Category: Air Quality

Each year, on September 21st, right before the season changes from summer to fall, an International Day of Peace is celebrated worldwide. Each year, a different topic pursuant to ways peace can be encouraged is chosen; This year’s theme is “climate action.” We don’t think a more fitting theme could have been chosen than this.

Combating climate change is one of the most important actions we can take as a society right now. With rising temperatures, we’re seeing an increase in natural disasters, prematurely melting snow, rising water levels, and more problems that are severely affecting our communities.

So, what can you do to personally help to combat climate change? One of the easiest and most effective ways is right in your home - your heating system. For this #PeaceDay, we’ll discuss the importance of the HVAC system and what you can do to make an impact on climate change.

The Social Effects of Climate Change

Climate change affects more than just the temperatures, it affects how we live and interact as a society. When we’re experiencing more extreme weather, it can displace communities and change the structure in which we conduct our daily lives. Consider these scenarios:

• Climate change can make for some uncharacteristically cold winters. When this happens, the more heat will be used in homes, which in turn increases the amount of energy we’re consuming and fossil fuels we’re burning.
• Erratic and different weather patterns can have some extreme social effects. For instance, when rainfall patterns are affected, it can cause flooding and drought; This can kill farmland and crops, forcing families to move and reducing the amount of food available to communities.
• Fires and flooding can decimate entire towns and cities, causing residents to relocate.

Do Your Part With a Programmable Thermostat

If you’re looking for a good way to combat climate change, a programmable thermostat is a great addition to any home. Controlling your home’s heating system and HVAC with a programmable thermostat saves energy by allowing you to set your home’s temperature to be maintained more evenly throughout your home.

You can control settings and make adjustments right from your phone and even set changes to happen during different times of the day. All of this combined will ensure you’re using less energy, which will put less strain on your local power grid and help to conserve resources. Your pocket will thank you, too - homeowners who use programmable thermostats save an average of 30% on their energy bills.

Save the Earth, Plant a Tree

Trees have an incredibly important job of filtering the air we breathe and absorbing carbon dioxide. This International Day of Peace, getting together with friends and family to plant a few trees is a great way to do your part in reducing the effects of climate change.

With every tree planted, our air quality improves and we can breathe a little easier as a society. When it comes to caring for and preserving our planet, every little bit counts. This #PeaceDay, think of all the ways you can help.

Installing a programmable thermostat and planting trees are great ways to help; But there are other things you can do on a daily basis, as well. Consider carpooling with your family or coworkers more regularly, kick your recycling habits into high gear, or look for ways to conserve water usage within your home - these are all impactful ways you can help to correct climate change problems.

There is arguably nothing more important than the air that we breathe. That’s why it is of the utmost importance to ensure that we have clean air supply so we can stay healthy and thriving.

Our trees play an important role in making sure we have clean air as they reduce carbon dioxide levels as well as remove harmful pollutants from the air by trapping odors on their leaves and bark.

National Love A Tree Day is a holiday created to remind us to take some time out to truly appreciate the trees and show gratitude for all that they do for our wellbeing!

The Benefits of Clean Air

There are countless health benefits to be reaped from breathing in clean air. Some of the many benefits include but are not limited to:

• Reduced greenhouse gases.
• Reduced ecosystem effects.
• Prevention of lung disease and other respiratory illnesses.
• Protection of crops and vegetation.
• Improvement in visibility.

As mentioned above, trees play a huge role in removing harmful toxins from the air and improving the overall quality of it. Trees clean the air by absorbing polluted particles and harmful particles. Harmful toxins such as ammonia, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide are absorbed by tree leaves and bark making for a cleaner and healthier air supply.

Not only do trees clean the air but they also grant us with fresh oxygen every day! This is why taking the time to care for the trees around your home is essential. It can be as simple as watering your favorite ones or getting involved in the community to plant new ones. The more neighbors you get involved, the better everyone will feel this May!

The Role of Your HVAC System

As our world changes, so does the environment, and not exactly for the better. With the rise of corporations and the growth of the world’s population, our clean air supply is drastically decreasing.

We need trees now more than ever to cleanse our air and remove harmful pollutants from the outdoor air. Inside, that responsibility lands on your heater and air conditioner. By investing in a quality HVAC system, you can make sure that your family’s health is protected.

You can also make sure that your home is receiving clean air. Whether that’s a quality air filtration system, cleaner ducts, or ongoing maintenance, the more care you put into your HVAC system, the cleaner the air inside your home will be.

Let’s Celebrate!

National Love A Tree Day is a great start to changing the relationship we have with trees. There are various ways to celebrate such as stepping outside to water the trees and plants or taking the extra mile to plant your own! At Honest Abe’s Home Services, we’re dedicated to our community and do our best to help it.

Our environment is drastically changing and the only way to combat the negative effects our growth has is by taking a stand and making a difference! How are you celebrating National Love A Tree Day this year? Let us know in comments!

Whether or not you are a college basketball fan, March Madness hits us all. When it comes to basketball, most of us fill out brackets and watch the underdogs and favorites duke it out for supremacy. New heroes arise and teams fall by the wayside.

