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Air ducts play an important role in your home. They circulate the air from your heating and cooling systems into and out of each room in your home multiple times a day. If neglected, air ducts can become your worst enemy. They collect dust, dirt, pollen, mold and allergens, as well as pet hair and dander, which are then recirculated throughout your home. Dirty ducts can also impede airflow, which keep your HVAC system from working efficiently.

Benefits of Air Duct Cleaning

A clean duct system means healthier air for you and your family and a more efficient HVAC system. Just as bookshelves get dusty over time, so does your home’s duct work. It can also collect dirt, pollen, allergens and pet dander — which is then circulated around your home. This significantly reduces your indoor air quality and comfort, especially for those who suffer from allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions. Additionally, dirty ducts can impede airflow, leading to inefficient flow of conditioned air and the potential to use more energy, which can result in higher bills.

Do I Need Air Duct Cleaning?

Dirty Air Ducts

If your furniture or drapes are dusty, your house is more than 10 years old, or a family member’s allergies are acting up, those are good signs that you should look into air duct cleaning services. If your home was recently remodeled, dust and allergens were likely stirred up enough to warrant a cleaning as well.

Some ducts have been dirty from the time the home was built. It was commonplace — especially in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s — for builders not to clean the ducts after completing construction. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association recommends cleaning your home’s ducts every five years.

What Is Included in Duct Cleaning?

During a Bell Brothers duct cleaning service, we start the process by taking photos of the inside of your ducts to document the “before” condition. Then, we determine the best cleaning method for your particular situation. There are two methods used for duct cleaning: a BrushBeast and a negative air machine. The BrushBeast is preferred; it uses a brushing system attached to a large, specialized vacuum that runs through the ducts. The brush goes down through the registers and back through the main trunk line.

Register grills are removed and air vent cleaning is performed during the service as well. Finally, we deodorize the ducts and provide “after” photos so you can see the difference. The entire air duct cleaning process can take anywhere from four to six hours, depending on the size of your home.

Not all air duct cleaners and services are created equal, however. Beware of low-priced services, as they often simply take off your registers and use a wet/dry vacuum to clean out the supply duct as far as it can reach. This is not what you want. A detailed cleaning helps remove unpleasant odors, improve air flow, and allow your HVAC system to operate at peak efficiency to provide you with the most cost-effective performance.

Duct Cleaning Cost

As with any HVAC service, ensure that the business is qualified and transparent about what is included in their services. Be skeptical of offers that seem “too good to be true.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), proper duct cleaning services typically range in cost from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system. The price should be determined by the size of your home, the number of ducts and their configuration. A good duct cleaning will provide five years of clean air for your family and help ensure your HVAC system is operating at peak performance.
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Air Duct Cleaning Before and After

Air Duct Cleaning Before and After

Dirt, dust mites, mold, pollen and pet dander are all allergens that can impact the quality of your home’s air and, in turn, your comfort. Even everyday activities like cooking and cleaning can have a negative effect on indoor air quality (IAQ). The good news is there are a number of HVAC products, such as an air purifier, designed to improve indoor air quality.

Importance of Home Indoor Air Quality

By improving indoor air quality in your home, you can create a healthier and more comfortable environment for you and your family. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), scientific evidence has shown that the air within our homes and other indoor spaces can be more polluted than the outside air, even in large cities. Additional research has also shown that we spend around 90% of our time indoors. Which is why paying attention to the air quality inside your home is so important to your health.

Purchase an Air Purifier for Your Home

One product we recommend to homeowners is a whole-house air purification system. Air purifiers clean and sanitize the air and are designed to reduce mold, bacteria and viruses, as well as pet dander, odors, air pollutants and smoke. Here are a few air purification products to consider to noticeably improve the air in your home:

You can learn more about other ways to improve the air quality in your home in our essential guide.

 

Air pollution is everywhere, generated by everything from cars to outdoor power plants. But, did you know the air inside your home can be just as bad – and potentially even worse – than the air outside? The EPA estimates that the air inside a home is up to five times more polluted than outside air, so it’s critical to pay attention to the indoor air quality.

