DB Heating & Cooling, Inc. Blog : Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category

How a Whole Home Dehumidifier Can Help You Beat the Heat This Summer

Monday, July 6th, 2015

It’s no secret that our summers can be hot and humid. While your air conditioning system dehumidifies as part of the cooling process, we can have stretches of humid weather that goes on for days. When this kind of prolonged period of high humidity sets in, your air conditioner will be challenged to keep up with demand and adequately cool your home. But there is one way you can help yourself and your AC: install and use a whole home dehumidifier.

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Want Better Cooling This Summer? Try Sealing Your Ductwork

Monday, June 1st, 2015

While there are several different types of air conditioning systems that provide whole home cooling, the most common is still a traditional air conditioning system that uses ductwork to deliver the cool air. Ductwork is made to be durable, and last an average of 30+ years, but that doesn’t mean it won’t sustain damage or suffer from holes, cracks and/or disconnections. Faulty ductwork can comprise up to 30% of your home’s total air loss, making it a significant contributor to a number of problems. But, with professional duct sealing, you can greatly reduce or even eliminate the air loss emanating from your faulty ductwork and have better cooling this summer.

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What Are My Choices for Air Cleaner Installation?

Friday, March 27th, 2015

There are a number of air cleaning and purifying products available for whole-home use, so it can be confusing to determine which product you should use. Understanding what the products are, how they work and what their capabilities are go a long way toward deciding which one is the best fit for your needs. The indoor air quality experts at DB Heating & Cooling can assist you with all your air cleaner needs, including installation, so call us today and schedule an appointment for your Waldwick, NJ home.

Types of Air Cleaners

The description “air cleaner” can be a little confusing as many people use it to describe both air purifiers and air filters. What is the difference between air purifiers and air filters? The words “air filter” typical refers to a mechanical filter, which is the type of filter held in a frame with material held in place by the sides of the frame. Mechanical air filters are not electronic and aside from the filter frame, aren’t mechanical in any other way. An air purifier typically refers to three products: an electronic precipitator, an ion generator or UV germicidal lighting. All three of these products use electricity to operate, with the first two using electricity to capture and remove allergens and some biological contaminants and the third, UV lighting, to kill only biological contaminants. A last type of air cleaner to consider is the use of a HEPA filter, but it is strongly recommended that you consult with a specialist before using a HEPA filter in your HVAC system. HEPA filters are a type of mechanical filter, but to qualify as being HEPA, very strict guidelines must be met; one of these guidelines is a 99.97% efficiency rating for capturing contaminants. HEPA filters are so strong that they can restrict the air flow in your system, and this is why it’s important to work with a specialist before using one with your heating and cooling system.

Which Should I Choose?

Answering this question will depend a lot on your needs: are you looking to remove biological contaminants, or do you have allergy sufferers in your home who need relief?

Working with a trained expert, like the ones at DB Heating & Cooling, can help ensure that you choose and install an air cleaner for your Waldwick, NJ, home that meets all of your indoor air quality needs. Call us today!

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What Is the Difference Between an Air Cleaner and an Air Purifier?

Friday, March 13th, 2015

There’s a lot of terminology that gets thrown when it comes to whole-home products and systems. Indoor air quality is one such area that has its fair share of terminology, and it can be confusing for homeowners to know exactly which products do what. For instance, take air cleaners and air purifiers – what’s the difference between these two products? It’s important to know the difference so that you can get your indoor air quality needs met, and the experts at DB Heating & Cooling are here to help you.

