It’s time to clear the air
Reduce indoor allergens that can trigger respiratory problems and other issues with these indoor air quality tips from local experts.
Story By Lucy Elam
Everyone wants to be comfortable when they are inside. We want our indoor air to be fresh and to feel just right. The air outside is often too cold, or too warm — especially in the Lowcountry. Humidity is a real hassle and has a significant impact on your comfort. There also are dust, dirt, and allergens to keep out, not to mention coronavirus and a whole host of other viruses, bacteria and pathogens. These can build up inside and make your indoor air less healthy than the air outside. How can you take control of your indoor air quality? To find out, LOCAL Life reached out to Jennifer and John Tuckwiller, leaders of Carolina Air and local experts on air quality in the Lowcountry. Here are several things to keep in mind to ensure good air inside your home.
Don’t sweat it
Even if you get the temperature set where you like it, you still may not be comfortable if the humidity is not right. Here in the Lowcountry, we struggle with high humidity. As the temperature rises, so does the humidity. And while you may not be comfortable, mold and dust mites are right at home in humidity. To get the humidity out of the air, you have to get the moisture out of the air. A great way to take control of humidity in your home is with a variable speed system. These systems run more frequently than single-speed systems, and the more they run, the more moisture they remove from the air, so they’re effective for humidity control and also are more efficient — a double win! For additional humidity control – even when you don’t need heating or cooling – you can have a standalone dehumidifier. A ducted dehumidifier is a great way to wring out humidity from the air so you can be more comfortable and save on utilities.
#nofilter
Your air should not only be comfortable, it should be safe. The first line of defense is your system’s air filter. The filter traps large particles of dust and dirt. For extra protection, you can get filters that have microbial protection to kill germs. It’s really important to check and replace your air filter regularly. Some filters need to be checked monthly, while others may last for a year. But all filters will get dirty over time and should be replaced regularly.
Disinfect & protect
For the cleanest and healthiest indoor air that is protected against allergens, bacteria, and viruses, you can add an air purifier to your system. These use a combination of superfine filtration, UV lighting, ion, and photocatalytic technologies that are excellent at capturing allergens and eradicating pathogens. Some have even been successfully tested against the Covid-19 virus.
Top picks
Equipment suggestions from Jennifer and John Tuckwiller of Carolina Air.
Slow & steady
Carrier Infinity 20 Heat Pump with Greenspeed Intelligence
The unique, variable-speed compressor paired with Infinity control allows this system to adapt its output to the needs of the home. It gives only the amount of cooling or heating necessary while ensuring incredible energy efficiency and quiet operation. Since it operates at lower speeds for longer times, it has excellent humidity control, improving your indoor air.
Gotta keep an ion it
GPS Auto Cleaning Ionization System
This solution can be added to virtually any HVAC system. It’s a whole-home solution that is proven to eliminate pathogens, including coronavirus. It inactivates viruses in under 30 minutes with patented technology that uses positive and negative ions.
Air defense
Carrier Infinity Air Purifier
This whole-home solution can be added to your existing Carrier heating and cooling system. It uses Captures & Kills technology to inactivate 99 percent of select airborne pathogens trapped by the MERV 15 filter, including coronavirus, bacteria and other pathogens.
