Excess moisture in your home can lead to increased humidity, which makes a hot day even more uncomfortable and has negative health effects. By taking steps to control moisture in your Southwest Florida home, you can keep your cooling costs to a minimum while also protecting the health of your family.

Maintain Your Air Conditioning System

One of the major jobs of an air conditioning system is dehumidification. As it cools the air, it also removes moisture from it. And if your system isn’t running properly, it will not dehumidify effectively. Have your air conditioning system inspected by a professional at least once a year to make sure it’s running properly and efficiently. Between visits, make sure that you change the air filter every few months to keep it operating well.

Size Your System Properly

If your air conditioning system is oversized for your home, it will cycle on and off frequently, not giving it enough time to properly dehumidify. An undersized system may not be able to process the volume of air necessary to remove moisture properly. When installing an air conditioning system, make sure that it is sized properly for your home, using the proper Manual J procedures instead of general square-foot estimates.

Increase Ventilation

When you are cooking, bathing, washing dishes, washing clothes or doing other activities that add humidity to the air, use exhaust fans to draw out any excess moisture. If moisture is still a problem, consider installing a separate dehumidification system.

Keep Appliances Maintained

Natural gas or propane appliances can add moisture to the air, especially if they aren’t operating properly. Have appliances like stoves, furnaces and hot water heaters professionally maintained annually, and make sure their flue systems are properly sealed to prevent condensation.

For more tips to control moisture in your Southwest Florida home, talk to our heating and cooling experts at Conditioned Air. We have been serving the Southwest Florida area since 1962.

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For those that suffer from allergies, any particles or pollutants in the indoor air can make them uncomfortable and cause symptoms like congestion, sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes or a runny nose. There are many allergy triggers present in the average home, but with a few simple steps, you can minimize their effect on your comfort and your health.

Common Indoor Allergy Triggers

There are several substances that can cause indoor allergy symptoms, including many household products and natural sources. Some of the most common allergy triggers include:

• Household dust: Everyday household dust can contain dozens of allergens, including pollen, skin cells, insect droppings and mold spores. It can collect anywhere in a home, but is hard to remove or control effectively in certain areas, such as carpeted rooms, duct systems, storage areas or on anything mounted high on the ceilings or walls. Frequent dusting and vacuuming can reduce dust problems.
• Dust mites: Secretions and droppings from dust mites and other insects can cause many allergy symptoms, though by controlling humidity, minimizing dust and using hypoallergenic bedding, symptoms can be reduced.
• Pollen: Pollen often finds its way in through open windows or doors, or is carried in by people. With proper air filtration and frequent cleaning, most pollen can be eliminated.
• Pet dander: Skin cells, hair and skin secretions from pets can trigger allergy symptoms in many people, especially if the pet sleeps in the same room. Regular cleaning, air filtration and frequently washing pet bedding and furniture covers can reduce symptoms.
• Chemicals: Volatile organic compounds or chemical vapors from cleaning products, new furniture or carpeting, paint or building products can cause discomfort for those with allergies. Choosing products with low VOC concentrations and using proper ventilation can eliminate most problems.

Reducing Indoor Allergy Triggers

Frequent HVAC maintenance and air filter changes, as well as regular dusting and vacuuming, can reduce or eliminate most problems with dust, pollen and pet dander. Keeping the humidity under 50 percent can control dust mites and mold.

To learn more about controlling indoor allergy triggers, talk to our experts at Conditioned Air, serving Southwest Florida.

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The air ducts in your Southwest Florida home are responsible for delivering conditioned air into each room so, over time, they can collect dust, pet dander, pollen and other allergens, especially when the HVAC system is not being used frequently. Periodic duct cleaning can improve your indoor air quality and may increase the efficiency of your HVAC system.

Why Duct Cleaning Is Important

Poor indoor air quality can cause symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes, runny nose or fatigue, or worsen pre-existing symptoms. It is especially problematic for those who have allergies, asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory conditions. Regular duct cleaning can remove irritants like dust, dander and pollen from inside the air ducts, preventing them from being distributed throughout the home when the HVAC system is turned on. Large accumulations of dust, especially in the return ducts, can also harm the efficiency of your HVAC system by clogging the air filter and evaporator coil, making it work harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

When It Should Be Done

Typically, it is a good idea to have your air ducts cleaned every 3 to 5 years, and it can be scheduled to coincide with one of your semi-annual routine maintenance appointments for extra convenience. If one of your family members has a respiratory condition, or if your area is excessively dusty or has high pollen counts, you may want to consider more frequent duct cleaning, with services scheduled annually during the spring allergy season and just before your home is closed up for the winter. Finally, if you have had recent home renovations, it is a good idea to clean the ducts afterward to remove any household dust, sawdust or other particles that may have found their way into the air ducts during the project.

To learn more about the benefits of periodic duct cleaning, talk to our HVAC professionals at Conditioned Air. We have offices in Naples, Sarasota and Ft. Myers, and we serve communities throughout the Southwest Florida region.

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If your Southwest Florida home features a fuel-burning appliance such as a gas stove, water heater or furnace, you should take extra care to keep the appliance in good condition to avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas that is extremely dangerous and impossible to smell or taste. To ensure your family’s safety, carbon monoxide detectors should be installed throughout your home, and there are a few important things you should know to operate them properly.

Types of Carbon Monoxide Detectors

There are typically three types of carbon monoxide detectors, including hard-wired models that must be installed by an electrician, plug-in models that require a nearby outlet for installation, and battery-operated models that require no external power source. Plug-in and battery-operated models are the least expensive and easiest to install, though hard-wired models may offer more features, such as integration with your alarm system. Plug-in or hard-wired models may also include batteries as a backup power source in case of an outage.

