How to Remove Viruses from Home Air Ducts
All of us want to keep our family healthy and safe. And when it comes to air pollution, viruses, airborne diseases, etc., we usually believe that our home is the safest place where our family can be. However, this may not always be the case. You may not realize it, but HVAC-borne germs and viruses that linger in your home air ducts can pose a threat to your family’s health. This is why it’s essential to regularly clean and sanitize your HVAC system to keep it free from harmful viruses. After all, prevention is always better (and cheaper) than cure.
Below are the best ways to reduce the presence of home bacteria in your HVAC system. Check it out and decrease the risk of you and your family contracting airborne diseases.
Keep your home well ventilated.
Innovations in HVAC technology have indeed made our lives so much more comfortable than it was before. While HVAC systems make our homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer, relying heavily on it means we are mostly using recycled air, which isn’t ideal at all. This means that germs that enter your home aren’t being removed. As air circulates through your HVAC system, so do the germs in it.
The good thing is that you can prevent this from happening by keeping your home well-ventilated. Turning off your AC, opening your windows from time to time, and using ventilation fans are effective ways of getting rid of stale air, thus removing viruses from your home.
Control humidity levels.
Flu and other viruses thrive more in low humidity environments. By keeping the humidity in your home moderate, you are eliminating those harmful viruses, thus keeping your family healthier.
Based on studies, homes with an ambient humidity of 40 to 60% tend to have lesser germs and flu bacteria in the air as well as on surfaces like sinks and counter-tops.
Related Post:
You may want to start with using a hygrometer. It’s a tool that will help you monitor the humidity levels in your home. Hygrometers are usually available in home improvement stores. You may also easily find them online. Finally, investing in an appropriate humidifier for your house or a specific room is a worthwhile investment that can keep airborne diseases at bay.
Utilize the power of ultraviolet light.
Not many may know it, but ultraviolet light is effective in fighting airborne germs. Back in the 1900s, UV light was used to fight off the virus that causes tuberculosis. However, since UV-C light production, which is the only type of UV light that can kill germs and viruses, was expensive, not many could use it back then.
However, that is no longer the case. Germ-killing UV light is now more affordable than ever so a lot of people are now using it in combination with other sanitizing procedures they have in place. Moreover, a lot of home HVAC applications now utilize UV light to improve indoor air quality.
Invest in house filters.
As initially suggested, turning off your AC opening your windows is the best way to filter and get rid of stale air in your home. However, in certain seasons like winter and summer, opening your windows isn’t practical. Fortunately, you don’t need to open your windows during those seasons by investing in an air filtration system like iWave. It’s a whole-home solution that keeps your air ducts clean and helps purify air as it works its way through your central AC unit.
Single-room air purifiers are also available and can significantly reduce the number of harmful germs and bacteria in your home’s air. Be sure to look for air filters that come with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter since these are the most effective.
Air flirtation is also great for preventing allergies since a HEPA filter does not only remove germs and bacteria, but it can also remove dust, pollen, and other allergens floating in the air. Like humidifiers, they can be installed on a room-by-room basis or centrally to cover your entire home.