Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category

Signs That You Need a Humidifier in Your Home

Monday, May 11th, 2015

It would be great to know that you can just walk into your home and be met with the most comfortable, healthful environment possible. Of course, we know that this is not the case. Attaining and maintaining such an environment can take a considerable amount of work, and will likely require that you invest in certain products and services to ensure not only that your home is comfortable in terms of temperature, but also that the air quality therein is optimal.

A common problem that many homeowners face is a houseful of air that is simply to dry for comfort or for ideal health conditions. Fortunately, a whole-house humidifier is an effective and convenient way in which to resolve such problems.  Contact Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., today if you suspect that you could benefit from the use of a humidifier in your Washington, DC, area home. 

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Is Your Air Conditioning Making Your Home’s Air Too Dry?

Monday, April 20th, 2015

Air conditioners work through a system of evaporation and condensation of the refrigerant that cycles through them. In the outdoor unit, the refrigerant condenses and releases heat. When the refrigerant goes to the indoor unit, it evaporates and absorbs heat. But this evaporation process also absorbs moisture from the air, where it gathers on the evaporator coil and then drips down into a condensate pan and out a drain. So, even though an air conditioner is not specifically designed to work as a dehumidifier, it has some dehumidifying properties…

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Types of Air Treatment Products for Your Home

Friday, March 20th, 2015

According to the EPA, indoor air can be anywhere from 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air, not including allergens.  So, if you have concerns about the quality of your home’s indoor air, it may be time to consider the installation of an air treatment product. But which one do you choose? There are a number of IAQ products available to homeowners, but knowing which one(s) will help improve your air in the best way can be a challenge. This is where the indoor air quality experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., come in. Our specialists will help you determine which products will meet your indoor air quality needs and install them. Understanding what the products are and how they work will help you decide which products will be best for your home, so here is a quick overview of the types of indoor air quality products we offer:

Air Filtration Systems

These types of systems clean your air using a mechanical filter, which is a type of air filter contained in a square frame. Filter media, the material inside the frame, traps contaminants in the weave of the material. Mechanical air filters have different strengths and capabilities as denoted by MERV ratings; your IAQ specialist can help you determine what type of air filter will be best for your needs.

Air Purification Systems

Air purifiers typically refer to air cleaners that use ionization to clean the air, but this category also include UV germicidal lighting. Electronic air purifiers trap contaminants and particles in the air by negatively charging them and capturing them on either surfaces or metal collection plates. UV germicidal lighting eradicates biological contaminants only, and does so by destroying the DNA of the contaminant’s cell.

Humidifiers/Dehumidifiers

The EPA states that healthy humidity levels are between 30%-60%. When you have humidity levels above 60% or below 30%, your home can become uncomfortable. Whole home humidifiers and dehumidifiers work with your HVAC system to help achieve balanced humidity by either removing excess moisture or adding the appropriate amount of moisture to the air.

Many times it takes a combination of IAQ products to achieve the indoor air quality you want in your home, and working with a Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., can get you there.

Contact us today and schedule an appointment for air treatment services for your Washington, DC home.

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What Are the Two Types of Electronic Air Cleaners?

Friday, February 20th, 2015

When it comes to cleaning your air with a whole-home product, there are a lot of choices, even within the choices. The two main categories of air cleaners are mechanical and electronic, and today we’re going to talk about what an electronic air cleaner can do for your McLean, VA, home.

Two Types

There are two types of electronic air cleaners: electrostatic precipitators (also known as electronic precipitators) and ion generators. Each uses electricity to remove contaminants from your home, but does so differently.

Electronic Precipitators

This type of electronic air cleaner works by drawing particles to it and charging them so they can be captured. A fan pulls air into an enclosed space known as an ionization section. In this section, all the particles are negatively charged; as the newly-charged particle continue to move through the device until they come into contact with oppositely-charged metal plates that capture the particles. The plates should be cleaned every 3 months to ensure proper functioning.