Air Cleaners

“Air cleaners” is a broad term that refers to any kind of indoor air quality product that cleans the air – however, an air cleaner is not an air purifier. This means that an air cleaner, like a mechanical air filter, will not be able to remove all biological contaminants, including bacteria, viruses and spores (mold, mildew, fungi). Why? Biological contaminant particles are very small and can pass through filter media. Electronic air cleaners can capture more biological contaminants because electronic air cleaners charge the particles and then capture them, but like mechanical filters, not all the biological contaminants can be trapped. Here are the products that are considered air cleaners:

  • Mechanical air filters (not HEPA)
  • Electrostatic precipitators (electronic air cleaner)
  • Ion generator (electronic air cleaner)

Air Purifiers

An air purifier is a device that will remove biological contaminants from your indoor air. The main indoor air quality product that does this is UV germicidal lighting. UV lighting utilizes UV-C rays to destroy and eradicate biological contaminants by destroying the cell’s DNA and life-sustaining proteins. As such, the cells cannot survive or reproduce. However, for UV lighting to kill biological contaminants, the organism has to pass directly under the lighting, so it’s best to pair UV germicidal lighting with an air cleaner.

HEPA mechanical filters can also purify the air, but they are so strong that they can restrict air flow in your HVAC system. If you are interested in using a HEPA-grade mechanical filter in your HVAC system, work with a specialist to determine if this is feasible for your HVAC system.

If you have questions about what type of product(s) you should be using for your Waldwick home, call the experts at DB Heating & Cooling today.

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Benefits of Custom Ductwork

Friday, March 6th, 2015

If your home has a forced air system for heating and/or cooling, then it needs a ductwork system to deliver the air to your living spaces. How ductwork is made and installed plays a big role in its performance and how comfortable and energy efficient your home will be. One way to help ensure that your ductwork functions optimally is to have custom ductwork made for your home. Fabricating custom ductwork takes skill, training, expertise and experience, which is why you should only hire a trained professional for the job. The ductwork experts at DB Heating & Cooling have served customers throughout Bergen County, so if you need custom ductwork for your Woodcliff Lake home, call us today!

Why Consider Custom Ductwork?

You may be asking yourself this question as there can be some extra costs when choosing to install a custom ductwork system for your home. Here are some reasons why custom ductwork may be a better fit for you:

  • It is perfectly sized – ductwork isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of product. Not only does the ductwork have to fit your home, it also has to fit your HVAC system. When ductwork is too small, you won’t get the air volume you need to adequately heat and cool your home, and when the ductwork is too big, the volume of air will be lost in the ductwork.
  • Better energy efficiency – with custom ductwork, you air loss is minimal, meaning that the air is being delivered correctly to your home’s living spaces. This takes pressure off your HVAC system, and helps reduce the system’s energy usage.
  • Better air balance – one of the biggest problems with ductwork systems is poor installation; this can lead to faulty ductwork and/or ductwork with lots of twists and turns. All of these problems can seriously interfere with the system’s air balance. With a ductwork system made specifically for your home and HVAC system, you can rest assured that your system is perfectly balanced.

Ductwork systems can last more than 30 years, so it’s important to make sure you install a ductwork system that will give you the long-term performance you need for your home.

The experts at DB Heating & Cooling are ready to assist, so if you are interested in custom ductwork for your Woodcliff Lake home, call us today!

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Indoor Air Quality Tips for the Winter Season

Thursday, February 5th, 2015

In an effort to stay warm while also staying energy efficient, many homes can become so air-tight that ventilation problems develop. Having good ventilation is an important factor in having healthy indoor air quality, particularly if you have a forced air system. However, there are some simple steps you can take to help maintain or maintain your indoor air during the winter, and to help you achieve that, here are some indoor air quality tips for your Bergen County home:

  • Change your air filter – if you have a furnace or heat pump system, the system has an air filter. These air filters should be changed every three months to keep them effective; when they fill up with dirt and dust, they can clog. This not only affects your indoor air quality, it can also affect the air flow in your heating system.
  • Move smokers outdoors – it may not be the best time of year to be outside, but second-hand smoke is one of the worst culprits of indoor air pollution and a leading cause of lung disease.
  • Make sure your ductwork is in good shape – faulty ductwork allows air to escape but it also allows numerous contaminants into your air deliver system and directly into your home. Duct repair and/or duct sealing can restore faulty ductwork, which will improve both indoor air quality and performance.
  • Dust and vacuum regularly – dust is major allergen, and when trapped inside for the winter, it serves only to aggravate allergies. Weekly vacuuming and dusting can greatly reduce the level of dust in your home.
  • Add some plants – plants help purify the air in your home, taking in contaminants, using them as food, and returning fresh oxygen to the air. Plus, they can also add a pleasing aesthetic to the living spaces of your home.
  • Use a whole-home air cleaner – if you have serious allergy sufferers, or just want to make a big improvement to your home’s indoor air quality, consider the installation of a whole-home air cleaner. Whole-home air cleaners are installed as part of your HVAC system, so they operate automatically.

