Preparing Your Indoor Air Quality and HVAC System for Coronavirus

The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting so many of us and our loved ones. While our communities weather this storm together, we are all becoming far more aware of cleanliness and sanitation best practices. Our team at Daniel’s is committed to doing our part, not just with our own team members’ diligence, but also with educating our customers on how to keep your home as clean as possible, and coronavirus free.

What is Coronavirus?

Coronavirus is a highly contagious respiratory illness. There are many different kinds of coronaviruses, but the particular one currently plaguing us is a new strand known as COVID 19. It originated in Wuhan, China, and has since quickly spread across the globe. While symptoms and severity vary from person to person, typically sufferers report coughing, fever, and shortness of breath. 

Because it is highly contagious, rapidly spreading within communities and large gatherings, social distancing and diligent cleaning have been encouraged and in some cases enforced throughout Austin, Texas, the nation, and globally. 

Keeping Your Home Air Healthy and Clean

Truly guarding against viruses, pathogens, allergens, and other health hazards in your home is not just a matter of wiping down surfaces, vacuuming, and other typical household chores. Once you’ve disinfected all surfaces, and scrubbed down your home, it’s time to look at the quality of the air you’re breathing.

We spend a significant amount of our time in our homes to begin with. With our current quarantine from the virus outbreak, that time is adding up, and so are the unhealthy particles you’re breathing. In fact, indoor air quality can be up to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.   

The Secret To Clean Home Air

The first step is to schedule an IAQ evaluation. At Daniels, our team can evaluate the quality of your air by running a camera through your duct system to see what is being pushed into your air every time you turn on your AC. This can be anything from dust, to mold and mildew. Once our evaluation is complete, we provide a thorough report of your air quality, breaking down exactly what is in your air, and a list of recommendations to address any unhealthy airborne substances identified. 

Some common recommendations we come across from our air quality evaluations include:

  • Thorough air duct cleaning 
    • Do not try to handle this one on your own. A professional air duct cleaning company is far better equipped to thoroughly clean out your air ducts  to ensure lasting air quality and breathability. 
  • Update or maintain HVAC equipment
    • Older or poorly maintained HVAC systems are far more likely to contain particle build-up that can then circulate in your home air when you turn on your AC. 
  • Disinfect your HVAC with UV 
    • Fresh Air UV Systems, such as APCO and IWave, can disinfect your HVAC equipment and purify your air by capturing microorganisms, even viruses, that your typical HVAC filters can’t. For something like coronavirus, you would need a system that can provide the specific UVC dosage that the virus needs to be inactivated. 
  • Install In-duct air purifiers and an air filtration system
    • These can help eliminate all kinds of pathogens and allergens before they permeate your home’s air

Get Your Indoor Air Quality Tested

Keeping you and your loved ones healthy and safe is our highest priority at Daniel’s, which is why we only use the highest quality equipment, in the hands of experienced professionals to determine what your home needs to purify the air you breathe.