April 21, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & II • Page 25 Spring Home Improvement (ARA) As soon as the temperatures warm up, you open up the doors and windows and let the “fresh” air in. You want to get rid of winter’s stale, indoor air and replace it with the clean, outdoor air. You also go on a cleaning spree, vacuuming, dusting, and getting rid of all the dust bunnies hiding under furniture. With a fresh, clean house, you assume you’ll be breathing much easier. Think again. Air pollution is a very serious concern indoors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists poor indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental threats. It also reports indoor air is three to five times more contaminated than outdoor air, on average. “When the house is closed up for winter, pollutants in the air have nowhere to go,” according to Aaron Marshbanks, board member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. “Then spring rolls around, and the natural thing to do is open up your windows and bring new air into your house. However, this is when allergy season is at its highest, and you’re welcoming new pollutants into your home and contaminating your air with pollens.” These pollutants are then blown through your house five to seven times each day by your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. About that spring cleaning: All those dust bunnies are just groupings of millions of little particles of dust, dander, and pollen. When broken up, many of the particles return to the air, circulate through the house, and once again collect under the furniture. Some tips to keep the air you breathe inside as clean as possible include: Install hardwood floors. Carpeting traps particles, and with every step you take across it, those particles are released back into the air. Have rugs or carpets professionally cleaned. Use natural- or botanical-based cleaners instead of chemicals. Regularly change the furnace filter. Most experts recommend doing this every two months. This will help remove particles circulating through the air. Have the heating and cooling system thoroughly cleaned. Dust and other air pollutants collect in the vents, and then are picked up by the air stream and blown back into the house. NADCA recommends homeowners take off the cover of an air vent and look down the vent with a mirror and flashlight or a Make sure your indoor air is healthy this spring Decorating & digital camera. If the ducts are covered with dust or debris, it’s time for a heating and cooling system cleaning. NADCA recommends a thorough duct cleaning, and a cleaning of the evaporator coil and all parts of the system that air touches. Not only will this clean up the air inside your house, but it will also help your system work more efficiently and save money. A study taken by Pacific Gas and Electric showed that a dirty condenser coil can result in 30 percent higher energy use. ��������������������� The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing…. And your paint is peeling. Don’t let peeling paint ruin the season. Call GSG Painting today and receive your next paint project! 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