Keeping your indoor air quality healthy helps keep you and your family healthy. For more indoor air quality tips for your Bergen County home, call the experts at DB Heating & Cooling today.

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How a Humidifier May Benefit You

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

We are at the coldest part of the year in Fair Lawn, and you have probably been using your heating system with regularity for some time. Heat can be hard on you and your home, especially if you use a forced air system. One way to add needed moisture back into your home in Fair Lawn during the winter is with a whole-home humidifier.

Why Use a Whole-Home Humidifier?

We all know that too much humidity makes for discomfort, promotes mold and mildew growth and makes everything sticky. Too little humidity also brings its fair share of problems. One such problem is that wood products need humidity; without it, wood becomes too dry and brittle and as a result, can splinter, shrink and break easily. This includes wood trim, wood furniture, wood floors and even walls. A second problem is maintaining heat in the air. Humidity holds heat, which is why excess humidity feels so uncomfortable. When there is too little moisture in the air, it can feel colder inside your home than it is simply because there’s not enough moisture in the air to maintain the heat level. A third set of problems that can develop from a lack of moisture in your home relates to personal health issues. When there isn’t enough moisture in the air, your mucous membranes, including your eyes, nose and throat, can become dry and irritated; this can hamper your ability to stave off infection during the winter months. Your skin can also dry, becoming itchy and uncomfortable. Lastly, viruses and bacteria pass more easily in a dry atmosphere, making it easier to become ill.

How Does a Whole-Home Humidifier Work?

A whole-home humidifier becomes a part of your heating system so it adds moisture seamlessly. You can set the humidity level on your thermostat or on a separate humidistat and the humidifier will do the rest.

If you are starting to see the effects of low humidity in your home, it may be time to consider the installation of a humidifier.

Call the experts at DB Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our indoor air quality specialists.

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How Do Ducts Become Damaged?

Thursday, January 8th, 2015

Most ductwork is hidden behind walls, attics and crawlspaces, so it can be hard to know when problems have developed. It can also lead you to wonder: how did this happen? Isn’t the ductwork protected by being inside the house? The answer to this is: not always. And while ductwork has a relatively long lifespan – an average of 30 years – this doesn’t mean it stands soundly for 30 years without any problems. So how can ductwork become damaged? Let’s take a look:

Rust/Corrosion

Most ductwork is metal, and when metal meets any kind of moisture, it can oxidize the metal, creating rust. Excess moisture can come from leaks, humidity and even rain; the problem is that once the corrosion starts, it can be very hard to stop unless it is caught quickly enough. Rust and corrosion can lead to cracks and holes, which can cause your energy bills to soar, among other problems.

Infestations

No one likes to think about critters or insects taking up residence in their ductwork, but it does happen, and fairly frequently. Mice, squirrels and raccoons love to hunker down during winter inside areas like ductwork because it’s warm and protected; insects can be worse because they’ll stay year-round. Not only are these infestations unhealthy for you, they are unhealthy for your ductwork as animals and insects create nests, which can damage the inside of your ductwork.

Collapse

Sections of ductwork can collapse, particularly if there is extensive corrosion that has destroyed the seals. Collapsed ductwork can become bent or dented, and may have to be fully replaced, depending on the level of damage it has sustained.

Damaged ductwork is faulty ductwork, and faulty ductwork isn’t good for you, your home or your heating system. If you are seeing the signs of damaged ductwork, including excess dust, dirt and moisture, strange smells and/or high energy bills, don’t wait to repair your ductwork in Oradell.

