With locations available in Tyler and Longview, Texas, ETR: East Texas Refrigeration understands the challenges of heating (and cooling) your home- especially during crazy days of Texas winter weather. We want to make sure our customers are warm in winter and cool in the summer. BUT…..
What about your home’s air quality?
With families spending more time indoors, it’s essential to take steps to protect your family and pets from poor indoor air quality.
Having an airtight home is crucial during any time of year in East Texas, but especially during winter. It’s the only way to keep cold air out and warm air in. It keeps your electric and heating utility bills low.
However, it also means that your indoor air quality could be suffering due to a lack of air circulation.
It’s the same during the hot East Texas summer months. Your house is closed up with the air conditioner on to keep the cold air in and the hot, pollen-laden air out.
Heating and cooling your home are crucial, but so is air quality- especially if you have allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues.
How to have good air quality while keeping your house consistently warm during winter and cool during the Texas summer? As the best and most experienced HVAC technicians and air conditioner service in the region, we want to offer some professional tips for better indoor air quality during winter.
Keep Your Floors Clean
Especially if you have carpet. Carpet collects everything that comes into your home—including what comes in on your shoes if you don’t remove them at the door. Do you have pets?
Anyone who’s had indoor dogs and/or cats knows they add another dimension of dirty to your household. Pet dander, mold, mildew, dust, and other household external pollutants accrue on your floor and in your carpet over time.
From the floor, they end up in the air.
Every time you move through the house, it disturbs what’s on the floor, dispersing it into the air. The same happens, only more so, every time you turn your thermostat up or down to turn on your heater or AC.
Keeping your floors clean can go a long way in making a positive difference in your home’s air quality.
- If you have hardwood, tile, or vinyl floors, make sure you sweep, dust, and mop regularly.
- If you have carpet, make sure you vacuum regularly, and if you have pets, even more often. Pets spend even more time indoors in the winter, adding more hair and pet dander to the floors and air.
Along with vacuuming, make sure you steam clean the carpet regularly. Vacuuming can only take care of so much of the dirt and potential allergens that pollute air quality.
Remember Your Air Conditioner Filters and Vents
All the best AC and HVAC companies will tell you how important it is to check, clean, and replace the filters in your HVAC systems.
Always follow the recommendations for checking up on and changing your filters.
Air conditioner and Heating or Furnace Maintenance
An AC maintenance plan can make a huge difference in your air quality- not to mention greater efficiency and lower electric bills. Reputable HVAC companies will offer options for annual maintenance. ETR has a maintenance savings plan that their customers give great reviews.
Let the fresh air in!
It seems almost too simple to be considered, but you can significantly improve your home’s air quality by merely opening the windows for a short time once or twice a day—weather permitting, of course. Opening the windows helps let fresh air circulate and improve general air quality.
Consider an Air Purifier or (De)Humidifier
A simple way to help your air quality is to invest in an air purifier and/or humidifier if your house is dry.
In winter, the air in your home can become especially dry, contributing to itchy skin and irritation for humans and pets. A humidifier adds moisture to the air, helping reduce these issues.
There are multiple brands and options for both air purifiers and humidifiers available. Find a unit that best fits the unique needs and size of your household.
—If your home is prone to being overly humid, invest in a DE-humidifier. Mold and mildew can cause sinus and health issues, as well as contributing to allergies and sickness.
IF you go through these steps and still feel like your air conditioning or heating system isn’t working, it’s a good idea to call in an HVAC professional to make sure something isn’t broken or you don’t have an a/c vent blockage somewhere. (Anyone who lives in East Texas knows that squirrels can get in and wreak havoc on your HVAC systems. We’ve got the pictures to prove it! )
Call your local AC repair company, and their professionals will quickly be able to diagnose the issue.
Remember the air quality in your home impacts your and your family’s health and life. If you’re concerned about your home’s air quality beyond these easy DIY steps, call in the experts. An experienced air conditioning service technician will visit your home and make an assessment of ways and things you can do to improve your home’s air quality.