Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 2001 National Health Interview Study, over 7.6 million children 5-17 years and over 12.7 million young adults (18-44 years) suffer from asthma. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental dangers to the public. EPA research also concluded that indoor air can be two to five times (and sometimes as much as 100 times!) more polluted than the WORST outside air! Since research indicates Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, it's no wonder that asthma and allergy suffering is on the rise.

Allergenic particles such as pollen, dust, mold spores, fungi spores, tobacco smoke, dust mites, pet hair and pet dander all contribute to poor indoor air quality. Additionally, common household furnishings such as draperies, carpeting, wallpaper, paints, stains, and furniture may continue to "off-gas" potentially toxic fumes for a long time after application or installation. Another health problem associated with a tight home is the relative ease by which viruses and bacteria brought into the home by one person can readily transfer to other people in the home.

98% OF ALL INDOOR AIR PARTICLES ARE LESS THAN ONE MICRON IN SIZE

A micron is a metric measurement used to analyze very small particles. One micron is equal to 1/25,400 of an inch or one millionth of a meter. The chart on the right provides a visual representation of the spectrum of common air contaminants and their measured sizes in microns.

Of particular importance when discussing indoor air quality solutions is how effective a product is at capturing/controlling contaminants 2.5 microns or less in size. Any particles less than 2.5 microns are classified as a Respirable Suspended Particle (RSP) and the health hazards with these small particles is great. RSPs are particles that are small enough to evade mucosal capture by the protective cilia and mucosa of the human upper respiratory system and invade the deeper reaches of the lungs with serious health consequences. In fact, any particles of five microns or less are considered a definite inhalation hazard because of the inability of the human body to filter effectively these particles from the lungs.

Allergenic particles, infectious agents and toxic gases can cause allergic reactions, headaches, sickness and many other illnesses. Since 98% of airborne contaminants are less than one (1) micron in size, knowing the effectiveness of any product at controlling submicron particles is very important when making a decision on an air purification system for your home.

Filtration Facts

Room Air Cleaning vs. Whole House Systems
Several major consumer publications and organizations offer consumers advice on the purchase of individual room air cleaners compared to whole house systems. Basically, room air cleaners claim to clean one room and are portable devices which may or may not have the ability to move air. Whole house systems are devices installed within a forced-air heating and/or cooling system, inside the existing ductwork. These systems range from simple High Efficiency Particulate Airfilters (HEPA) easily installed by the homeowner to contractor-installed germicidal and toxic gas light systems and humidification and/or dehumidification devices.

The recent popularity of individual room cleaners has been brought to the attention of several consumer advocate groups. One highly-advertised unit claims to be highly efficient at removing particulates from a room, and claims that customers are 100% satisfied with its quiet operation. A major consumer testing organization analyzed these claims and determined that, yes, customers were satisfied with the noise level because the unit had no fan or moving parts. However, when tested for efficiency (particulates, smoke, pet dander), the unit did not perform according to advertising claims. In a particularly twisted marketing campaign, this company has touted the weakest part of their product (the fact that it does not move air with a fan) as the most satisfactory aspect of their product.

Good Housekeeping goes even further and in their words: "Bottom line... save your money. You can't rely on this product to clean the air in your home. Plus, any retail room air cleaner has limited efficiency and effectiveness as they are only designed to clean one room at a time."

Filtration vs. Air Cleaning
There are a variety of furnace filters available with a wide range of prices and reported efficiencies. Many of these filters are supplied by the furnace manufacturer upon installation or are available at retail outlets. Called "MERV Ratings" (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value), the higher the MERV number, the better the efficiency. These filters are designed to protect the furnace and do a fair to poor job at that and are mostly made of fiberglass or a pleated blend of woven material. When choosing a filter it is important to take into consideration its efficiency rating, as well as how restrictive it is to air flow. Generally the more expensive the filter is, the more restrictive it is to air flow due to it being more dense for higher efficiency. Filters that restrict air flow, more than the design of your heating and cooling system can handle, will effect the furnace and air conditioners performance and efficiency and may cause damage to the system.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating & Cooling's products are designed to work in conjunction with your existing heating and air conditioning system. The high efficiency filters can be replaced easily by the homeowner. The whole house systems are installed by our professional heating and air conditioning staff to convert your heating and cooling system into your whole house air treatment center. The air in your home passes through this system several times an hour, unlike passive room cleaners. In order to effectively remove particulates, pollen, dander and smoke from the air, multiple passes through HEPA filters is required.