Call DB Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our experts.

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What Types of Air Treatment Services Are Available in Hackensack?

Friday, December 12th, 2014

Unfortunately, every time you take a breath, you risk inhaling contaminants that could make you ill or cause sinuses to act up. Luckily, many contractors offer indoor air quality services that help eliminate contaminants which could otherwise be harmful to you or your family members. Let’s go over a few of the most helpful product installations and services you may decide to use in your home to protect the air quality. For superior air treatment services in Hackensack, you should rely on the expertise of DB Heating & Cooling.

Whole-Home Air Filtration Systems

A whole-home air filtration system works in conjunction with your forced-air heating and cooling system to eliminate particles that your home’s air filter tends to miss. The best unit for your home may be one of the following.

  • Air Cleaners: An electronic air cleaner is installed in the ducts and uses high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration or an ionization process to eliminate over 99% of contaminants that enter the ducts.
  • Humidifiers/Dehumidifiers: The level of humidity in the home contributes greatly to your home comfort, and too much moisture or a lack of moisture can affect the quality of the air. High humidity can lead to mold growth while no humidity means dried out sinuses, in which case a dehumidifier or humidifier may be necessary.
  • UV Germicidal Lights: UV lights can be installed in the ductwork to stop mold growth and kill microorganisms like bacteria and viruses.

Duct Cleaning

Many homeowners are surprised to learn just how many contaminants may be living in their ducts. Dust can cling to the lining of the ductwork and blow into your home as the HVAC system’s fan runs at full speed, knocking particles loose and sending them back into the air you breathe. With duct cleaning, experts use powerful vacuums and brushes to reach hidden areas of ducts and eliminate the problem.

Duct Sealing

Finally, duct sealing is another service that improves the efficiency of your air conditioner and heater and helps to prevent contaminants from moving into your home. If there is a hole in the ducts, particularly around a dusty area like an attic or crawlspace, pollutants can get sucked into the ductwork.

To clean the air in your home with any of these professional air treatment services in Hackensack from trained experts in the field, call DB Heating & Cooling today!

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Choosing the Right Filter for Your Hillsdale Home

Monday, November 17th, 2014

Do you wonder about the cleanliness of the air your family breathes every day? Indoor air quality is of the utmost concern to many homeowners, especially those with compromised immune systems, allergies, and asthma sufferers. An air filter in your HVAC system filters out particulates that may lead to such problems, but there are many types of air cleaners available on the market today. How do you decide which one is best?

Look at the MERV Rating

One of the ways to tell if you have a quality air filter installed is by checking the MERV rating. The MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) is the system used to indicate the effectiveness of a mechanical filter, like the ones included in your HVAC system. If you use the standard filter that came with your unit, it may be in the low range of filters, with a MERV of around 1-4. But if you choose a filter with a MERV closer to 12-16, you’ll filter out additional particles that a less effective filter may have missed like mold spores and some chemical residue.

HEPA Filters

If you’ve done a lot of research on the topic, you may have seen information about HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, the most effective type of filters, removing 99.97% of particulate contaminants from the air. However, it’s important to note that, for most homeowners, a HEPA filter is actually not the best choice. These filters remove a large amount of contaminants because the fibers are wound so tightly together, which can also inhibit airflow. An HVAC system needs a certain amount of airflow to cool or heat a home, but a filter that is too thick may prevent this, causing your HVAC system to become overworked and possibly to break down.

Ask a Professional

Your professional indoor air quality technician is the person who can best choose the right type of filtration system for your home. Sometimes, a regular filter isn’t enough to keep pollutants out of your home. You may need to install a dehumidifier to prevent mold, or UV germicidal lights to kill bacteria and viruses living in the ducts as a supplementary precaution against air pollutants.

Call the indoor air quality experts at DB Heating & Cooling to find out about all of your options for air cleaners in Hillsdale.

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