Improving air quality inside your home begins with acquiring basic knowledge of IAQ and how it can affect your health and then finding solutions you can use to positively impact air quality right away.

How Does Indoor Air Get Polluted?

While you may think of your home as your safe zone from air pollution, the air you breathe may not be healthy. The primary cause of IAQ issues is indoor pollution, including allergens like dirt, dust mites, mold, mold spores, pollen and pet hair and dander that release gas or particles into the air. The National Institutes of Health estimates that over 90% of homes have three or more detectable allergens, and 73% have at least one allergen at elevated levels.

Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant issues because the amount of outdoor air is insufficient to dilute indoor sources. Other common indoor sources that can cause pollution include:

The air outside can also contribute to poor indoor air quality. It can enter through open doors or windows, ventilation systems and cracks in structures, walls, floors or ceilings. Radon is just one example of a pollutant that can seep into your home through cracks, construction joints or gaps in foundations around pipes, wires and pumps. In addition, when people enter your home, they inadvertently bring in soil or dust on their shoes and clothing from outdoors, along with pesticides and ozone. Removing your shoes upon entry is a good practice to help reduce the spread of pollutants in your home.

Several other factors can affect IAQ, including how well your home is sealed, air exchange rate, outdoor climate, weather conditions and whether you operate air conditioners, humidifiers, furnaces or space heaters.

How Can IAQ Affect Your Health?

Poor indoor air quality can have both immediate and long-term effects on your health and that of others living in your household, especially the young, elderly or chronically ill. Direct health issues caused by indoor air pollutants may appear shortly after a single exposure or later after repeated exposure. If you’ve ruled out allergies or other medical conditions, it may be worth considering your air quality. Things to look for include:

More severe and long-term health effects, such as respiratory issues, heart disease or even cancer, can show up years after exposure or after repeated periods of exposure.

If you have any symptoms or suspect you have a problem with IAQ, air quality services are available to help identify IAQ issues. These home air quality inspections can test for mold, radon and other volatile organic compounds that may contribute to health problems.

What Solutions Are Out There for Improving IAQ in Your Home?

Now that you know more about indoor air pollutants and how they can impact your air quality, it’s time to act. In addition to keeping doors and windows closed when outdoor air quality levels are poor and keeping your home clean, various options are available to help improve IAQ.

Furnace Filters and Air Cleaners

When was the last time you changed your furnace filter? An affordable way to improve indoor air quality is to change your filter regularly to help reduce dirt, dust, mold and pollen in your home. The type of furnace filter your system uses will determine how frequently it needs to be changed.

A standard 1- to 3-inch disposable filter should be changed at least once per month. Pleated filters, on the other hand, have more surface area and tend to plug up faster. These should be changed twice a month.

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and can remove at least 99.97% of airborne allergens and pollutants. These filters can be replaced about once every six months.

UV filters use short-wave ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and viruses as they pass through the HVAC unit. Most manufacturers recommend changing this type of filter every 12 months.

A high-quality air cleaner will work with the filter in your current heating and cooling system to collect indoor pollutants. For example, the Dynamic Air Cleaner can remove up to 95% of the particles in the air. Once in place, it forms an electronic polarized-filter field that captures airborne particles as the air passes through.

Air Purifiers

A great way to improve air quality at home is by using an air purification system, like the iWave-R or Aerus Air Scrubber. Air purifiers clean and sanitize the air and are designed to reduce mold, bacteria, and viruses, as well as pet dander, odors, air pollutants and smoke. Air purification accessories also mount inside the air duct and use naturally occurring peroxides to kill viruses and bacteria in the airstream.

Duct Cleaning

Air ducts collect dirt, pollen, allergens and pet hair and dander. As a result, mold spores, bacteria, fungus and mildew can grow and circulate in the air. If your home is excessively dusty or more than 10 years old, or if you’ve done significant renovations to your home, look into an air duct cleaning service. A proper duct cleaning will last five years. The service cost should be determined by the size of your home, the number of ducts and their configuration.

