Our homes should be havens – places where we can relax, recharge, and breathe safely. But if the indoor air quality in your home is not up to standard, it could instead be making you sick. Mycotoxins – toxic substances caused by fungi – already cause a $5 billion impact on the economies of the US and Canada each year.
The good news is that there is something you can do about microbial growth in your home. There are several microbial growth treatments that can improve your indoor air quality. This may have a positive impact on your family’s health.
What Causes Microbial Growth in Homes?
Microbes are tiny, invisible living things that are all around us. They’re in our water, our soil, and even our air. We also walk around with millions of microbes on our bodies each day.
Some microbes are vital for our health. Others can make us sick. Some common types of microbes we need to do battle with are:
Viruses
Fungi (molds, mildew, etc.)
Bacteria
Most of our homes have HVAC systems that move cooled or warm air around the house. When they’re working well, the air can be clean and refreshing. But if they are not regularly serviced and cleaned, they could spread dirty air instead.
How HVAC Systems Harbor Microbes
Microbes generally flourish in warm, humid conditions. When AC units heat and cool, condensation can form. The drip pan and condensate line are there to flush this away, but it’s tough to get rid of it entirely.
The condensate line can also become clogged if it is not cleaned regularly. This can create a breeding ground for mold and bacteria.
High humidity levels are also problematic. If it’s regularly over 50%, mold and mildew can start to proliferate. You’ll see it on walls, ceilings, and other porous surfaces.
The ductwork can also develop mold. If it is not well sealed, dust and dirt can accumulate, which is then blown around the house.
Regular inspections and repairs can keep this issue at bay. Around every five to ten years, it’s a good idea to schedule a thorough cleaning of your ductwork.
The Impact of Poor Air Quality
According to the EPA, short-term exposure to airborne pollutants can cause symptoms. It can also aggravate existing conditions, such as asthma. The effects vary from person to person, but some of them include:
Eye irritation
Coughing
Headaches
Dizziness
Fatigue
Microbial growth exposure treatment varies, depending on the severity of the reaction. Children, seniors, and people with respiratory conditions are particularly susceptible to microbial growth.
Treating Microbial Growth
The first line of attack is to reduce the relative humidity in your home. It should remain between 30-50% at all times to prevent mold and mildew from building up on porous surfaces.
Duct Cleaning
Duct cleaning is an effective way of manually removing microbial growth that is happening in your ductwork. It’ll remove dirt, dust, bacteria, and anything that pests have left behind. It’s important to schedule this every few years or more frequently if you have breaks or tears in your ductwork.
Follow it up with air duct sealing, and you’ll be able to breathe easily for years to come.
Air Duct Sealing
Leaky air ducts allow fumes, dust, and dirt into the ‘lungs’ of your home. This means that the air circulating around your home could aggravate allergies and asthma among your family members.
Aeroseal air duct sealing is a revolutionary treatment that efficiently seals your air ducts with minimal fuss. It’s an important part of a microbial growth treatment plan because it can stop mold from developing in your ducts.
As well as reducing microbial growth, it can also reduce your energy bills and put less strain on your HVAC system. It’s a win/win treatment.
Air Purification Treatment
An air purification system is the most effective treatment for microbial growth. It doesn’t just reduce the conditions that are conducive to microbial growth. Air sanitization eliminates them.
Sterionizer is an outstanding example of this technology. It uses bipolar ionization air treatment technology. It sounds complicated, but it’s just copying what already happens in nature.
How the Sterionizer Works
In the natural world, thermal energies generate positive and negative ions. They do this by breaking down oxygen molecules. These ions combine with water in the air to form hydrogen peroxide molecules.
These molecules grab hold of harmful particles and eliminate them, cleaning the air. They remove harmful microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, spores, and viruses.
The Sterionizer works the same way. It becomes an integral part of your HVAC system. It releases positive and negative ions into the air.
These ions create an effective microbial growth treatment. They can eliminate 99% of microbial growth from the air, including the COVID-19 virus. It creates no harmful byproducts or emissions, just cleaner, healthier air.
The Advantage of Using the Sterionizer
The Sterionizer system does not require lots of cleaning and maintenance to keep cleaning your air. In fact, it works continually and cleans itself.
You and your family will be able to enjoy cleaner, safer air with zero worries.
Choose Anton’s for Microbial Growth Treatments
At Anton’s Plumbing, Heating/Cooling, & Energy Experts, we understand the dangers of microbial growth. That’s why we now offer a range of services to help you keep it under control.
It all starts with duct cleaning and sealing. Our comprehensive service will completely restore your ductwork. Adding a Sterionizer will mean that you never have to worry about microbial growth in your HVAC system again.
To learn more about how we can transform your indoor air quality, call us at (341) 638-4711. Alternatively, schedule a service online today!
