Originally published in April 2017, updated May 2020.
You rely on your St. Petersburg, FL, heat pump to provide year-round comfort, but did you know it also serves as the best defense against indoor air quality problems? Filtration and other methods are critical to maintaining healthy indoor air. Modern indoor air quality(IAQ) products added to your existing heat pump system are designed to trap extremely small particles, including allergens, dander, air contaminants, and other respiratory irritants.
How Your Heat Pump Reduces Allergens
Central HVAC equipment keeps you comfortable by repeatedly cycling the air from the various rooms in your home. Your home’s indoor air can be circulated throughout your home up to eight times per hour when it’s running. Every time the air passes through the air handler, dedicated IAQ products can help reduce or eliminate a variety of contaminants.
- Air Purifiers: Fortunately, pollen and most air contaminants are relatively large and range in size from 10-1000 microns in diameter. Trane filters are available in a variety of configurations, and advanced models can trap particulate matter less than one micron in size.
- UV Lamps: Biologic particulates grow inside your evaporator coil, where the conditions are moist and dark. An ultraviolet lamp placed inside your ductwork will kill these biological allergens.
- Mechanical Ventilation: Fresh air ventilators draw clean air from outdoors and conditioning it before sending it throughout your home by way of the ductwork. At the same time it will exhaust stale, polluted indoor air. Some models even include an energy recovery feature.
Change Your AC Filter for Better IAQ
Regardless of the efficiency of your system, your air filter should be checked monthly and replaced if necessary. At the very least, the filter should be changed every three months.
Many HVAC experts recommend installing filters with a minimum MERV 7 rating. However, you should always use a filter that the manufacturer recommends for your particular system.
Clean the Air as You Enjoy True Comfort
If you would like to learn more about how your HVAC system can be used to improve indoor air quality, call the professionals at Pinellas Comfort Systems today.