How Is The Air Quality In Nursing Homes?

“Our findings have shown an independent effect of several indoor air pollutants on the lung health of the elderly living in nursing homes.” This is an alarming notion presented by Isabella Annesi-Maesano, PhD, of the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale in France. While it’s important to consider the quality of air inside your home, it’s vital in nursing homes in order to keep our elderly friends and family members healthy.

Causes

What are some of the causes of poor air quality in nursing homes? Poor ventilation is the major culprit in most cases. It’s common for nursing homes to keep windows and doors closed and if this is the case, an indoor air quality system is absolutely necessary.

Why Is This Important?

While anybody at any age regardless of their health state can be affected by poor indoor air quality, it’s especially important with the elderly who aren’t able to cope with harmful airborne pollutants. Some of the risk factors include lifetime asthma and COPD, according to Healio.

As a responsible business owner, nothing is more important than providing your own employees and customers with a safe, healthy environment. Aspen Air Conditioning can help you provide healthy air and stop many viruses from circulating and spreading throughout your facility. Give us a call today at 561-395-1500 to learn more!

The Air Inside Your Home May Be Polluted

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “people spend 90% of their time indoors.” But what you may not realize is that the air you’re breathing inside your home can contain mold, mildew and other airborne allergens. So before you come down with irritated skin, itchy or watery eyes, or have trouble breathing it’s time to have an indoor air quality system installed. After all, springtime allergies are bad enough, right?

Indoor Air Pollution Can Be Lethal

Carbon monoxide. Secondhand smoke. Radon gas. These three indoor air pollutants take the lives of thousands of people each year - making them the three most lethal. As a result of carbon monoxide poisoning over 400 people die and thousands are hospitalized annually. Coming in second is radon gas. It’s colorless and odorless characteristics make it extremely difficult to detect. After cigarette smoke, radon gas is the second largest cause of lung cancer. Secondhand smoke takes the crown hospitalizing nearly 15,000 people each year with respiratory infections and cardiovascular and lung illnesses.

How To Prevent Polluted Air Inside Your Home

There are a number of ways you can eliminate air pollution, or at least keep it to a minimum:

1. The first, and maybe the most obvious solution is to keep all smoking to the outdoors. There is no safe level of secondhand smoke, so ask smokers to go outside.
2. If you don’t already have one, install a carbon monoxide detector. But don’t just set it and forget it, test the batteries each month to make sure it’s working properly.
3. Since Radon is known as an “invisible killer” you should have your house tested periodically. It’s a quick and inexpensive way to make sure you’re breathing clean air.
4. The most effective measure is to have an indoor air quality system installed. That’s where we come in!

The experts at Aspen Air Conditioning have been providing South Florida homes with cleaner, fresher air for decades. Interested in having an IAQ system installed in your home? Give us a call at 561-395-1500 to find out how we can help!

Keep Your Air Conditioner Running To Reduce Mold Growth

Mold may be building up in your air conditioning system without you even noticing. But there’s no need to worry - leaving the air conditioner running can actually help remove moisture and prevent mold from growing.

Mold flourishes in warm, moist environments which is why South Florida homeowner’s often experience mold in their air conditioning systems. Although running your air conditioner can become costly, especially during the summer when your system works harder to keep up with your demand, it can actually help reduce mold growth.

Believe it or not, your air conditioner helps to remove moisture from the air and deposit it outside leaving you with a cool, dry environment inside your home. Additionally, when your air conditioner is on filtered air is circulated throughout your home making the air you breathe much healthier.

The truth is, “Molds thrive when the humidity levels exceed 70 percent. Because humidity levels vary from day to day, the thermostat should be left at or below 74 degrees, and the fan should be set to "On," according to HGTV.

Need air conditioning service or repairs? Call on the experts at Aspen Air Conditioning. Since our beginning in 1983, we have been focused on the comfort needs of Southeast Florida residents at home and at work.