Ion Generators

Ion generators also charge particles, but do so in a less methodical way.  The way an ion generator helps clean the air is by dispersing negatively-charged ions into the air; these ions attach to particles in your indoor air and become a single, negatively-charged unit. There are no collection plates with an ion generator; instead, the particles are attracted to your surfaces in your home, such as walls, tabletops and countertops, and collect there. When these surfaces are cleaned, the contaminants are removed.

Both types of air cleaners can be added seamlessly to your current HVAC system.

Which Is Best?

Determining which type of electronic air cleaner will work best in your home can be best decided with the help of a trained indoor air quality expert. For almost 15 years, the indoor air quality professionals at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., have been helping customers throughout the Washington, DC, area improve their indoor air quality.

If you are concerned about your indoor air quality and interested in an electronic air cleaner, call the experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., today!

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3 Reasons to Install a Humidifier

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

You’ve probably heard plenty of people complain about high levels of moisture in the air, known as humidity. High humidity levels can make people feel uncomfortable, as they are unable to sweat easily which makes the body temperature feel warmer than the outside air. But did you know that not enough moisture can be just as problematic? In today’s list, read about a few of the reasons homeowners choose to install humidifiers so you can decide whether your home is affected by dry air.

  • Dry Skin: Perhaps the most noticeable symptom of dry air is dried-out skin. It may seem as though no matter how much water you drink and how much lotion you apply, you skin never seems to stop feeling itchy, flaky, and stiff. Chapped lips are no fun either, nor is the potential for a dry scratchy feeling in the nose and throat. The most common reason people choose to install humidifiers is for relief, as some level of humidity is necessary in the air for it to feel comfortable.
  • Illness: When the air in your home is dry, it actually takes you and your family members a longer time to recover from illness. If your nasal passages and other membranes are dried out, it only irritates the illness, even if it seems like dry air may be able to clear up a stuffy nose. Even in the movies and on T.V. shows, you often see characters feigning illness by sitting in bed with a cup of soup, tissues, and a standalone humidifier. But a whole-home model allows moisture to move throughout the home so that everyone in your family can fight illness faster.
  • Cracked Paint: While chipped paint, cracked walls, and peeling furniture are rare side effects of dry air, it has been known to occur in extreme situations. If your home seems to suffer from the other symptoms of dry air as well, you may consider installing a humidifier even if the wood floors and furniture have not yet incurred damage. Waiting for this type of destruction means dealing with time-consuming renovations and putting up with uncomfortable dry air in the meantime.

At Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., we know all there is to know about installing whole-house humidifiers in Arlington. Call now!

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How Can I Tell if I Have an Indoor Air Quality Problem?

Monday, November 17th, 2014

The average home has a multitude of microscopic contaminants floating around in the air. These contaminants can provoke allergic reactions, make you sick, and in rare cases even kill you. Due to the microscopic nature of most of these pollutants, they are mostly invisible to your senses. How, then, do you know if you have an indoor air quality problem? Let’s look at some of the most reliable ways to detect issues with air quality.

Health Symptoms

Poor air quality is an issue because of its effects on your health. Therefore, the first sign of bad air quality is usually an increase in health symptoms. If you have allergies, do you experience more symptoms at home than elsewhere? You may have a high pollen, dander, or dust count in your home. Do you get headaches suddenly, or feel dizzy or nauseous while in your home? You may have a carbon monoxide leak. Get out of your house and call emergency services immediately, as carbon monoxide poses a deadly threat to your health. No matter what, keep a close watch on your general health when inside your home. It is possible your symptoms are the result of poor air quality.

Detectors

As a response to the difficulty of detecting these pollutants unassisted, many detectors have been created to compensate. Radon and carbon monoxide are the most common kinds of detectors, and should be installed in several areas of your home. These two gases are perhaps the most dangerous of the common indoor air pollutants, so the use of these detectors might save your life.

Consult a Professional

The best way to measure the air quality in your home is to consult a professional. These expert technicians have the knowledge and the tools to accurately measure pollutant levels in your home, as well as the ability to recommend effective solutions. If you need to know for certain whether your home’s air is healthy to breathe, call a technician.

If you’d like to find out about the air quality in your home, call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. We provide indoor air quality services throughout the Alexandria area.

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What Types of Contaminants Do UV Germicidal Lights Target?