Stand-alone room air cleaners cannot possibly match the effectiveness and efficiency of whole house systems. They simply do not move the large volume of air required to remove indoor air pollution. By using your existing forced-air system, you can have measurably cleaner indoor air.

Germicidal Ultraviolet Energy (UVC)
Ultraviolet (UV) energy from the sun is used in nature to help cleanse outdoor air and to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms such as germs and bacteria. Ultraviolet germicidal lights have been used indoors for many years as a trusted air purifying method in hospitals, labs, schools, nursing homes, office buildings, and other commercial and residential environments worldwide.

Forced Air Furnaces Distribute Pollutants
Your furnace provides a perfect environment for the growth and broadcast of germs, mold, bacteria, toxins and gases that cause unhealthy air conditions which are found in our homes. Your furnace is the collection point for re-circulating air in your home and is the ideal place to install an indoor air cleaning system to control harmful levels of indoor air pollutants.

Governmental Agencies Acknowledge and Identify the Problem
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor air is always 2 to 5 times and sometimes 100 times worse than the worst outdoor air. You may not be able to see, smell or touch it, but this air pollution is impacting the health of your family. Many recent environmental and medical studies conclude that indoor air pollution is a major cause of respiratory problems including asthma, allergies and is directly related to other chronic ailments that we suffer from.

Ozone Ultraviolet Energy (UVV)
Ultraviolet energy and ozone are not naturally present in our indoor air environment. Our indoor air is also the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms such as mold, bacteria, and fungi. Without nature's control, these organisms thrive in damp basements, crawl spaces, furnaces and ductwork. Since the early 1970's we have tightened up the construction of our homes to conserve energy. Now, these tight homes lock in the precious heating and air conditioning, but they also prevent the toxic compounds in carpeting, building materials, cleaning chemicals, other allergens, airborne particles, and infectious agents from leaving our homes.

Ultraviolet energy from the sun is invisible and its wavelengths are measured in nanometers. The Ozone Layer absorbs most harmful levels of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. Continuous direct exposure to these UV rays is damaging to the skin and can cause skin cancer.

However, this same ultraviolet energy is also harmful to invisible micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria, molds, fungi, and other bioaerosols. These UV rays are nature's way of controlling the overgrowth of micro-organisms in our outdoor environment. Without this energy, microorganisms would proliferate to dangerous levels.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating & Cooling offers several different Indoor Air Quality solutions to meet a wide array of needs and budgets. Listed below are several of the different options available for Indoor Air Quality solutions.

Duct Source Removal Cleaning System
It is very important when choosing a duct cleaning service provider that they follow proper duct cleaning procedures as recommended by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA). According to the EPA: "A careless or inadequately trained service provider can damage your ducts or heating and cooling system, possibly increasing your heating and air conditioning costs or forcing you to undertake difficult and costly repairs or replacement."

The low priced "blow and go" guys will scam the customer into believing that a proper job has been done when their inadequate system and procedures can actually make the problem worse. For example, many duct cleaners are not licensed HVAC contractors and are not qualified to service any of your HVAC equipment. So, they may vacuum out the ducts and vents, but they should not touch any of the component parts of the heating and cooling system. However, these parts are also dirty, which means the job is only half done. This would be like changing the oil in your car without replacing the oil filter. Also, inadequate vacuum systems and not having the proper duct cleaning brushes and tools can release more dust, dirt, and other contaminants than if you had left the ducts alone. The job may be cheap and fast, but it's just a waste of time and money and can cause additional problems rather than preventing them.

Time Release Pan Treatment... What is the #1 call back on maintenance and service calls? Water Leaks & Clogged Drains! Our pan treatments are registered with the EPA to kill odor-causing bacteria, unlike most others. This pan treatment is a proven system that provides dependable, sustained time released protection for only pennies a day.

The Fantastic Filter is designed to be effective in any residential environment and is user friendly. It is also recommended that if the household has allergy or asthma sufferers, a professional duct cleaning be completed in conjunction with the installation of the Fantastic Filter. The HVAC system fan mode should be set on continuous run, as recommended by the majority of allergy doctors. The Fantastic Filter replacement cycle will depend on the individual household conditions, but should be changed every three months.

