Indoor Air Quality Solutions

What Is Indoor Air Quality?

According to the United States EPA, indoor air quality is a measure of the quality of the air inside and around buildings, especially regarding the comfort and health of the people who use those buildings. Indoor air quality in a home can be much worse than the outdoor air in cities with some of the worst air pollution. You and your family might be more at risk of low-quality air in your own home than you are outside.

Air pollution causes immediate health problems, ranging from an irritated throat, nose, and eyes to fatigue; dizziness; and headaches. For people who have an existing respiratory condition, it can cause shortness of breath, wheezing and asthma attacks. In other cases, the effects look a lot like the symptoms of a cold or flu. It can also cause serious long-term health effects after prolonged or repeated exposure, like the onset of respiratory disease, cancer and heart disease. Symptoms may be slow to appear — which is why it’s so prudent to be proactive about improving your home’s IAQ.

So what exactly causes low indoor air quality? Indoor air pollutants may come from several sources, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Fumes released from paint, gasoline, wax, cleaning products, cosmetics, air fresheners, disinfectants and oil.
• Smoke and residue from smoke and tobacco.
• Damaged or dirty HVAC and humidifying systems.
• Excess humidity in the air.
• Pet dander and hair.
• Mold and mildew particulates in the air.
• Outdoor air pollutants filtering indoors through windows, doors, cracks and natural ventilation.

Common Misconceptions About Indoor Air Quality Solutions

Learn the truth about your home’s air quality and avoid these common misconceptions:

• New homes automatically have good IAQ: While newer homes typically have better insulation and windows than older homes, that can be a problem when it comes to IAQ. Newer homes that are super-insulated can contain more allergens than those with more traditional insulation. “Tight” modern homes perform much better when it comes to energy consumption and management but often don’t allow the building to “breathe” properly. Without an air quality solution at work, people living in more modern homes can actually be exposing themselves to more pollutants that are locked inside.
• Basic central air systems remove pollutants: While many HVAC systems come with air filters, these filters are typically not equipped to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In addition, a poorly maintained HVAC system — as well as ductwork that hasn’t been regularly cleaned — can add to and spread pollutants throughout your home.
• Dry air just needs to be humidified to be healthy: It’s true that relative humidity levels usually decrease in the winter. However, simply raising the level of humidity in an indoor space doesn’t make the IAQ automatically better. Since bacteria, fungi, and mold spores thrive in wet, moist environments, humidifying indoor air without cleaning can have significant detrimental effects on the IAQ of a home.
• If you can’t see or smell a problem, then there isn’t one: From carbon monoxide to radon, there are many odorless, colorless toxins and VOCs that can go undetected in a home. Plus, tiny microbial pollutants might not be visible, but that doesn’t mean they don’t pose a problem to your respiratory system. A single ounce of dust in your home can contain as many as 40,000 dust mites.
• Improving IAQ is very expensive: Of all the misconceptions we encounter, probably none is so widespread as the misunderstanding regarding the costs of an air quality solution system. Many homeowners either settle for a second-rate filtration system — or worse, don’t even research how much a professionally installed system will run them — because they wrongly assume any solution will be out of their price range. This belief simply couldn’t be more untrue. We install air quality solutions to meet all needs — and budgets.

What Is the Purpose of Indoor Air Quality Enhancing Services?

Clearly, indoor air pollutants can originate from many different sources inside the home. That’s precisely what makes them so challenging to control. At Tuckey Mechanical Services, we use the latest in so-called “capture and kill” technology to eliminate volatile organic compounds and particulate matter as well as to manage humidity.

The HVAC systems we install may optionally be equipped with highly advanced technology that captures harmful pollutants such as mold spores, dust particles, and even airborne bacteria and viruses. The system then purges these pollutants from the air and subsequently emits only purified air that’s healthier to breathe. If you have allergies, respiratory disease, or other health conditions, the simple installation of one of our air management systems can greatly improve your indoor air quality — as well as your health and overall quality of life.

Unlike regular air filters that offer only basic filtration, the optional upgraded systems we can install are specifically designed to eliminate a wide range of air pollutants with maximum efficiency. With the simple installation of one of our custom-tailored solutions, you can regain your health and that of your loved ones — and enjoy a healthier, more comfortable living environment.

Tuckey’s Approach to Improving Indoor Air Quality

At Tuckey Mechanical Services, we understand that each family and each home has its own unique requirements. That’s why, instead of offering only cookie-cutter solutions, we take the time to sit down with you to truly understand what your needs are. For example, perhaps you suffer from allergies and want to reduce the amount of dust in the air. Or maybe your child has asthma and needs a more comprehensive solution that also addresses mold spores and airborne viruses.

Whatever your situation is, we’ll carefully listen to your needs and offer solutions that meet your requirements — as well as your budget. If you’re a homeowner looking for cleaner indoor air in South Central Pennsylvania, you can’t go wrong with the residential air quality solutions that we provide. Of course, we’re not your doctor, and you should always seek qualified medical help in determining the exact causes and treatments for your and your family’s respiratory ailments. But when you’re generally seeking to improve your IAQ, we’re here to help.

