With the recent wildfires in Canada and the subsequent effect they’re having on our local environment, you may be wondering what you can do to stay safe when the outdoor air quality is poor. It isn’t as simple as staying indoors until the poor air quality warnings expire, because that outdoor air can find its way into your home and cause issues for you and your family. If you’re worried about the current air quality and want to safeguard yourself and your family, here are a few simple suggestions you can follow.
- Wear a mask if you must go outdoors. Masks can help you keep from inhaling pollutants, like pollen or smoggy air. Make sure the mask fits tightly around your nose and mouth.
- Keep your windows closed. While it’s always tempting to open windows this time of year, on days when the air quality outside is poor it’s a good idea to keep them shut – and keep the pollutants outside.
- Avoid running window fans and AC units. This can bring polluted air indoors. And while you can’t see the particles in the air caused by fires or pollinating plants and trees, they’re there, and can easily enter your home via your fans or air conditioners.
- Check the air quality regularly. As we’ve seen recently, the air quality can change dramatically over the course of just a few hours. The AirNow website has up-to-date information as well as air quality forecasts, so you can plan accordingly.
- Consider air purification. An air purifier can help to remove pollutants from the air in your home. You can buy portable air purifiers at most larger department and home improvement stores. If you or a family suffers from respiratory conditions, you may want to talk to an HVAC professional about whole-home air quality solutions.
Of course, you can always count on Stafford Mechanical Services to help you should you have any additional concerns about the quality of the air in your home. Just give us a call at (860) 684-9485 and we will be more than happy to help you.
Once spring and early summer arrive, trees start to bud and flowers start to bloom, and people all throughout the neighborhood start to get their lawns in shape. While this is a time for enjoying the beauty of nature, it can also be difficult for anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies.
Most people love the idea of coming home to cool comfort once the temperatures start to heat up outside. Nothing beats the heat like an air-conditioned home, but for homeowners who do not have ductwork in their homes, central AC is not an option. Oftentimes, people with boiler, baseboard, or other forms of radiant heat rely on window air conditioning to keep them cool.
Once spring arrives, people start to think about warmer days ahead. For many homeowners, that means ensuring that their air conditioning system is ready to keep them cool once the higher temperatures hit. Spring is a great time to make sure your air conditioning system is working properly, and one of the best ways you can do that is by getting it the preventive maintenance it needs.
Too often, homeowners discover that their home’s heating system isn’t working as it should during the coldest parts of winter. It can be discouraging to discover that you might need a new furnace or boiler when the temperatures outside are at their chilliest, but replacing a failing heating system can be the best choice for you and your family for several reasons.
When the winter weather rolls around and the chillier temperatures creep in, people rely on their home heating system to keep their homes toasty and comfy. If you have a forced-air heating system, such as a furnace or a centralized heat pump, you may have noticed that while the temperature of your home is comfortable, the air in your home might be drier than usual.
Once the cooler weather arrives, most homeowners rely on their heating system in order to stay comfy and warm. Annual heating maintenance is your first line of defense when it comes to your home’s heating system. It ensures your system is operating effectively and efficiently, and that any small problems are handled before they become larger and more expensive ones.
With the arrival of autumn, many people start to think about the chilly weather ahead and getting their homes prepared once the cooler weather rolls in. If you have a space in your home that doesn’t have heating, you might be wondering how to make it a room you’ll be able to use all year long. Many people worry about using space heaters in these areas for a variety of reasons.
Now that the summer months are over and the fall season has arrived, many people are preparing their homes for the cooler weather ahead. Most homeowners use the autumn season to make improvements to their homes, including getting their lawns ready for winter, making small repairs to their homes, and cleaning dirt and debris that has accumulated in their home’s gutters during the summer.
While most people look forward to all that the late summer and early fall months have to offer, it can be a less-than-comfortable time for seasonal allergy sufferers. Fall allergies are generally caused by a number of things, but the biggest culprits include mold, ragweed, and other weed pollens. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot to do when it comes to the air outside during this season, but you can make a difference where the air inside your home is concerned.