many reasons why heaters make unusual noises. And, sadly, most of them are indicators of faults and maintenance problems. This article reveals the causes of these noises and what you can do to avoid them.

Why Your Heater Makes Strange Noises

Most heaters function similarly. For them to warm your home, many components must work together, including blower fans, draft inducers, air filters, and motors, most of which have moving parts. Without proper maintenance, parts are bound to fail, and noises are a major sign of failure or inefficiency. Take, for instance, when a screw or a bolt becomes loose, what happens? The shaking leads to rambling or rattling noises. This is one of the noises common with heaters.

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Common Strange Heater Noises 

  • Rattling noises

Loose nuts, bolts, and screws cause the heater to shake, especially the blower fan, producing rattling noises. Particularly, the blower fan has a set screw holding the blower wheel in place. When this screw loosens from the constant spinning, it tends to rock and produce a strange rattling noise. More so, when the mounting bolts holding the blower fan in place loosen, the heater will make noises when it’s running. These noises can be fixed by simply tightening the screws and bolts. 

  • Grinding noises

This heater noise is produced when parts of the heater scrape against each other, sounding like metal screeching sounds. Although they are not as intense as the metal screech noise, they are quite loud and distinct. A good example is when a part gets stuck in a moving part. Over long periods, this abrasion wears off the involved components and can cause total failure. Call a heating expert for help in such situations.

  • Truck-idling noise

Have you ever heard the noise trucks make when the engine is on, but the truck is not in motion? That is called an idling noise. Since your heater is not a truck, you don’t want this noise coming from it. The noise indicates worn-off bearings, especially in the blower motor and draft inducer fan. This oddly satisfying noise can be eliminated by fine-tuning the affected part of the heater and helping prevent more damage.

  • Whistling noise 

Is your heater making whistling noises? That could be a dirty air filter. When air tries to force itself through a dirty air filter, it will whistle. The air filters are there to catch dust that goes through the return duct. This dirt can harm the heat exchanger if allowed to pass through. Again, you don’t want dirty air circulating inside your home’s interior. A quick solution is ensuring air filters are replaced frequently.

  • Squealing noises

Heaters with belt-drive motors have a rubber conveyor-like belt that assists the rotation of the motor. Several things can go wrong with this belt. It can snap out of alignment, wear off, or get dirty. All of these situations make the heater produce squealing noises. These noises can be eliminated by cleaning, replacing, or realigning the belt properly.

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How To Stop the Heater Noises Completely

Most of these heater noises are common. However, they need to be fixed as soon as they are experienced. How else can you enjoy a peaceful, cold evening? Again, you might realize that most of the noises are preventable in the first place. Yes, it is possible with scheduled maintenance. 

Technicians offer HVAC maintenance to ensure that all your appliances operate optimally at all times. If you haven’t before, now is the best time to sign up for a maintenance schedule with a professional HVAC company. 

How Anthem Can Help

Anthem offers an HVAC maintenance package at an incredible value. Our Preferred Maintenance is a one-year commitment and includes benefits that extend the life of your equipment, keep it running efficiently, and give you peace of mind. Anthem is one of the leading air conditioning repair companies in Coachella Valley. We have the experience and expertise to help you stay warm during this cold season. We service the Coachella Valley and Riverside seven days a week, and our technicians are ready to go any time of the day.

Why Is My Heater Making an Unusual Smell?

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furnace smell

That unusual smell that runs all over the house when the heater is on can be pretty intimidating. Your worries are justified despite this being a common thing that most homes with central heating systems experience. Basically, if you live in a house full of occupants and pets but neglect the HVAC systems, these issues are relatively common. Although, as you will realize, problems like unusual smells are in your control. You’ll see what this means in a moment. But first, let’s start with what causes these dreadful smells in your home.

Most Common Unusual Smells From The Heater

You don’t have to be a “super smeller” to recognize and categorize the unfamiliar smells that are common with heaters. Although some smells are quite normal and safe, some aren’t and require specialized help to eliminate. Ideally, the foul odors you experience result from burning material or leakages. 

Therefore, based on what causes the stench, you should be able to slightly detect smells, such as burned material, rotten eggs, or a musty smell. Don’t worry if none of these relate to the smell you experienced. This is because the actual smell might vary, but the causes remain the same. So, what exactly causes the unusual smells?

1. Burning Material Smell

This is the most common smell you will come across. It could mean that something is overheating in the furnace, or there’s burning foreign material. Depending on which it is, you might experience odors such as melting rubber, smoke, or burning plastic.

If the odor is more of the furnace heating foreign material, that’s a normal occurrence. Dust and debris that are stuck on the heater burn off when it’s turned on. However, when you notice scents such as burning plastic or rubber, that could mean a technical hitch in the heater. 

The smell is bound to disappear eventually with burning dust, but for burning plastic smells, you might need to contact an HVAC professional. Technical hitches could easily escalate into bigger problems, like fire.

2. Rotten Egg Smell

Most gasses are odorless, so to help detect leaks, special chemicals are added to give them distinct smells. To most people, this chemical smells like rotten eggs. If you detect a rotten smell coming from the heater, the probability is high that there is a gas leak from the gas furnace. 

Gas leakage is the last thing you want to be experiencing in your home. Leaks are dangerous if uncontained. Slight friction can cause a massive explosion in the case of a gas leak. You don’t want that to happen. 

The best course of action is to ensure proper ventilation first and get everyone out of the house. Then, contact the gas company or HVAC company that you trust to handle the case promptly. 