Humidifiers/Dehumidifiers

If you are experiencing IAQ issues in your home, a humidifier or dehumidifier can help. A humidifier can ensure that the air inside your home isn’t too dry in the winter, which can cause you to have itchy, dry skin, chapped lips or nose bleeds. A lack of humidity can also produce static electricity or split hardwood floors, causing indoor discomfort. A dehumidifier is a good idea in the summer to help take the moisture out so the air inside your home is not sticky, muggy or uncomfortable.

You likely spend a good portion of your day indoors, so keeping the air in your home clean is essential to your health and well-being. If you think your home has poor air quality, first get your air quality assessed. Then, reach out to our team of experts to request an estimate for air purifiers, humidification systems or duct cleaning services to help improve IAQ inside your home.

Are you at your best in an environment that’s constantly hot, muggy and uncomfortable? Probably not. That’s why keeping your business properly cooled and ventilated all year, especially during the summer heat, is crucial.

If employees are uncomfortable throughout the workday, it could result in some bad moods and a drop in productivity. And, without proper ventilation, you run the risk of employees getting sick more often.

The challenge then becomes keeping your environment comfortable and improving indoor air quality, without running up the utility bill each month. One solution that you may not have considered is an economizer.

An economizer, which can either be built into or mounted onto your rooftop HVAC unit, analyzes the temperature and humidity outside. When the outside temperature allows, the system uses that air, instead of your air conditioner’s cooling elements, to cool the inside of your building. In the Midwest or other humid regions, the ideal outdoor temperature is usually around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Are the Benefits of Using an Economizer?

Using an economizer can have several benefits to your building environment, your employees’ health and comfort and your business expenses.

1. Improve ventilation and air quality

Have you ever heard of “sick building syndrome?” According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it occurs when spending time in a building seemingly causes people to experience physical ailments and discomfort, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

Some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to, fever- or allergy-like symptoms, headaches, fatigue and dizziness.

Poor ventilation is one of the top causes of sick building syndrome. An economizer can improve indoor air quality (IAQ) by replacing the stale air inside with fresh air from outside. This can help eliminate the harmful impact of sick building syndrome and keep everyone feeling healthy. The annual financial benefit to reducing sick days by using an economizer could be up to $16,000, according to a 2004 study.

Read More: Tips on How To Improve Indoor Air Quality In Your Office

2. Reduce energy use and utility bill costs

An economizer uses the air outside to cool your building instead of only relying on the air conditioner to control the indoor temperature and humidity level. This strategy lowers your building’s energy consumption and the cost of your monthly utility bill. In fact, research from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory revealed a cost savings of around 38%.

3. Prolong the lifespan of your rooftop HVAC unit

Since your HVAC system runs less when using an economizer, the wear and tear on the unit will be reduced. This means less maintenance, fewer breakdowns and a longer lifespan.

Different Types of Economizers

The benefits of using an economizer are clear but, for the best results, you need to have the right one for your facility. To make that decision, you will want to contact a professional HVAC contractor.

There are three types of economizers to choose from:

1. Dry bulb

This type of economizer only senses outdoor temperature, not humidity. They are the simplest type, and are the easiest to maintain, but since they do not account for humidity, they may not provide optimal comfort.

2. Wet bulb (single enthalpy)

This type is the most commonly used. It senses outdoor temperature and humidity to provide maximum comfort inside.

3. Differential enthalpy

Of the three types, this one is the most advanced. This uses two or more sensors to measure outdoor air and humidity, as well as the return air. When the outdoor temperature is lower than the return air, the economizer will be used for cooling.

Boost Your Business With an Economizer

By using an economizer to cool your business and provide adequate ventilation, you can make your employees comfortable and cut costs on your monthly utility bill.

It’s winter in Iowa and that means dry air. Low humidity levels are often the culprit for indoor discomfort this time of year and can cause several issues, including but not limited to:

There are a number of ways to combat low humidity levels. One way is to check your windows and doors for leaks and seal them. There are also some simple DIY humidification tricks you can use, like showering with the door open to allow moisture to escape into the home, boiling water on the stove, and more.

