High humidity is a major problem with staying cool during the summer. Especially during the late summer. The high levels of moisture in the air make it harder for your body to release heat through sweating, and that trapped heat makes the hot temperatures feel even hotter. There isn’t much you can about this when you’re outside… but you can change it inside your home.
ServiceMax Blog: Archive for the ‘Indoor Air Quality’ Category
Warning: Your Air Conditioning System Is Not a Dedicated Dehumidifier
Monday, August 17th, 2015Which Type of Air Purifier Is Best for My Home?
Friday, March 20th, 2015If you assume that the air in your home is cleaner than the air outside, you may be mistaken. For many homes in the United States, this is not the case. We keep our homes sealed up tight, but contaminants in the home can still thrive. Besides, this often means that circulation in the home is less than ideal, which makes the air stale.
The best way to get rid of contaminants in the air of your home is by scheduling services with an indoor air quality specialist in Winnetka, IL. Call us today at Malek Heating & Cooling for air purifiers and more.
Air Purification Systems
Any of the following air purification systems may be best for your home. We recommend that you consult with a technician before deciding on a system and scheduling professional installation only.
- Mechanical Filter: The filter in your air conditioning and heating system right now may not be of the highest quality. Usually, the MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating of your filter—the way you can tell how effective a filter is—is not as high as it can be. Home filters often have a MERV of about 1-4, while the scale does all the way up to 16. Ask a technician which type of filter will work best for your home.
- Electronic Air Purifier: An electronic air purifier uses ionization to attract particles and keep them out of the air in your home. This includes particles that are much smaller than those which can be filtered with a traditional home filter.
- UV Air Purifier: A UV air purifier contains UV lights which kill small organic matter like bacteria and viruses, which are detrimental to those with immune disorders in the home.
At Malek Heating & Cooling, we offer these systems and more in order to improve the air quality in a home. Not only to we offer filter and purification service, we also carry heat and energy recovery ventilators for better ventilation, dehumidifiers, and professional air duct cleaning. An IAQ specialist will help you to decide which system or service is right for you.
Call us today for our professional air purifier installation or repair in Winnetka, IL, or to learn more about how to keep the contaminants in your home under control.
Do I Need a Humidifier for My Home?
Wednesday, December 17th, 2014People often associate discomfort with high humidity. When the moisture levels in the air rise too high, it makes it difficult for the human body to release heat through perspiration, and this makes warm temperatures feel even hotter.
However, low humidity causes problems with comfort as well, and if your home is suffering from dry air, you may need a whole-house humidifier installed into the HVAC system. A humidifier will not only help keep you comfortable during colder temperatures (by preventing excess heat from escaping your body), it will also help prevent damage to your home and create a healthier environment.
The Benefits of a Humidifier in Evanston, IL
Wednesday, December 10th, 2014You may have heard once before that too much humidity makes people feel sticky and uncomfortable.
People often complain about the problems associated with having too much moisture in the air, as it can cause an exaggerated feeling of warmth on a hot day. Your body cannot properly evaporate sweat, and you may notice a stuffy, musty feeling in the home or even the gradual development of mold and mildew.
How Low Humidity Can Affect Your Household
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014Many people are aware that high humidity can be a problem, mostly because of how uncomfortable it can make you feel. Low humidity can be an equal problem, and one of the best ways to reduce the effects of low humidity is with the installation of a humidifier in Evanston, IL. The effects of low humidity may not be as readily seen as those of high humidity, so we’ll describe some issues that can develop from low humidity below. If you opt to install a whole-home humidifier, make sure you hire professionals you can count on. Malek Heating & Cooling has been serving Evanston and the surrounding areas since 1988, so call us today!
Why Is Air Duct Cleaning Necessary?
Wednesday, November 19th, 2014For most homeowners, air duct cleaning is something that rarely ever gets done. This is usually because they can’t see the benefit to investing that much time and money in cleaning a part of their house that they never see anyway. It’s not like the ducts are some complicated mechanism with lots of moving parts that may need maintenance. They’re long rectangular boxes or tubes designed to direct air flow, and that’s about it.