We’ve been named a best-in-class business for five consecutive years by Cumberland County residents, according to a Carlisle Sentinel / Cumberlink poll. When you have us install an air quality solution in your home, you can count on it to work effectively and reduce the occurrence of pollutants in your air.

Since our team consists of professional, NATE certified HVAC technicians, skilled plumbers and electricians, you can also rest assured that the system we install will make the most sense for your home’s energy consumption. We are equipped with the knowledge and technical skills to service even the most sophisticated systems on the market. It’s why we’re proud of our “A” rating from Angie’s List, since nothing speaks so clearly to the quality of our service as the positive reviews of our pleased clients.

Remember that aggravating respiratory problems ranging from headaches and sneezing to allergies and asthma attacks can all be greatly reduced — but only if you improve the quality of the air you and your family breathe. Opening windows and doing a quick dusting may only disturb mites, mold spores, and other pollutants — or worse, allow more to enter your home. Fortunately, after consulting with us at Tuckey and installing an indoor air quality solution that meets the needs of your home and family, you can begin to breathe easier from the moment the system is activated.

Types of Products Available for Indoor Air Quality Solutions

With Tuckey on the job, you can be assured of an IAQ solution that meets the needs of your household. Here’s a brief description of some of the most common air quality solutions that we install regularly:

REME HALO Whole Home In-Duct Air Purifier

REME Halo Whole Home In-Duct Air Purifier acts as both offense and defense when protecting your home or business from viruses and odor. It utilizes charged plasma technology to actively seek out and clean your indoor air, replicating nature’s natural air purification process for a fresher, safer environment. The technology was tested using the actual SARS-CoV-2 virus — which causes COVID-19 — and proved effective at meaningfully reducing viral threats from surfaces and airborne particles. It can also help you fight other viruses, like Norwalk and MRSA, while eliminating strong odors and “sick building syndrome.”

• This product is best suited for: Homeowners seeking a cleaner, fresher and safer indoor environment or business owners who operate public facilities, like doctor’s offices, restaurants, hotels, clinics, office buildings, fitness centers, and cruise ships. Municipal facilities and churches where people congregate are also good candidates for this product.

Evolution Air Purifier

As air circulates through your home through air ducts and your HVAC system, hazardous particles from pollen, dander, smoke and other pollutants or viruses begin to collect and spread through your home. The Evolution Air Purifier attaches to your HVAC unit, removing airborne particles before they jeopardize your and your family’s health and keeping your HVAC systems cleaner in the process.

• This product is best suited for: Home and business owners seeking a regular line of defense against airborne particles that circulate through your air ducts and HVAC unit.

EZ Flex Cabinet and Filter

The EZ Flex cabinet and filter uses high-efficiency filtration to remove up to 90% of airborne pollutants that become trapped in your home. Its flexible technology can capture particles in upflow, downflow, and horizontal directions, with a convenient indicator to let you know when it’s time to change the filter.

• This product is best suited for: Home and business owners who want high-efficiency filtration protection, especially in areas that rely on frequent heating.

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

Humidifiers keep indoor air comfortable. Excessive dryness, especially during the winter and/or in extremely arid climates, can cause skin, throat, lip and nose irritations. Additionally, humidified air can help lessen the symptoms often associated with the flu and the common cold.

Dehumidifiers reduce excessive moisture levels in the home that make it a breeding ground for mold spores, dust mites and other microorganisms. A dehumidifier can help control the relative humidity of your home, allowing your HVAC system to work less to keep your indoor temperature comfortable.

• These products are best suited for: Home and business owners with excessively dry or humid air inside the building, even when windows and doors are sealed.

Ventilators

Ventilators allow a home to breathe by drawing in outside air in a measured and controlled fashion. Especially for newer homes that are often super-insulated, a mechanical ventilation system is a good idea to keep indoor air fresh, moving and properly balanced.

• This product is best suited for: Homeowners seeking whole-home ventilation to reduce stale and stagnant air. Various options are available, including compact units for smaller spaces and models with built-in humidity control.

Additional Accessories

Additional accessories to improve your indoor air quality include:

• Ultraviolet (UV) lamps
• Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms
• Air advice analyzers
• Media filters
• Electronic and UV air cleaners

Tuckey: The Name to Trust for Your Home’s IAQ

Since 1968, Tuckey Mechanical Services has met the heating, air conditioning and air quality needs of South Central Pennsylvania’s homes, including homes in our services areas such as Boiling Springs, Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Newville, Shippensburg and many more.

Our well-known expertise, professionalism and tailored solutions are why you can count on us when your family’s health and comfort are at stake.

Promote safety and health in your home with our IAQ products and take advantage of services including:

• Routine and emergency HVAC duct cleaning.
• Quick dryer vent cleaning to minimize the risk of fire and keep your machine operating more efficiently.
• Mold inspections and remediation for your home.

Duct Cleaning Service Dryer Vent Cleaning Service

Mold Remediation Service

For more information about the latest IAQ solutions from Tuckey, contact us today.