During the winter here in New Jersey, it can get bitterly cold. Most of us close up our house as tightly as possible to keep as much heat in as possible. While this is a great way to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of your home, it can cause the air quality in your home to suffer. At DB Heating & Cooling, Inc, we offer comprehensive indoor air quality installation, repair and maintenance in Bergen County. We wanted to let our customers know some of the ways that air quality can suffer during the winter and an air filtering or air purification system can help.
Winter Air Quality Concerns
Shutting up your home during the winter can help keep more warmth inside. But it can also restrict the supply of fresh air into your home. This leaves your home’s heating system to just recirculate stale air in your home. This can cause contaminants to build up in your home’s air.
Common Household Contaminants in the Winter
The winter is typically a very dry season. Many people suffer from dry skin and nasal passages. But there are certain air contaminants that can start to increase in the dry winter air.
- Dust – Dust is mostly comprised of dead skin cells. During winter your skin will dry out and so will that of any pets that you might have. This can increase dust levels throughout your home.
- Pet dander – When your pet’s skin starts to dry out, it can release more dander into the air. This can increase allergic reactions during the winter.
- Insect droppings – Cockroach and dust mite droppings are huge allergens for certain people. When the air dries out, their droppings can start to enter your air supply.
- Gas and smoke – During the winter, there can also be a build-up of gas fumes, combustion gases, smoke particles and other fumes that can be harmful.
Benefits of Home Air Filtration
On average, people spend most of their time indoors. With so much time spent in our homes, it would make sense that the air quality in our homes should be a priority. In fact, the EPA estimates that indoor air quality is one of the top five leading threats to respiratory health in the United States. Some of the benefits of indoor air filtering are reduced reaction to allergies, reduced dust levels, and much more.
If you’re interested in learning more about indoor air quality in Bergen County, contact DB Heating and Cooling.