5 Shocking Facts About Indoor Air Quality

Believe it or not, the worst air quality your breathe every day may be right in your living room. A combination of stagnant air and poor ventilation contributes to the creation of a toxic cloud in your home. Being educated is the first step in preventing your family from breathing in toxic air so pay close attention to the 5 shocking facts about indoor air quality below:

1. The United States EPA ranks indoor air quality (IAQ) as a top five environmental risk to public health. Poor ventilation, burning scented candles, air fresheners and beauty products all contribute to the reason why indoor pollution levels can be up to 5 times greater than the outdoors.
2. According to the NRDC, most air fresheners contain phthalates, noxious chemicals known to disrupt hormone function in babies and children. If your home smells a bit musty, toss the chemicals and open the windows to let in fresh air instead.
3. Choose soy candles over paraffin wax and make sure they are only scented with essential oils. Candles with paraffin wax contain benzene and toluene which can also found in vehicle exhaust.
4. Protect your children! While you may not be able to control the air they breathe at school, which happens to be among the worst indoor air quality, you can control what they breathe in at home. Have an indoor air quality system installed today!
5. The elderly spend the majority of their days indoors. This is why they suffer the most from poor indoor air quality. Take your elderly family members outside for a walk to enjoy some fresh air once in a while.

Interested in improving the quality of air inside your home? Give Aspen Air Conditioning a call today at 561-395-1500. We’ll help explain the benefits and let you know which type of system will be best for you!

Why Does My Air Conditioning System Smell?

Have a musty smell coming from your A/C vents? Florida’s warm, humid climate is a breeding ground for mildew and there may be some growing in your ducts. If you don’t take care of this problem, it can pose potential health hazards.

Wondering how you can get rid of the smell of mildew? Follow these steps:

• Check the filter. If it’s dirty you need to replace it clean it right away.
• Dirt and debris often forms in the condensate drain and pan. To check, unscrew the condensate drain from the coupling and remove the drip pan. After you’ve removed the visible debris, pour a bit of bleach or white vinegar into the pan and replace.
• Check the ducts in your basement or attic for leaks. If air is leaking out, it means that moisture is getting in and forming mold. Patch any leaks with tape or putty immediately.

If there is still a musty smell coming from your vents after you have performed these tasks, call Aspen Air Conditioning. Mold may be collecting inside of the unit itself and should be cleaned by a professional.

3 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality

Formaldehyde, fire-retardants, radon. Think these harmful chemicals are only found outside? Wrong. They are often found inside your home and you may be breathing them in. Find out how to improve your indoor air quality below:

1. Keep Your Floors Clean: believe it or not, chemicals and allergens build up on your floors’ surfaces. Make sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to ensure that dirt and dust won’t blow back into the air. Vacuuming your floors isn’t always enough. Mop your floors after vacuuming to clean up dust and dirt the vacuum left behind.
2. Keep The Humidity Under Control: moisture is mold’s best friend. Keep the humidity levels in your home down between 30%-50% by using a dehumidifier. Running your air conditioner in the summer will also help to keep humidity levels down and reduce indoor pollen levels.
3. No Smoking!: if you or anyone in your family smokes, it is contributing to poor indoor air quality. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals that pollute the air. If you must smoke, please do so outdoors.

Aspen Air Conditioning is a proud preferred installer for Home Depot in Boca Raton, Pembroke Pines, Ft Lauderdale, West Palm Beach & all of Southeast Florida. We specialize in all aspects of professional HVAC repair and installation including indoor air quality systems. Give us call today at 561-395-1500.

Attack Your Allergies With An Indoor Air Quality System

Itching, sneezing and coughing? Seasonal allergies can really make your life miserable and they can affect more than just your senses if left untreated. While some medicines may help, often times the causes of allergies are far more severe and require another solution. Want to get down to the cause and attack your allergies once and for all? An indoor air quality system may help.

Mold, dust mites and pet dander are three primary causes of allergies in your home. We understand how unpleasant it can be to be sneezing and coughing in your own home, and it can be prevented!

An indoor air quality system in your home can really make your living environment more comfortable. What can this type of system do to help me fight my allergies?

1. It will help eliminate up to 85% of gases and odors in your home.
2. It can get rid of up to 99% of airborne and surface microbials.
3. The overall air quality in your home will increase so you won’t breathe in pollen and other airborne allergens.

If you suffer from allergies all year round, and would like to discuss how an indoor air quality system can help give Aspen Air Conditioning a call today at 561-395-1500. Remember to follow us on Twitter for everything you need to know about creating a more comfortable environment in your home.