HVAC professionals talk a lot about the temperature side of the business. Because keeping cool or staying warm are such big customer concerns, this makes sense. Arguably, indoor air quality is just as or more important, and ventilation plays a key role.

Use Ventilation, Because Still Air is Unhealthy Air

Is your home clean? It could be spotless and there would still be billions of other organisms sharing the same space. Bacteria, viruses, mold, spores, and more hang out on your walls, your floors, your furniture, and your you. Then there are the contaminants you create inadvertently by running modern appliances or using consumer goods like hairspray, nail polish, glue, and others. Just because you stop smelling those contaminants after a while doesn't mean they aren't in the air any more. All that stuff needs to be removed from your house and the air cleaned on a regular basis. In fact, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends you change your interior air completely every four hours.

How Do You Do That?

When the weather is nice in spring, summer or fall, just open the doors and windows. Make sure you use screens to keep insects out. No need to solve one problem and create another! When the weather outside is too uncomfortable to ventilate by opening up the house, you're going to rely on your HVAC unit. Keep your air filter clean and make sure your system is changing the air out as effectively as it should be. If you're not sure if it is or not, contact an HVAC professional. They can inspect your home and let you know what's what. Should you need more ventilation, there are air ventilation systems available to help keep your interior air as fresh and clean as your family deserves.