Read More: Combatting Dry Air In Your House This Winter

But the most effective way to manage the humidity level in your home is with a centralized humidifier. Whole-house (central) humidifiers are connected to your home’s hot air ducts and cold air returns and disperse moisture into the air. They can work with your HVAC system or independently and offer a number of benefits, including:

Frequently Asked Questions About Centralized Humidifiers

If you’re new to whole-home centralized humidifiers, you may have some questions about how they work. Here are a few of the most common questions I receive from customers.

Should my humidifier run all night?

Yes. If you’re monitoring your in-home humidity with a humidistat, it is safe to let your humidifier run 24/7. A relative humidity rate between 30% and 40% is recommended in the winter. If your humidity level is outside that range, you may need to adjust the settings on your humidistat.

I suspect my humidifier is not working. How can I tell?

There are a couple of ways to determine this. First, when the humidifier turns on, you should hear an audible click and the sound of the fan starting up. You can also check to make sure water is flowing through the drain tube and out through the bottom toward the drain.

Why isn’t my humidifier getting water?

This could happen because the humidistat is not set correctly or because it is not working properly. To check, set your humidistat to the highest setting and listen for the click. If you don’t hear a click, this indicates that the electrical contacts inside the humidistat aren’t closing.

If you do hear a click but the humidifier still won’t fill with water, it probably means that another part is defective.

Centralized Humidifiers Provide Essential In-Home Comfort

Managing humidity levels in your home during every season is important for comfort, health and keeping the atmosphere balanced.

Lately there has been a renewed focus on improving in-home air quality. People are turning to products like air purifiers and air scrubbers to remove dust, pollutants, allergens and airborne pathogens from the air.

Read More: How To Improve Your Indoor Air Quality in 2021

One critical task that is often overlooked by homeowners is changing their furnace filters. In fact, many people don’t even realize they have a filter or that it needs to be changed.

A survey by The Zebra indicated that 29% of Americans never change the air filters in their homes and one in five people believes it’s not important to change their air filter.

Changing the filter is the No. 1 thing you can do to maintain your furnace without calling a professional, and it only takes a few minutes. Swapping it out regularly provides several benefits to your HVAC system:

The frequency at which your furnace filter needs to be replaced depends on the type that is used by your HVAC system. Let’s compare the different types of filters so you can set a schedule to replace yours regularly.

Different Types of Furnace Filters

A standard 1- to 3-inch disposable filter should be changed at least once per month. Pleated filters, on the other hand, have more surface area and tend to plug up faster. These should be changed twice a month.

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and are able to remove at least 99.97% of airborne allergens and pollutants. These have more surface area and can be replaced about once every six months.

UV filters use short-wave ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and viruses as they pass through the HVAC unit. Most manufacturers recommend that you change this type of filter once every 12 months.

Set Your Schedule — Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly

The longevity of your furnace filter is dictated not only by its type, but also by the cleanliness of the home environment. Filters will fill up faster if there is a lot of dust and allergens in the air.

As a general rule of thumb, you should check your filter at least every 30 days. Consider setting a reminder in your calendar or on your cell phone on the same day each month to make sure it’s getting done regularly.

When you’re designing a new commercial building, there are a lot of things to consider. As you put the floor plan together you’re trying to determine how it will be arranged, where everything is going to go and how the space can make things easy for the staff and improve the customers’ experience at the business.

Among all the logistics, one of the most important considerations is maintaining a comfortable and healthy climate inside the building, making new construction HVAC design-build a critical piece of the process.

During the design-build process, an HVAC contractor works closely with the business owner or general contractor to make sure the building has a heating and cooling system that fits its needs.

Sometimes, HVAC design-build can be a fun challenge. For example, we recently designed and installed a new HVAC system for Zora, a bar in Des Moines. This was a unique project because we had to design a system that would keep the space comfortable and well-ventilated, even though the first floor is wide open to the outside.

Let’s explore how the HVAC design-build process works.

Providing HVAC Construction From the Beginning of the Process

The process starts with a floor plan. An HVAC contractor will look at the blueprint and see the square footage of the rooms, which will give them an idea of how to size the HVAC system. But there are some additional things they will need to know.

They will need to know what you’re trying to accomplish in the space and what the needs of the business are. They will ask you about things that may not show up on a floor plan.

