As the summer slowly transforms into fall, one of the things you need to keep an eye on is your indoor air quality.

Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, whether it’s at home or at work. In Florida, you’re dealing with a lot of humidity, even in the fall months, so maintaining indoor air quality can be tricky. High humidity means more moisture in the air, which increases the likelihood of mold and other allergens.

If you want to take matters into your own hands, you need to think about suitable HVAC upgrades for Florida’s fall weather. Today, we’ll look at some of the best HVAC upgrades you can make to improve your indoor air quality in St. James City.

Poor indoor air quality won’t just make you feel uncomfortable, it’s detrimental to your health. Read on and learn how your HVAC system factors in.

Install a Dehumidifier

As we mentioned previously, humidity is the enemy of good indoor air quality. The biggest issue that arises with an excess of moisture in the air is that it harbors bacteria, which can quickly lead to mold.

Mold is problematic for a number of reasons. Firstly, it can eat away at various components of your home. In the worst circumstances, if it’s behind your walls and floors, it can potentially cause structural damage to your house.

There’s also the health aspect that you need to worry about. Many people are allergic to mold, which can lead to respiratory problems, lightheadedness, headache, coughing, and sneezing.

If you want to avoid mold, you need to cut it off at the source. Installing a dehumidifier in your HVAC system will ensure that you can regulate the moisture in the air. Keeping it between 30-50% humidity should keep you safe from mold and other airborne bacteria.

Prioritize Ventilation

How much fresh air you allow into your home has a huge effect on your indoor air quality. As more fresh air enters the home, more stuffy indoor air is displaced. A simple way to do this is to open your windows up for a few hours per day, but you can make ventilation upgrades as well.

For instance, try installing more fans that carry exhaust outdoors, particularly in the bathroom and kitchen. This type of ventilation helps you carry contaminants from problem areas to the outdoors, improving your overall air quality.

You can go a bit further and install a mechanical ventilation system. These use a series of ducts and fans to circulate fresh air throughout the home rather than relying on open windows and small holes and cracks in the home’s walls.

Increase Air Circulation

Boosting air circulation will help you with things like stuffiness, temperature shifts, and polluted air. The best way to do this is by taking control of your HVAC system’s blower motor, which is easy with a newer thermostat.

The blower motor circulates the conditioned air throughout your home, but it’s usually only active when the HVAC system is on. Check your thermostat to see if you can set your fan to “on”, which will keep the blower motor going even when the HVAC isn’t engaged.

When air is circulating more frequently, it’ll be more filtered and healthier, especially for those suffering from asthma and allergies. The fan blowing constantly may make your home cooler, so if it’s uncomfortable, try to do it as much as possible.

Furnace Filter Upgrades

Your furnace filter is the first line of defense against dirt, debris, and other contaminants that tarnish air quality. The filters also protect your HVAC system from these same contaminants so that they don’t harm the more sensitive components.

Standard air filters need to be changed every 30-90 days. If you fail to change them, they’ll clog up and your system will have to work harder to regulate your home’s air. Over time, the strain on your system will cause major problems, which will lead to expensive repairs.

If you want to upgrade your furnace filters, you can opt for pleated or electrostatic filters over fiberglass or polyester ones. Pleated filters have more surface area, which helps them remove more pollutants. Electrostatic ones use an electric charge to create static, which attracts pollutants.

Air Purifiers

Air purifiers are another great way to boost indoor air quality. You can either get one installed directly on your HVAC system to do the whole house or get a portable one to take around to different rooms.

These devices remove unwanted particles from the air and then send the purified air back into the room. It does this several times per hour using additional filtration. Some devices guarantee that 99% of unwanted airborne particles are removed in the purification process.

The benefits of air purifiers are plenty. It helps relieve asthma symptoms, gets rid of unpleasant odors, and promotes better sleep, in addition to some of the other perks we’ve already discussed.

New Thermostat

Thermostat technology has come a long way in the last 10-15 years. Smart thermostats allow you to control your HVAC system in a more effective way. Not only does this help you lower bills, but it can improve indoor air quality as well.

It does this through automation. You can set your smart thermostat to heat and cool certain rooms at certain times of day. This ensures you’re conditioning the air in a sensible way for your home.

Other benefits that you’ll see from a new thermostat are more energy efficiency and eco-friendliness. It should also improve your HVAC system’s lifespan because it helps the system work more efficiently.

Making the Right HVAC Upgrades for Your St. James City Home

If you want to improve indoor air quality in your home, it’s time to look at some of these HVAC upgrades. Central HVAC systems are the one component that gives you control over your air quality, so perform an IAQ test to learn more about where you can improve yours.

To find out what HVAC features you can implement, you need a great heating and cooling professional. At Florida Cooling Solutions, we’ve been helping St. James City residents deal with their air quality since 2004. Contact us today to discuss your HVAC needs with a dedicated professional.