Installation

One detector should be installed on each level of the home, near the main living areas and near your fuel-burning appliances, and one should be installed in or near each bedroom. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which will recommend the proper installation heights and locations for the best performance.

Maintenance

Carbon monoxide detectors require very little maintenance to function properly, but they do have a limited lifespan, due to the nature of the materials that detect the gas. Periodically dust the outside of the case, especially near any vents, and install fresh batteries every six months. Every month or so, use the detector’s built-in test function to ensure that it’s still operating properly, and replace it if there are any problems. Finally, check the owner’s manual or the body of the detector for its expatriation date, and replace the detector just before the recommended time.

For more information about installing or using carbon monoxide detectors, talk to our HVAC professionals at Conditioned Air. We serve Southwest Florida, including the communities of Naples and Sarasota.

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In southwestern Florida, the mild weather of spring is often the best time for outdoor activities—before the oppressive heat and humidity of summer makes air conditioning necessary. But if you have allergies, spring weather brings allergens and marks the start of several months of suffering. To make yourself more comfortable during the spring, there are several things you can do around the house to minimize the effects of springtime allergies.

Replace the Air Filter Often

The air filter in your HVAC system helps to remove pollen and other allergens from the air, and it should be changed at least every three months. During spring, it is a good idea to replace it at the beginning of the season and check it monthly thereafter, replacing it as necessary. Consider upgrading to filters with a higher MERV rating to remove more allergens, or consider installing a HEPA or electrostatic filter for even better overall filtration. It is also beneficial to have your HVAC system serviced, during which the evaporator coil, the air handler and other components will be cleaned, minimizing the amount of dust and allergens in the air.

Use Proper Ventilation

When the weather is mild, it is tempting to open the windows and let fresh air in. If you have springtime allergies, though, this invites pollen and other allergens into your home. To reduce your allergy symptoms, consider using the air conditioner more often, which filters and cools the air, or consider installing a whole-home ventilation system, which supplies plenty of fresh air while also filtering it to remove allergens.

Minimize Dust

Vacuum your home often using a machine that features a HEPA filter to minimize dust and allergens, and dust at least weekly using moist cloths or electrostatic wipes. Minimize clutter—especially in the bedrooms, closets and living areas—to reduce the amount of surface area that collects dust, and store items that you do not use often in sealed bags or containers to minimize dust accumulation.

To learn more about preventing springtime allergies, talk to our air quality experts at Conditioned Air, serving the Southwest Florida region.

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Because most people spend significant amounts of time indoors—especially during the excessively humid summers in Southwest Florida—the indoor air quality of your home is an important factor in your overall health and comfort. Pollutants such as dust, pollen or other substances can cause or contribute to symptoms like runny noses, congestion, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing, especially for those who already suffer from breathing conditions such as asthma or allergies. Indoor air quality testing can help to determine if there may be a problem with your home’s air quality, and what steps are required to mitigate it.

How Indoor Air Quality is Tested

The indoor air quality testing procedure typically includes a blower door test, which places your home under negative pressure using a large fan placed in an exterior opening. A professional HVAC technician can then find the sources of air infiltration, determine how often per hour the air in your home is exchanged, and use specialized equipment to sample the air for pollutants. Depending on the equipment used, the technician can test for:

• Dust
• Pollen
• Pet dander
• Microorganisms
• Carbon monoxide
• Radon
• Volatile organic compounds or chemical vapors

The samples often have to be sent off for laboratory testing, and after the technician receives the results, he or she can recommend solutions such as upgrading your air filters, installing air purifiers, cleaning your air ducts or installing a ventilation system.

What to Expect From the Tests

Indoor air quality testing can help pinpoint the source of a suspected air quality issue, and with professional help, you can work to improve the quality of the air in your home. Except for carbon monoxide and radon, there are no explicit rules about the allowable amounts of air pollutants, only guidelines. Indoor air quality testing should only be used as a guide to improve air quality in general, and not as a specific diagnosis of a problem.

To learn more about indoor air quality, talk to our HVAC experts at Conditioned Air. We serve many areas in Southwest Florida, including the communities of Naples, Ft. Myers and Sarasota.

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Poor indoor air quality can cause symptoms such as stuffiness, coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes or a runny nose, and it can be especially detrimental to those with asthma, allergies or other respiratory conditions. With just a bit of work, though, there are a few simple ways that you can improve the indoor air quality in your Florida home and make it more comfortable.

Change the Air Filter on the HVAC System Often

The primary job of the air filter in your HVAC system is to protect the system from dirt accumulation and damage, but it also helps to keep the air in your home clean. It should be checked every month that the HVAC system is used, and replaced when it becomes noticeably dirty or clogged, or about every three months. To improve indoor air quality, choose a filter with a higher MERV rating, or upgrade to an electrostatic or HEPA filter. Also, consider installing a whole-home air cleaner.

Avoid Dust Accumulation

Vacuum your home at least once a week with a machine that uses a HEPA filter, and dust tables, shelves, ceiling fans, wood trim, and other areas with moist cloths or electrostatic wipes. Remove throw rugs once a month and take them outside to beat the dust out of them. Reduce clutter and store extra clothes and other items in sealed containers to avoid dust accumulation. Wash bedding at least once a week, and consider installing washable slipcovers on upholstered furniture.

Keep Humidity at Healthy Levels

Dust mites and many microorganisms prefer high humidity, and by keeping humidity levels between 40 and 50 percent, you can improve indoor air quality. Have your HVAC system inspected and maintained at least twice a year to make sure it is running well and dehumidifies properly, and consider adding a separate whole-home dehumidifier. Use ventilation fans in the bathroom and kitchen when bathing or cooking to avoid adding extra moisture to the air.

For more ways to improve indoor air quality, talk to our HVAC professionals at Conditioned Air, serving the Southwest Florida area.

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