Monday, November 3rd, 2014

The quality of your air depends in large part on what flows through the ducts every day. Your heating and air conditioning system recycles air for use again and again. As you breathe in this air, you also breathe in anything that may have collected in the ductwork. While there are filters in your heating and air conditioning system to prevent this from occurring, they cannot filter out every type of particle, and your ducts may be home to other contaminants that could provoke an illness. Learn about why you should use UV lights in conjunction with your HVAC system to rid your home of bacteria and viruses, surface mold, and even foul odors.

  • Bacteria and Viruses: UV germicidal lights can actually help prevent the spread of disease by sterilizing and killing microorganisms like harmful viruses and bacteria. Ultraviolet light can damage organic material when it comes into contact with it. When people go outside in the daylight for a short period of time, it usually carries little or no effect. But for a microorganism like bacteria, UV exposure can prove fatal. UV germicidal lights eliminate bacteria which could trigger an immune disorder or viruses that make your family members ill.
  • Surface Mold: UV lights are often used specifically to target the mold that may potentially develop on the inside evaporator coil of your air conditioning system. The evaporator coil collects moisture as condensation when refrigerant moves through the coil, which is helpful to homeowners because this keeps humidity levels under control. However, excessive moisture creates ideal circumstances for mold development. As air blows over the wet coil and into your home, you and your family members breathe in the air along with any mold spores that could aggravate allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.
  • Odors from Cooking or Pets: Finally, UV germicidal lights can sometimes get rid of lingering odors that are byproducts of cooking as well as pet odors. In fact, sewage treatment plants use commercial UV treatment technology to control odors and reduce the chances of corrosion.

A UV germicidal system may not be the best choice for every homeowner. Discuss your indoor air quality concerns with a technician to decide whether you would prefer an air cleaner or humidifier instead.

Call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. to speak with an expert about the possibilities of UV germicidal lights in Arlington.

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Air Cleaners vs. Air Purifiers: The Best Choice for Your Home

Monday, August 11th, 2014

The terms “air cleaner” and “air purifier” can bewilder first-time customers who are looking for a way to cleanse out the unhealthy particles from their home’s air. There is actually a wide range of different names for these indoor air quality systems that can mean a variety of things, so we understand why people often feel confused. We’ll try to cut through some of that cloud of confusion in this post to help you focus on what you may need when it comes to getting the healthiest air possible for your house.

For air purifiers and air cleaners in Washington, DC, you can count on Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. to help you navigate through the different models and choices. We will also handle the installation to make sure that the new device does the job it should for many years to come. Contact us today to set up an appointment.

Specifics of the terms “air cleaners” and “air purifiers”

Confusingly, these two terms mean that same thing technically—electronic air cleaners—but in common use, an “air cleaner” refers to a mechanical air filter, and an “air purifier” refers to an electronic device with ionization technology.

Air cleaners, i.e. air filters

Air filters use a mesh of fibers, usually made from fiberglass, to attract and trap particles in the air that flows through them. They do not require any power to run, although they must occasionally be replaced when they become too clogged with trapped contaminants. Powerful air filters, such as HEPA filters, are capable of trapping 99.97% of the particles that pass through them that are 0.3 microns or larger; they can catch smaller particles as well, although not at so effective a level.

For many homes, an air filter is sufficient to reduce the dangerous allergens and asthma triggers from the air. A professional will need to select and install the unit to make sure that it will not interfere with airflow.

Air purifiers, i.e. electronic air cleaners

Air purifiers do not use filtration technology at all to clean the air. Instead they create an electronic ionization field inside the ventilation system. This ionizes contaminating particles, which are then drawn to a set of collector plates in the cleaner, where they are trapped. Air purifiers can affect particles down to 0.1 microns, and they can trap gaseous and odor molecules—something that air filters cannot. If you have issues with odors, smoke, pesticides, carbon monoxide, etc., then an electronic air cleaner is probably your best option.

When you call on the indoor air quality experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc., you’ll find out exactly what is in your air and what system you need installed to counteract it.

Whether you need air purifiers or air cleaners in Washington, DC installed for your home, you can count on Polar Bear Air Conditioning to do the job right. Call us today. 