Some of the Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014Winter is on its way, so it’s time to start preparing your HVAC system for the heating season. Scheduling annual maintenance is always important, but what about your ductwork? When was the last time you scheduled professional air duct cleaning in Evanston, IL? It’s recommended that ductwork be professionally cleaned every 3-5 years, so if it’s been longer than that since your last cleaning, call Malek Heating & Cooling and schedule a cleaning appointment with one of our experts.
Reasons to Schedule Duct Cleaning
There are a few reasons to consider scheduling duct cleaning before winter:
- Improved indoor air quality – dirt and dust will build up in your ductwork over time. These contaminants enter the airflow and are delivered directly into your living spaces. This can be particularly problematic for allergy sufferers.
- Increased energy efficiency – a large enough build-up in your ductwork can lead to air flow restriction, which can force your HVAC system to work harder. By removing the build-up with a professional air duct cleaning, you can regain energy efficiency you may have lost.
- Less stress on your system – the air flow in your home circulates, so dirt and dust don’t just stay in your vents, they also coat other parts of your system. Dirty, dusty components can’t work as well as they should, which puts stress on your system. Removing the dirt and dust from your vents can greatly reduce the amount of dirt and dust that enter other parts of your system.
Why Do I Need a Professional?
Duct cleaning involves far more than just vacuuming the registers and the easily-reached parts of your ductwork. With a professional duct cleaning, your entire system is accessed and cleaned, using a variety of specialized tools and professional-grade vacuums. There is also special storage for contaminants collected during the cleaning process.
With a professional duct cleaning, you can improve your energy efficiency, comfort and indoor air quality. Call Malek Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
How Insulation Makes Your Home More Energy Efficient
Wednesday, October 15th, 2014Insulation in Skokie isn’t just about keeping your home warm during winter; it’s about making your home energy efficient all year long. This is why it’s important to have good insulation in your home from top to bottom. The main job of insulation is to slow the transfer of heat, which is important for both heating and cooling your home efficiently. If you are concerned about the level of insulation in your home, call the professionals you can trust: Malek Heating & Cooling.
Why Insulation Is Important for Energy Efficiency
There are 3 ways in which heat moves through your home:
- Convection – the way heat circulates through liquids and gases
- Conduction – the way heat moves through materials
- Radiation – heat that travels in a straight line and is absorbed by anything exposed to it
Heat will always move toward colder environments; this is a basic law of thermodynamics. As such, during the winter, your heat will want to travel toward cooler spaces; insulation slows this process considerably. During the summer, heat tries to move into cooled indoor areas, and insulation helps prevent this heat transfer.
Without proper insulation, your HVAC system will have to work harder, whether it’s cold or warm outside. Any time your system has to work harder, it uses more energy. Good insulation helps to retain the air in your home, lessening the load on your system.
Types of Insulation
There are four main types of insulation, and they can be used in combination with each other to maximize insulation capability:
- Batt insulation (roll insulation) – the most common type of insulation, typically rolled out in layers on floors and in walls.
- Foam board/rigid foam insulation – stiff board insulation that is best used in walls, ceilings and floors.
- Loose-fill insulation (also known as blown-in) – made of 100% recycled materials, loose fill is great for retro-fitting older homes needing more and better insulation.
- Spray foam insulation – a very popular choice, spray foam is an adhesive that when sprayed, expands up to 100 times its size. Spray foam forms an air-tight seal wherever it is applied.
Good insulation in Skokie can increase your energy efficiency and comfort, and reduce stress on your HVAC system. Call Malek Heating & Cooling today and schedule an appointment with one of our insulation specialists.