Other Unusual Smells From the Heater

Some of these scents depend heavily on the type of heater you are using. For instance, if you rely on heat pumps to warm your house, you might experience musty smells coming from the air vents. This smell is usually caused when mold and bacteria in the vents are heated off. This smell can affect your respiratory system if inhaled over a long period. Avoid this from happening by having the air vents cleaned regularly. 

General Guidelines for Avoiding These Smells

Simple maintenance practices such as checkups and cleanups reduce the chances of gas leaks, technical hitches, and dust build-up that cause putrid odors in your home. Situations, like travel, increase the possibilities of dust build-up, thus leading to burning odors. Also, these smells are common during the beginning of the cold season, especially if the heater has not been in use. 

In both cases, you need to call an HVAC technician to inspect the heater and ensure it’s good to go. Changing the air filters in the vents is also effective at reducing musty odors. 

A thorough cleaning of the vents will eliminate bacteria and other deposits causing foul odor during heating. Once you have explained to the HVAC company the type of smell you experienced, they will be able to pinpoint the issue and come up with a solution.

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Prevent Unusual Heater Smells with Maintenance 

Properly maintaining and servicing your heater helps extend its life and keep it running efficiently. That’s where we come in. Anthem offers our Preferred Maintenance package at an incredible value. Each maintenance package is a one-year commitment and includes benefits that extend the life of your equipment, keep it running efficiently, and give you peace of mind. Call us today on 760-892-2621 for a free estimate.

How Often Should I Replace My Filters?

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We are often asked why the AC is blowing warm air. Many homeowners are troubled about their HVAC system not cooling evenly across rooms. There are several reasons your AC could act up. One of them is the filter. So, how often should you replace it?

Filters play an important role in cooling and heating systems. More often than not, a filter change should happen every 30 to 90 days, depending on several factors.

When the filter is dirty, it could limit airflow. More often than not, it shoots up energy bills. The worst experience is during summer. This is when you are expecting a relaxing but instead end up disappointed.

Knowledge is power. If you know a thing or two about your HVAC filter, there is much you can do to save the day. This article will guide you on the frequency of replacing your filters. When you are done reading, you should know what to do.

What Types of Filters are There?

There are two types – Fiberglass and Pleated. The former is low-cost and disposable, while the latter is disposable and more efficient.

Possible causes of filter problems

  • Depending on your location, dirt can quickly build up and restrict airflow. Dirt could result in your AC freezing up or short cycling.
  • Allowing a filter to stay longer than is necessary. If you leave your air filter too long, it could lead to filter problems.
  • Not used often. Leaving your AC unused or idle for too long could affect the parts.
  • Irregular maintenance could increase wear and tear and affect the filter.

Factors Influencing Filter Replacement

  • Location. If you live in an environment where you use your AC less often, you can most likely go longer between replacements.
  • Season. Periods of the year, like summer, may require more cooling than winter, when the AC is at rest. At such a period, the replacement could linger.
  • Size of the home. A larger home will require frequent changes of the filter than a smaller apartment.
  • Pets in the house. To prevent germs and their spread, you should replace the filters often if you have pets in the house.
  • Allergies. Polluted air can easily spread around the house with a dirty filter. It’s best to replace the filter every 30 days for the sake of any member of the house with allergies. 

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How Often to Change Home Air Filters

Fiberglass filters need to be changed every 30 days of use due to their low efficiency and quality. They can quickly accumulate dirt and cause discomfort with continued use.

For pleated filter types, it is recommended to change them between 30 and 90 days of use. It is best to change them anywhere from 30 to 45 days during the summer and winter months.

As earlier mentioned, the season is an important factor in filter replacement. During milder seasons like spring and fall, the cooling system works less. However, it is important to have scheduled maintenance for all-season efficiency.

How to Know When HVAC Filters Need Replacing

While you need a reputable air conditioning repair company to help figure things out, the following will help you know when your filter needs a replacement.

  • The fans are working harder and causing increased wear and tear of the unit.
  • The unit is blowing warm air rather than cool.
  • You notice more dirt in the rooms than usual. The filter allows more dirt and contaminants to pass through instead of blocking them out.
  • More dirt builds up in the duct.
  • The unit is working harder than normal and shooting up energy bills.

It is recommended to have scheduled maintenance in place for your air and furnace filters. The best approach to prevent a filter emergency is a regular check once every month. If you notice any of the symptoms above, you possibly need to replace the filter. You can have your AC technician double-check for confirmation.

Buying a New HVAC Filter

Before you start asking how much it costs to replace my AC, it would help to know how to buy a new filter.

The costs of filters will vary depending on your location. However, we recommend going for a quality filter, which may be a bit more expansive.

When buying a filter, it is best to go for the pleated option. Pleated filters are studier with wired mesh support. Try to look for one with a high MERV rating.

MERV means Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. Thus, buy a filter with a MERV rating of eight or nine. These categories can filter out tinier particles.

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When to Call a Professional HVAC Technician

Your cooling and heating systems are for your comfort and enjoyment. It doesn’t feel good to have them disappoint you when you need them. As professional HVAC technicians with years of practice, we recommend calling a professional technician from day one.

From experience, a filter will not constitute a problem if a professional technician is looking after it.

If you live within the Coachella Valley or surrounding area, allow Anthem professionals to care for your cooling and heating units. Call (760) 895-2621 now to discuss your needs! We are glad to help!