​Your home is a safe space. A place to relax, be yourself and enjoy precious time with your friends and family. You take extra measures to make sure your home stays safe like adding a security system, keeping up with routine maintenance and spraying for pests, for example. But have you ever thought about how the air you breathe in your home could be negatively affecting your family’s health over time? 

Indoor air quality refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment.
According to the EPA, Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations (1).

​These pollutants can include:

• Fuel-burning combustion appliances
• Tobacco products
• Building materials and furnishings as diverse as:
  • Deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation
  • Newly installed flooring, upholstery, or carpet
  • Cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products
• Products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies
• Poor performing central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices
• Excess moisture
• Outdoor sources such as:
  • Radon
  • Pesticides
  • Outdoor air pollution

Individuals with pre-existing conditions may have a harder time with poor indoor air quality conditions but even a healthy individual may experience symptoms like increased allergies after being continually exposed to poor indoor air conditions.
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Symptoms could include (1):

• Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.
• Headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
• Respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer.

Luckily, there are several ways to combat poor air quality conditions in your home or office.

1. Change your air filters regularly. Around every 90 days you should replace your air filter to help maintain good air flow and keep particles and allergens out of the air you breathe. If you have multiple pets in the home or your air conditioning unit is working harder, like in the summer, you may want to replace your filter sooner than 90 days.
2. Schedule an antimicrobial fogging with duct cleaning service. This kills microbes and mildew that may be growing in the air ducts. After fogging it is recommended to have your ducts cleaned to remove the debris which prevents regrowth.
3. Invest in advanced media filters or Air Scrubbing Technology like the Aerus Air Scrubber: These options are designed to filter and kill bacteria, viruses, germs, odors and more as air is pulled through the unit, releasing clean air into your home. 

A licensed HVAC company will be able to go over all the indoor air quality improvement options available and see which one will best suite your family’s budget and needs.
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We offer a wide range of options here at Country Air and are always happy to answer your questions and give free estimates. Give us a call at 281-356-8564. 

​Your AC works hard to keep you comfortable during hot summer days. These tips will make your AC more efficient and keep your home feeling good all summer long (and here in Texas, you know we are talking through December). 

1. Have a professional come out to do a spring maintenance check before it gets hot. This will ensure your AC system is tuned up and ready to perform wonders all summer long. Regular maintenance also helps to:

• Increase the life expectancy of your system.
• Ensure your HVAC system is running at optimal efficiency and lowers the cost of your energy bills.
• Reveal potential problems before they get worse.

2. Program your thermostat. The less your air conditioner is in use, the less wear and tear it endures and the longer it can last! If you have a programmable thermostat, setting the temperature by day and time is a great way to reduce the unit’s overall usage. Some people think turning their unit off completely while away will result in more energy savings, but this is not true. 

We recommend setting the temperature higher during the time you are away and lower during the time you are home. A few degrees higher than your desired indoor temperature is a good general temperature to set for most homes when you are away.
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Don’t have a programmable thermostat? We highly recommend getting one! You’ll save money in the long run. 

 4. Change your air filters. Changing out your HVAC unit’s air filter is a simple process that many of us don’t do as often as we should. Around every 90 days you should replace your filter to help maintain good air flow and help keep particles and allergens out of the air you breathe.

If you have multiple pets in the home or your air conditioning unit is working harder, like in the summer, you may want to replace your filter sooner than 90 days.

5. Turn off exhaust fans. After cooking or bathing, turn off your exhaust fans once they have been running about 20 minutes. If you ever need to replace your exhaust fans consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise options. Never leave exhaust fans running for long periods of time as it can become a fire hazard. 

5. Draw the curtains. During the hottest part of the day or times when the sun is shining in your home’s windows, keep your blinds closed and shades drawn. This will help keep your home’s interior temperature from rising and keep your AC from running harder than it needs to. Additionally, planting large shade trees or installing awnings on your home with also help to diffuse the sun’s intense heat. 

6. Turn on a fan. If you feel the afternoon heat creeping in, don’t turn down the thermostat just yet. Try turning a ceiling fan on first. This will help to circulate the air and instantly cool you down without making your AC unit run harder. 

7. Check your attic insulation. If you have an older home that is not energy efficient you may want to get your attic inspected to see if you need additional blown in attic insulation. The smaller particles of blown insulation fit tightly in all the nooks and crannies of your attic which provides a superior seal, preventing hot or cold air from entering your home.

8. Upgrade your AC unit. If you are looking to replace your AC unit, consider energy-efficient equipment for the best cost savings long term. Ask your HVAC professional about 2-stage or variable speed options.

If your AC unit still can’t keep up it might be time to get it professionally inspected. A Certified HVAC Technician can easily identify and often fix cooling problems on the spot.
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Country Air provides 24/7 AC service. Give us a call at 281-356-8564 and let us earn your trust. 

​In today’s world, people are seeking out ways to keep their home and the air they breath as clean as possible. We are thrilled help our customers looking to fight not only COVID-19 but many other viruses, bacteria, and contaminants.

Aerus, the global leader in surface and air purification solutions came out with scientific evidence this past year from a FDA-compliant, independent lab establishing that their ActivePure® Technology available in their products kills COVID-19 on surfaces and in the air. This is exciting news for homeowners and small business owners because ActivePure® Technology is available in Country Air’s number one selling indoor air quality product: the Air Scrubber.
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The Air Scrubber is an affordable piece of equipment that easily installs into your HVAC system’s ductwork. It continuously works to remove surface contaminants, air pollution, VOCs, pet dander, odors, and dust, resulting in a clean and healthy environment for the people you care about. 

​ActivePure® Technology inside the Air Scrubber uses light waves and a catalytic process to produce scrubber ions hydro peroxides that destroy contaminants on surfaces and in the air. It features a high intensity UVC light that makes use of the same oxidation and ionizing properties of light as naturally occurring in sunlight.

​The ActivePure® Technology built into each Air Scrubber by Aerus is based on a variation of the technology originally developed for use on the International Space Station and is recognized as the exclusive Certified Space Technology™ in its category. Which is pretty cool if you think about it - telling your neighbors that your home is protected by space technology can be a great conversation starter.

Call us at 281-356-8564 or fill out the form below to be contacted today. We look forward to answering your questions and earning your indoor air quality trust.
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Learn more about the Air Scrubber by Aerus.