Breathe Easy Indoors This Winter

As winter approaches the Hamptons, it’s important to note that homes have become better insulated, working to keep heated and cooled air indoors. “That’s the good news. The bad news is that these airtight, energy-efficient homes are also sealing in bacteria, dust, dirt, mold and other airborne pollutants,” say our friends at Hardy HVAC. “Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) experts and federal regulators warn the air inside your home can in fact be more polluted than the air outdoors, according to epa.gov. And with Americans spending nearly 90 percent of their time indoors, air filtration is an increasingly important component in the home comfort system.” So we asked Hardy HVAC for some expert tips on how to keep our indoor air quality at its peak all winter long on the East End.

AIR CLEANERS

Air cleaners allow indoor air to pass through their filters or cells to trap pollutants before they have a chance to circulate throughout the homw, thus keeping the home cleaner and fresher, longer. Some offerings include:

•Electronic Air Filtration System: Traps smoke and extremely fine pollutants that are not removed by ordinary throwaway-type filter systems. Incredibly efficeitn, this system uses the same energy as a 60-watt lightbulb!

•Mechanical Air Filtration System: When used with a high-efficiency media filter, this air cleaner is more effective than a furnace filter and rids the air of much dust, pollen and smoke.

•EZ Flex Expandable Air Filter: Easy to assemble, this mechanical air cleaner (with cabinet) features a large surface area that traps airborne dust, pollen, molds, tobacco, smoke, grease, soot, bacteria and animal dander.

HUMIDIFIERS

Adding moisture to the air inside the home can improve the quality of the air you breath. By placing moisture back into the air, these devices allow for consumers to remain comfortable at a lower heating temperature for lower energy use and greater operating efficiency. Some of Bryant’s offerings include:

UV LIGHTS

Air cleaners do a fantastic job of trapping airborne pollutants, but Bryant’s Ultraviolet Germicidal Light actually helps desroy them by penetrating down to the microbial DNA. Mounted near your indoor comfort system’s indoor coil, small lamps direct UV light to a potential spot of fungal and microbial growth. Then, once activated, the UV light goes to work cleaning the indoor coil. As part of a complete system, the UV lights improve indoor air quality.

For more on IAQ, visit epa.gov. For more information about HARDY HVAC products that address IAQ and to contact HARDY HVAC, call (631) 287-1674 or visit their website www.hardyhvac.com.