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Are Germicidal Lights Right for Me?

Friday, June 20th, 2014

At the turn of the century, Icelandic physician and scientist Niels Ryberg Finsen experimented with ultraviolent radiation as a method of treating disease. Using UV lights, Finsen discovered he could destroy harmful bacteria inside the human body, and his development of a way to treat tuberculosis garnered him the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology in 1903. This started a revolution in sterilization in health care that not only treated disease but helped to create healthier environments in hospitals and clinics.

Today, UV germicidal lights that eliminate bacteria have entered the home for use in cleaning the air that circulates through ductwork. Ducts, closed-in and sometimes damp, are an ideal breeding ground for mold and fungus that can send dangerous spores into household air which trigger a variety of health conditions. UV germicidal lights can safely destroy these biological contaminants and prevent them from returning. Specialists in Alexandria, VA in UV germicidal lights can install these in your HVAC system to stop the spread of illness.

But are these ultraviolet lamps right for you? The best way to learn is to call Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. today and arrange for an appointment; our experts will determine the best way to clean your home’s air.

Why UV lights might be the right choice for you

Not every home will have troubles in its vents from biological pollutants. However, with the humid summer climates we can experience in Alexandria, this can be a distressingly common issue. You still shouldn’t arrange for UV germicidal light installation unless you have professionals look over your ductwork to see if the ultraviolet lamps are the best solution.

It’s important to keep in mind that health issues you can experience in your home from low indoor air quality don’t necessarily need to originate from bacteria growth in the vents. Dirt, dust, pollen, and dander will also cause troubles that can be hard to distinguish from problems due to toxic spores. UV lights do no good against standard dust and dirt issues, and in these cases you will need air cleaners and filters instead of UV germicidal lights. Indoor air quality experts can examine your home and ventilation system to determine what contaminants you have inside and how best to treat them.

If you do have bacterial troubles inside your vents from mold, fungus, etc., then UV germicidal lights are probably the best solution. Not only are they extremely effective (the Nobel Committee doesn’t hand out awards for nothing), but they also eliminate the need to use chemicals inside your ducts that will damage your air. As long as they are professionally installed, UV lights are completely safe and unobtrusive.

Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. offers excellent UV germicidal lights for Alexandria, VA homes. Call us today to get started solving your home’s indoor air quality woes.

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How UV Germicidal Lights Help Indoor Air Quality

Friday, June 13th, 2014

UV Germicidal lights are an upgrade to your heating and air conditioning system that helps keep your air clean. With one installed in your system, you can expect a significant upgrade in your indoor air quality, with all of the advantages that provides. In matters of indoor air quality, Alexandria has experts who can help install UV germicidal lights in your system. Here’s a quick breakdown of how UV germicidal lights help indoor air quality.

UV Germicidal Lights & Indoor Air Quality

As the title implies, the lights eliminate germs in the air rather than dirt. UV light lies beyond the range of human eyesight, but the particular wavelength proves lethal to bacteria and other kinds of germs. The wavelength damages the nucleic acid of those tiny organisms. As a result, bonds form in the organism’s DNA, which prevents the DNA from being “unzipped.” As a result, the bacteria can’t replicate and spread. In fact, when it tries to reproduce, it dies.

We don’t need to tell you how that can help your indoor air quality. No more bacteria means a severe reduction in the risk of colds, flus or other diseases. With it, you’ll find yourself becoming sick less often. Your air will be cleaner and your family will be healthier and safer as a result. This is especially true for people who are vulnerable to colds: those in delicate health and/or the elderly. If a baby is on the way or you have a newborn in your house, a UV germicidal light is a perfect way to keep him or her safe and free of colds or other sicknesses. Best of all, UV germicidal lights do all this without any toxic chemicals or compounds, making it an extremely safe way to eliminated germs.

UV germicidal lights help indoor air quality best when connected to a central air system: the perfect point to process the air that goes through your home.

If you want to use such a system to improve your indoor air quality, Alexandria has help with the experts at Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. We have the skills to install a UV light in your system with a minimum of fuss so give us a call today!

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