‘You need to get some fresh air’ | Health – Reading Eagle

Fresh air and sunlight are synonymous with good health and well-being, but for people who spend much of their time indoors, that fresh air may be out of reach during the winter months.

Physical issues may prevent the aged or infirm from going out of doors, so it's important that their indoor air is of good quality.

Keeping ductwork clean, vacuuming carpets to get rid of dust not to mention dusting helps to get rid of tiny contaminants in the home that can interfere with air quality.

But sometimes, professional help and the newest technologies are needed to bring indoor air quality up to snuff.

An ultraviolet light system called "Rejuvenate," used by the professionals at the Stanley Steemer franchise in Douglass Township, Montgomery County, can remove bacteria, spores, and allergens from the air, said Jeffrey Heisey, owner.

"This is fairly new, coming out about five years ago, and it can remove anything that would be an irritant for someone with allergies," Heisey said.

If the homeowner has centralized, conditioned air, the Stanley Steemer folks can install a Rejuvenate system.

The Rejuvenate system works so well, in fact, that Heisey said his company receives unsolicited testimonials from homeowners who say their health has improved since installing the system.

"We've had people come back to us to say 'no one in our house got sick this year' or someone will tell me 'when I wake up, I'm not congested,'" Heisey said. "They're getting results because when you start thinking about cold and flu season, remember that bacteria and viruses are not only smaller than dust, but many are airborne."

Heisey is the second-generation owner of the Gilbertsville business, which was started by his parents in 1978.

The Rejuvenate system requires an annual change of the ultra violet bulb to keep it functioning properly, Heisey said.

Stanley Steemer will schedule an annual visit to open up the system, change the bulb and do an overall inspection, Heisey said.

"What we do does purify the air," Heisey said.

Part of a system

A strong vacuum used by the company not only pulls dirt from carpets, but is part of a system that completely exhausts all the detritus from the home, he said.

"We are removing it, giving it a 100% cleaning," Heisey said. "We can remove a lot of pet dander, too, because we use HEPA filter vacuums."

HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate accumulator.

"The quality of the vacuum deciphers how much you're going to get out of the air," Heisey said.

Good quality indoor air can be adversely affected by the relatively new "tightness" of houses nowadays, Heisey said.

Better insulation is important. Nobody wants drafts blowing in and out of their home, but conversely, that same efficiency also keeps stale air in and fresh air out.

Sometimes, the best answer is also the easiest, Heisey said.

"We have an atmosphere we live in and that is affected by houses being tight," Heisey said. "One of the best ways to clean your air is to open up your windows on a really nice day.

"Lower pressure, barometric pressure, is outside, and is lower than house pressure, so house air will go out, and you're effectively 'burping' your house when you open all your windows and get fresh air," Heisey said.

At the Reading branch of the Merry Maids housecleaning and maintenance service in the 100 block of Love Road, high-powered HEPA vacuums are also the first line of defense used by staff to filter the air, said Tracy Visbisky, administrative assistant.

"The HEPA filtration of our vacuum cleaners does contribute to indoor air quality," Visbisky said. "They're powerful enough to attract a great many contaminants, which we'll remove from your home.

"Since the late '90s, most vacuum cleaners do come with a HEPA filtration, but it's important, if you're concerned about air quality, to use a vacuum with a thicker filter, instead of a standard filter," Visbisky said. "We use professional ProTeam vacuums, which are sold only to businesses, and we take the vacuum bag with us, so there's no chance of the contaminants being left behind."

Buy humidifier

One of the first changes to make when concerned about indoor air quality is to buy a good humidifier, said Craig Weisman, owner of Comfort Pro Inc. of Maidencreek Township.

"Your lungs like it to be moist, not dry, and that's especially important for someone who is home-bound," Weisman said. "More people are looking into buying whole-house humidifiers for their health."

Heating system duct work isn't needed for whole-house humidifiers, Weisman added.

Comfort Pro Inc. does heating, air conditioning, and plumbing, and also specializes in addressing indoor air quality. The Dries Road business also cleans and repairs air ducts.

"Homeowners can get rid of dust by using a HEPA vacuum," Weisman said.

Energy recovery ventilators, or ERVs, are a relatively new technology that can pull fresh air from outside and bring it inside, while pushing stale air outside, Weisman said.

Energy recovery ventilators temper outside air before bringing it into a home, and in winter, the ERV will preheat the ventilation air and recover moisture to bring inside; ridding the house of dust particles while increasing the humidity.

"The ERV will bring in outside air, which will get pre-filtered when it comes into the machine," Weisman said. "All three of those technologies work hand-in-hand, especially because houses now are a lot tighter than they were years ago."

Weisman is finding that more people are asking for the air-filtering devices because air exchange in their newer-construction homes is so minimal, he said.

"You need to get some fresh air in and you can do that by just running a bathroom fan," Weisman said. "It's even better if you put the fan on a timer."

While an ERV can be connected to duct work, a grill can be placed in a floor for homes that don't have the proper ductwork, and that will help to circulate the air throughout the home.

Free of dust

Heisey advises homeowners to keep that ductwork as free of dust as possible.

"Air quality is all about the duct work," Heisey said. "Make sure you can filter the air properly. A furnace filter should be changed every six months and the system itself should be maintained by a professional service. Heating systems need to be attended to."

In one year, 40 pounds of dust can collect in the ductwork of your home's heating system, Heisey said. Dust can accumulate in any air-handling system, in grill work and in vents in floors, too.

"Just regular vacuuming and dusting helps," Heisey said. "But the best thing you can do is to have a HEPA vacuum or a high-filter vacuum to catch mold spores and other kinds of contaminants."

Homeowners with radiators or baseboard heating don't have to worry about ductwork, Heisey said, but they'll still have dust collecting on mattresses, carpets, and furniture.

Heisey recommended that carpets be cleaned three times a year and mattresses not only flipped four times yearly, but be cleaned at least once a year.

"A good cleaning will help people with asthma and allergies," Heisey said. "Keeping it clean will greatly help indoor air quality."

Contact Marylouise Sholly: specialsections@readingeagle.com.

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'You need to get some fresh air' | Health - Reading Eagle