Tag: indoor air quality

A Humidifier Will Keep Static Electricity From Getting Out of Hand

Posted on by kerry

humidity guage-humidifier, Long Island, New YorkA Whole House Humidifier Can Remove Dry Air During Winter

 

We all know that the winter months in Long Island are notorious for creating an excessive amount of static electricity around the home, causing everything from unpleasant shocks to bad hair days. The reason for the static increase is related to a home’s heating system and the lack of a humidifier. Continue reading “A Humidifier Will Keep Static Electricity From Getting Out of Hand” →

Winter or Summer, You Can Have Balanced Humidity in Your Long Island Home

Posted on by kerry

Reducing Humidity Improves the Quality of Indoor Life

The humidity level in your home can play a huge part in the overall comfort of your family’s living conditions. Humidity can also be a health concern. Dry air can cause skin and respiratory problems, while humid air can encourage mold growth and provide hospitable conditions for viruses and bacteria. Luckily, there are some practical steps you can take to maintain balanced humidity in your home. Continue reading “Winter or Summer, You Can Have Balanced Humidity in Your Long Island Home” →

Improve Indoor Air Quality and Your Allergies WIth This Room by Room Action Plan

Posted on by kerry

Each Room in Your Home Has Its Own IAQ Challenges

If you or someone in your Long Island home suffers from allergies or asthma, there are quite a few things you can do to improve your indoor air quality and reduce flare-ups of symptoms, as well as prevent other respiratory illnesses later on. This room-by-room guide will help you clean up your indoor air and breather easier in your home.indoor air quality Continue reading “Improve Indoor Air Quality and Your Allergies WIth This Room by Room Action Plan” →

Ensure Your Family’s Safety at Home With Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Posted on by kerry

carbon monoxide detectors, Long Island, New YorkLearn How These Devices are Life Savers

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that’s colorless and odorless, making it impossible to know if you’ve been exposed without the use of carbon monoxide detectors. Continue reading “Ensure Your Family’s Safety at Home With Carbon Monoxide Detectors” →

Take the Sweat Out of Summer When You Install a Dehumidifier

Posted on by kerry

install a dehumidifier, Long Island, New YorkHow Drier Air Can Increase Comfort

 

Generations of Long Islanders have wondered whether it’s really possible to take the sweat out of summer — that unique sweat that’s spawned by humidity. While you can’t control humidity levels outdoors, you can certainly take the upper hand with indoor humidity if you install a dehumidifier. Continue reading “Take the Sweat Out of Summer When You Install a Dehumidifier” →

Your Long Island Home Is a Haven When You Improve Indoor Air Quality

Posted on by kerry

improve indoor air quality, Long Island, New YorkWhen it’s hot and humid outdoors, who can blame you for pining for the creature comforts of home? But if you walk through the door and register the “eww” factor, don’t despair. Your Long Island home can be a haven if you take steps to improve indoor air quality. Continue reading “Your Long Island Home Is a Haven When You Improve Indoor Air Quality” →

An Air Conditioner and a Dehumidifier: Does Your Home Need Both?

Posted on by kerry

air conditioner and dehumidifier, Long Island, New YorkHot and humid weather describes a good deal of the climatic conditions in Long Island, making an air conditioner and dehumidifier important components for many homes. While an air conditioner does remove humidity, it’s more a side effect of the conditioning process.

If any of these conditions exist in your home, you may benefit from having both of these appliances:

  • Humidity levels over 60 percent
  • Areas where it feels clammy
  • Musty smell in some or all of the rooms
  • Wooden windows, doors or drawers that swell periodically
  • Mold and mildew
  • Family members with airborne allergies or asthma

Humidity promotes the growth of mold and mildew, which thrive in an environment where the humidity is over 60 percent. Mold is inherently dangerous, and the most common airborne allergen is dust mite waste. If you’re not sure if the humidity levels exceed 60 percent, you can measure them with an inexpensive hygrometer that you can move from space to space to see if your levels are high.

If the humidity stays over 60 percent after cooling your home to a comfortable temperature, the combination of an air conditioner and dehumidifier could increase your comfort, health and your home environment.

Depending on the severity of the humidity in your home, you can use portable dehumidifiers, notably in the basement. But if the problem is widespread, a central dehumidification system could serve you well. These systems pull the air through the ductwork and blow it over a chilled coil, removing the water vapor and returning drier air through the ducts.

It could be more energy efficient for you to use a central system if you find yourself turning down the thermostat for the air conditioner to reduce indoor humidity levels. You can also use the dehumidifier in lieu of the air conditioner when cooling isn’t needed, but humidity removal is, like in the spring and fall.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of an air conditioner and dehumidifier, contact T.F. O’Brien Cooling & Heating. We’ve been providing HVAC services for Long Island homeowners since 1934.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Water in Your Basement? A Safety and Cleanup Checklist

Posted on by kerry

water in basement, Long Island, New YorkPlenty of problems can come from flood water in basement areas, including structural damage, damage to appliances and mold growth. With proper safety precautions and thorough cleanup, though, you can minimize the harm done to your Long Island home. Continue reading “Water in Your Basement? A Safety and Cleanup Checklist” →

Boosting Your Indoor Air Quality, From Basement to Bedroom

Posted on by kerry

indoor air quality, Long Island, New YorkEach Room of Your Home Presents Different Air Quality Problems

 

As a homeowner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the indoor air quality is clean and safe for all the occupants in the house. The different rooms attract a variety of pathogens that reduce the overall indoor air quality. Knowing what the contaminants in each room are allows you to address them and the risks they pose. Continue reading “Boosting Your Indoor Air Quality, From Basement to Bedroom” →