For example, you will have to explain how the building will be used and if there will be any heat-emitting equipment that could affect the comfort of the space. Do you have 9-foot ceilings or 30-foot ceilings?

These kinds of details could affect the size of your system and the way it is designed.

Possibly, the most critical piece of the puzzle is your budget. Depending on how much you or your client are planning to spend, there is a large variety of options to fulfill your needs.

There are lower-cost systems that will save you money today, and then there are some higher-end, more efficient options that cost more upfront, but will save money on the business’s energy bills in the long run.

Air Filtration and Ventilation a New Priority

Air pollution was not something frequently considered in HVAC design-build in the past, but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic came into our lives. Now air filtration and ventilation are priorities for businesses and their customers.

Proper building ventilation and air filtration help fight against the main causes of indoor air pollution by replacing the polluted indoor air with cleaner and fully oxygenated outside air that has been conditioned.

During the design-build process, an HVAC contractor can help optimize airflow throughout the building and recommend high-efficiency HVAC filters for the system.

Learn More: Improve Your Office Building Ventilation

Rolling With the Changes

As your floor plan comes to life and construction begins, there are almost always going to be changes. It could be because of the logistics of the construction, or it could be because you wanted to split that big office into two smaller ones to accommodate future staff.

Whatever the reason, we are accustomed to shifting gears as you make changes. We can alter the design or switch the size of the system to accommodate changes to your floor plan as your vision comes to life.

No matter the challenges you may have, we are ready to work with you from the very start to design and install an HVAC system that meets your needs.

Dry air in the house is a common issue during Des Moines winters. Humidity is most often associated with those really hot summer days, the sticky, muggy kind that make you uncomfortable. That’s because there’s too much moisture in the air. But in the wintertime, too little is often the culprit for indoor discomfort. Let’s take a look at the symptoms of low humidity levels and what you can do about it.

Dry Air in Your Des Moines Home? Here’s What to Watch For!

Winter is here, and that means dry air. Although there are a number of ways to tell if your home’s humidity is too low, we’ve narrowed it down to the six telltale signs we encounter most often.

If these sound familiar, dry air in your house could be the cause, or at least a contributor. So what now? You could check for and seal any air leaks or try DIY humidification, but the most effective way to manage humidity levels in your home is a centralized humidifier.

What Is a Central Humidifier?

Whole-house (central) humidifiers are connected to your home’s hot air ducts and cold air return and disperse moisture into the air. They can work with your HVAC system or independently and offer a number of benefits:

Types of Central Humidifiers

There are three types of whole-house (central) humidifiers — bypass, fan-powered and steam.

Depending on which humidifier you choose, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500-$1,200, plus the cost of installation.

Managing humidity levels in your home during all seasons is important for comfort, health, and keeping the atmosphere balanced. Want to learn more about humidity control options to better manage the dry air in your house? Call a Bell Brothers professional, we’re standing by and ready to answer your questions about indoor air quality and how we can help.

As many office-based workforces have debated how best to work during a global pandemic, Trent Murphy of CJM Financial in Ankeny has taken things into his own hands.

CJM Financial is a family-owned invoice factoring business whose main clientele work in the transportation industry. They support entrepreneurs and business owners by providing customized finance and business solutions to increase customers’ cash flow and help shield them from debt.

When COVID-19 hit, Trent and his staff worked remotely March through May. But working with sensitive information in various locations was not ideal.

He felt that working in the office was important, so Trent looked for ways to make the facility safer. He remembered working with us during their 2018 remodel, when we installed a new HVAC system, and reached out to see what other ideas and options we could offer.

To prepare the CJM Financial building for the staff’s return, we installed two Aerus Air Scrubbers, which help keep dust, germs, odors, viruses and more out of the air.

“They installed the air scrubbers very quickly, and they wore PPE and followed safety protocols the whole way,” said Trent. “We felt confident we would be safe coming back to work.”

In addition to improving air quality, the CJM team arranged for staff to be more spread out and work in cubicles with tall glass walls. They’re glad to be back in the office and supporting their customers to the best of their abilities.

To learn more about our indoor air quality, check out this page or give us a call at 515-244-8911.

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