The MicroPower Guard® uses an active electromagnetic field to magnetize both airborne particles and the fibers of the disposable filter pad. This creates a virtual "force field" within the ductwork, capturing many of the smallest, most dangerous to breathe submicron airborne particles. When the air is recycled through the MicroPower Guard in your ductwork, this air cleaner will remove 97% of particles at .3 microns.

A true HEPA filter using a combination of three filters to purify the air. A two-speed fan forces air through the filters for maximum whole house air purification. PureSept HEPA works with any home heating system and provides the optimum air purification solution where you want maximum "whole house" air purification. This is especially important for those children who suffer from allergies or asthma.

The product is duct-mounted on the central HVAC system and to enhance system effectiveness is designed to run continuously with the HVAC system fan in the "on" position. The control zone of the Quantum germicidal lamp is intensified by using a patented U-shaped lamp and reflective mirror design. Within this control area micro-organisms may either be killed or damaged from exposure to the UVC energy produced by the lamps. This will disturb their DNA (reproductive code) and inhibit them from reproducing and spreading disease or illness and substantially reducing the symptoms of allergies and asthma.

The Quantum 254® Basic LED HL is designed to reduce or eliminate mold, germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores from the indoor air your family breathes every day. The high output 190 mW twin UVC lamp extends almost 16 inches into the ductwork and is the most cost-effective solution for providing maximum results in controlling infectious agents.

Photocatalytic Oxidation technology combined with dual radiant UVV lamps produces maximum destruction zone. Two dual radiant lamps provide over five times the killing power of the average single twelve inch UV lamp. The master panel provides all information on the unit and lamp replacement is simple.

The MicroGuardian Air Scrubber III is the most cost effective product available from Nature's Home that provides superior indoor air quality performance for all three Danger Levels. Without decreasing air pressure, the two MicroPower Guard air cleaner filters provide HEPA-like quality air purification to control submicron allergenic particles. These filters are especially effective against pet dander, pollen, tobacco smoke, mold, mildew, fungus and dust mites.

Central Purifying Unit with dual radiant UVC lamps and Photocatalytic Oxidation technology is the ultimate in indoor air quality. This unit provides unparalleled air cleaning performance along with ease of installation and service. The titanium screen is self-maintaining and never needs cleaning or replacement. The ultimate in indoor air quality, the Quantum CPU is easy to service and the control panel indicates when the unit is working at optimum levels.

The Aprilaire Whole-House Humidifier features truly automatic control, plus a built-in bypass damper, which means fewer parts to install. The bypass damper is conveniently labeled for both summer and winter settings, allowing you to set it for the entire season with no guesswork involved. The Aprilaire Whole-House Humidifier delivers up to 50% more moisture in comparison to competitive units. This unit has an evaporation capacity of 0.70 gallons per hour. Can humidify tightly-constructed homes up to 4,000 square feet in size .

The Aprilaire Whole-House Dehumidifier works throughout your entire home. It removes 50% more water per kilowatt hour than leading portable dehumidifiers. The Best Choice for healthy, comfortable air is the Whole-House Dehumidifier installed in your new or existing heating and cooling system. The benefits and results speak for themselves providing three times the moisture removing capacity of leading portable dehumidifiers-up to 90 pints or 11.25 gallons per day and no messy tanks to empty and clean-ever.

Removes 97% of pollen, airborne dust and other large particles. Permanently traps indoor allergens that can lead to respiratory problems. Visibility and control allows you to monitor and control the air cleaner function through the home from a single, central location. Simple maintenance just replace the filtering media once per year

This unit removes over 99% of the influenza A (also known as the common flu), B and C viruses as well as avian and swine influenza, from the filtered air in your home. While removing up to 99.98% of allergens from filtered air. Catches particles even smaller than .1 micron in size. Delivers cleaner air, and more of it with reusable filter that is easy to vacuum or wash.

Honeywell's Ultraviolet (UV) Air Treatment Systems zap mold spores and certain live, airborne bacteria passing by the lamp to prevent them from being re-circulated into your home's air. The shortwave lights, similar to those used in hospitals, laboratories and commercial kitchens, are easy to add to your existing heating and cooling system. Plus, the long-life lamps are easy to replace when needed.