In a weird way, Spring is kind of like that too. In some places, flowers and plants are blooming and bursting back into life after a hard winter. In others, the flowers are falling. While the worst thing that happens with basketball is a busted bracket, the madness can hit air quality really hard.

Pollen counts and pollutants can become a big part of the morning news. All of these causes HVAC March madness as well, making your system work in overdrive. Doing our best to reduce pollution this time of year can help our air quality, both indoors and out.

Carpool if You Can

One of the biggest contributors to air quality that most of are utilizing every day is our car. Outside of hybrids, our cars put out plenty of emissions into the air that can exacerbate air quality concerns.

If possible, carpooling can reduce the number of cars on the road and minimize emissions in the air. While this may seem like it only will help outdoor air quality, it can also help your HVAC system as well.

The dirtier the outdoor air is, the easier it is for these pollutants to seep into your HVAC system, making it work harder to keep your indoor air quality high.

Stop Smoking Inside

This may seem like an obvious one but smoking indoors is terrible for your indoor air quality. While smoking isn’t a healthy habit at all for your lungs, making sure you smoke outside only can have a substantial impact on your air quality.

When you smoke inside, the smoke has nowhere to go but into your HVAC system. This means that all the pollutants and secondhand smoke tax your HVAC system, making it work harder to try and filter the air to give you a good indoor air quality.

It could also create issues deeper in your HVAC system, including your air vents, which could require even further cleaning and repair.

Keep Your Dehumidifier Clean

There is one bit of maintenance that isn’t very hard but it can have a big impact on your indoor air quality. As our seasons change, our dehumidifying systems often kick into overdrive, pulling moisture out of the air.

If left unchecked, dehumidifiers can fill up, stopping their function, or develop mold and other pollutants which can start seeping into your air.

Staying on top of the dehumidifier can be hard to remember but can have big results when it comes to keeping your air clean. Setting a reminder on your phone can remind you to stay on top of this task and keep everything running smoothly. While lots of things can go mad during March, your HVAC system shouldn’t be one of them.

Don’t let your HVAC suffer the consequences because you are watching your chances of winning your March Madness office pool slip away. If you have any questions about your indoor air quality or for servicing your HVAC system, please call one of our experts at Honest Abe’s Home Services at (573) 286-7540.

Though indoor air quality is important any time of year, it’s crucial in winter, when we seal in allergens, dust mites, and cleaning chemicals to keep our homes warm and save energy. Unfortunately, winter makes your home or business’s air quality much worse. The good news? You can keep your indoor air clean in the winter, too, even if you have pets; it just takes a little planning and a bit of know-how.

What the Stack Effect Means for You

Ever wonder what makes a hot air balloon rise? It’s possible we gave that one away, but, if you missed it, the answer is heat. And guess what’s happening in your home during winter? Your home is heating up. The combination of heat from below and air rising is called the “stack effect,” and it’s the phenomenon whereby air is drawn up from the lowest levels of a structure – through the floors, windows, doors, and then up from the basement or crawlspace. So, basically, you and your family are breathing crawl space air all winter long. In fact, around 40% of the air you breathe in winter is from this “stack effect.”

The Effect of the Stack Effect on Your Health

The toll that poor indoor air quality can take on your life is nothing to sneeze at – though it may cause you to sneeze. At best, it exacerbates the difficulty of dust mite and mold allergies, as well as sensitivities to certain toxic chemicals. At worse, it can cause chronic respiratory problems, heart issues, and even cancer.
The stack effect is a natural consequence of the way HVAC's work to keep buildings warm. However, there are some steps you can take to keep your indoor air clean despite the stack effect.

Improve Air Quality in Your Home this Winter – And Every Day After

When your heat clicks on, consider how to balance the stack effect so that poor air quality isn’t stacked against you. Check out these types for cleaner indoor air.

● Change your furnace’s filter. Before winter starts, have a professional inspect your unit. Then, put a reminder in your calendar to change the furnace’s air filter regularly. Inspect it once a month for particulates. Check the filter’s rating, too, and don’t rely on poor quality for such an important element of your system.
● Invest in a Home Humidifier. Whole-home humidifiers work through the air ducts of an HVAC system, fighting the effects of winter dryness like itchy skin, dry nasal passages, and too much static.
● Keep Things Tidy. Change your sheets weekly, vacuum every two or three days (more if you have pets), and stay on top of dusting. These small things don’t seem like much, but when they get neglected, they can really affect the air.
● Buy an Air Purifier. Air purifiers are great for people who have severe sensitivities or allergies – because sometimes cleaning isn’t enough.
● Grow Plants. A few plants will organically help your home’s air stay clean. Peace lilies, English Ivy, spider plants, and rubber plants all help remove toxins from the air.
Of these, staying on top of HVAC maintenance and filter changes is crucial for clean indoor air because it’s where the heat starts.

Clean Air Makes for a Healthier Winter

Whether you live in Fargo, North Dakota or Jacksonville, Florida, when winter comes, windows close and our air quality changes. Business buildings and homes are made to keep winter out – but you can improve your air quality with some small steps.