How Professionals Perform Air Duct Cleaning
Wednesday, October 8th, 2014Duct cleaning involves a lot more than just vacuuming the dust you can see. Unfortunately, unless you hire trained, experienced and certified professionals to perform your duct cleaning, you cannot expect a thorough cleaning of your air ducts. Professional air duct cleaning in Wilmette involves the use of professional-grade tools, a thorough, deep-cleaning of your system and proper removal of contaminants. Duct cleaning offers several benefits, but unless the cleaning is done correctly, you may not see these benefits. When you hire the trained professionals at Malek Heating & Cooling to clean your air ducts, you can be assured that your ducts will be cleaned the way they should be.
Professional Tools
There are several kinds of tools your technician may use to clean your air ducts:
- HEPA professional-grade vacuums, both truck-mounted and hand-held
- Mechanical brushes
- Pneumatic tools
- Visual aid tools
- Access tools
How Duct Cleaning Is Performed
Here is a general overview of what happens during a routine duct cleaning appointment:
- All furniture and registers are covered to protect them from blowing dust
- The technician will make a thorough inspection of your system
- The ductwork will be opened at various access points
- The first major vacuum will occur (usually with the truck-mounted vacuum)
- A second inspection will be conducted
- The smaller, harder-to-reach areas will be cleaned
- Any sticking debris will be removed
- A final inspection is performed to ensure all the ductwork has been cleaned
- Access ports will be closed
- Protective coverings removed
- All vacuumed contaminants will be removed from home
Benefits of Duct Cleaning
- Improved air quality – any dust, dirt and debris in your ductwork will blow directly into your home with each cycle of your HVAC system. Removing these contaminants during cleaning helps to significantly increase your indoor air quality.
- Better energy efficiency – significant build-up in your air ducts can restrict air flow, which puts stress on your HVAC system. Properly cleaning your ductwork allows the air to move freely, which helps to increase energy efficiency.
- Less wear on your system – a system that operates under stress for any reason, including dirty ductwork, can age your system prematurely, or cause malfunction and/or breakdown. Maintaining your ductwork with professional cleaning reduces the level of wear on your system.
It’s recommended that ductwork is cleaned every 3-5 years. If it’s time for you to schedule air duct cleaning in Wilmette, call the people you can trust to do it correctly: Malek Heating & Cooling. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
Subpar Indoor Air Quality? Is Humidity the Problem?
Monday, July 28th, 2014Maintaining great indoor air quality in Chicago, IL can be more difficult than you may initially expect. There is a lot that can go wrong with your indoor air quality, and the problems may be the result of environmental conditions which are simply beyond your control. While you may not be able to change the catalyst of your IAQ issues, though, there are plenty of tools to help you improve conditions within your home. Give Malek Heating & Cooling a call today, and we will help you to determine the best way in which to boost your indoor air quality. The culprits in such situations differ on a case to case basis, but humidity is one common issue that homeowners grapple with.
Humidity can go either way, meaning that too much or too little of it can be equally problematic. Whole house humidifiers and dehumidifiers are certainly your best chance of resolving humidity problems in your home effectively and efficiently. Just remember that such equipment must be installed and serviced by a professional IAQ technician. Before you even get to that stage, though, you must determine what, if any, the problem with your humidity levels are.
Very humid air has some pretty serious implications for your indoor air quality. You may find that there is a lot of condensation throughout your house, on your windows or exposed pipes and bathroom fixtures. You may also notice damp spots on your walls or carpeting, as well as aggravated respiratory issues. Humid air is conducive to biological pollutant growth, so this is a problem that you want to resolve as soon as possible. If you notice any of these conditions in your home, a whole house dehumidifier may be necessary.
Because very dry air is just as problematic as overly humid air, you should also know some of the warning signs that a whole house humidifier is needed. Splitting wooden furniture or floorboards, dry, itchy skin, aggravated allergies, and sore throats or sinuses are all signs that your air is too dry. To ensure that you have the right amount of humidity in the air, a whole house humidifier just cannot be beat.
To learn more about the problems that inappropriate humidity levels can lead to, contact the IAQ pros at Malek Heating & Cooling. We are more than happy to help you enjoy improved indoor air quality in Chicago, IL. Call us today for more details.