Now that the hot summer-like weather has finally arrived, more people will be starting up their long dormant air conditioning units. If you didn’t happen to clean and service your wall-mounted AC unit in the fall as you prepared your home for winter, you’ll want to give it a good cleaning now before you get it up and running to keep you cool all summer long.

Cleaning the Indoor Unit and Filters
Before you do anything, remember to turn off the unit and disconnect the power. Safety first! Once you’ve done that, you can open the unit and clean any dust inside with a dry cloth and your vacuum. The part of the inside unit you need to pay most attention to is, of course, the filter. Depending on the kind of filter your unit has, you may be able to wash it or, if your unit uses carbon filters, they may need replacement (consult the owner’s manual for your unit for directions). If you have a filter you can wash, make sure it is completely dry before you place it back into the unit.

In either case, a clean air filter will improve the energy efficiency of your unit, provide utility cost savings, and prolong the life of your unit. Dirty air filters reduce air flow and increase the noise level of your unit, as well as reduce the effectiveness of your unit at cooling your space. For people who are sensitive to allergens, dust and mould, it is vitally important that you keep your filters clean and your unit running effectively.

Cleaning the Outdoor Unit
The outdoor unit of your wall-mounted air conditioner also needs regular cleaning. You need to make sure that no plants have grown in and around the unit, clear it of spiderwebs and any other obstructions around it. Even if you did clean the outdoor unit in the fall, giving it another light cleaning in the spring is a good idea.

Inspect the unit visually to see if any parts seem damaged or worn. When you turn on the unit for the first time, pay attention to the sounds it makes (both the indoor unit and the outdoor unit). Any sustained unusual noises may be a sign that something is wrong with the unit and may need to be checked further.

The Benefits of a Professional Cleaning and Servicing
Good maintenance of your unit should also include having it professionally serviced periodically. The frequency of a professional cleaning and servicing can vary by individual preference, from annually to only when a fault is detected. A professional will give both the indoor and outdoor units a good cleaning, but will also check the components and system to ensure everything is in good working order. They may be able to detect things like coolant leaks, wear to mechanical parts that may cause issues, and any other items that could reduce the life or effectiveness of your unit.

So as you start to prepare for summer, don’t forget to take care of those things, like your wall-mounted air conditioner, that will keep you cool and comfortable this year!

Decontamination has been a trending buzzword during the COVID-19 pandemic, and with good reason. Homeowners and business owners alike are concerned about how to keep surfaces decontaminated in order to minimize the spread of the Coronavirus to their family members, and in the case of essential services, their employees and customers.

The team here at Solution D’Air have been decontaminating air ducts in residential, commercial and industrial HVAC systems for many years and during these unusual times when air quality and contamination are top of mind, we’d like to share some information about why it’s important to clean your air ducts regularly as well as some of the risks associated with a poorly maintained ventilation duct.

“Air cycles through your home about seven times a day.”

Air cycles through your home about seven times a day, and that air is very likely to contain airborne particles which collect in your HVAC ducts. And we’re not just talking about house dust. These particles commonly include flakes of dead skin, hair, pet dander, microorganisms from cat litter (toxoplasmosis), pollen, mold spores, fungi, and even rodent feces.

Combined with humidity, your ducts become the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, mites and allergens which build up and then pose a health risk. Here are some of the health risks associated with poor indoor air quality due to poorly maintained ventilation ducts:

• Headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath
• Worsening allergy and asthma symptoms
• Sinus congestion, cough, and sneezing
• Eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation
• Dizziness and nausea

Air ducts are central elements of a building, which is why they must be properly taken care of.
Proper maintenance of the air duct enables a clean and healthy environment, so you can ensure good air quality and protect the health of your family or team members. If you’re unable to have your ducts cleaned soon, at the very least we recommend removing your floor vents and hand wiping as much of the duct as you can safely reach, and changing your furnace filter.

Duct cleaning is not a DIY job
HVAC duct cleaning requires specialized tools, technology and techniques. As an example, the team here at Solution D’Air uses powerful tools to apply continuous negative pressure to prevent contaminants from spreading from the affected area. Our techniques have been trusted by clients ranging from homeowners to hospitals and we can’t stress enough how important it is to have your ducts cleaned regularly to keep the indoor air safe, to minimize the health risks associated with indoor air quality, and to maintain your system so that it can serve you efficiently for as long as possible.

Now more than ever, ensuring that the air you’re breathing indoors is free from contaminants is an important piece of providing peace of mind that we’re doing everything we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In a time when we have more time at home to spring clean, and when decontamination and disinfection are top of mind, cleaning your ducts can help keep contaminants from constantly recirculating through your home.

There’s little else on the minds of populations around the world right now than the Covid-19 pandemic and the health threat that it poses to people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s easy to feel helpless and at the mercy of the strategies and tactics put in place by our governments and local health officials, but what if there were more we could do to keep our homes healthy?

A recent HuffPost article “You are more likely to get Coronavirus where the air is polluted” French article only summarizes numerous studies and findings that show other pandemics including the Spanish Flu of 1918 and the SARS epidemic of 2002 were made worse in some areas of the world due to increased air pollution. It also makes reference to a study conducted in Italy which suggests that there is a direct relationship “between airborne pollutant concentrations and the incidence of viral infections during pollution alerts.”

While we’re practicing physical distancing and staying at home, it might feel like we’re trapped in the air around us, fearing the virus droplets it might contain. Our team of air experts want to remind our clients and readers that homeowners have the opportunity to take control over their indoor air quality, and that taking measures to increase the quality of air in our homes can help us add another layer of protection against the rapidly spreading Coronavirus.

Let’s take a look at what we know about respiratory health and indoor air quality.

Poor indoor air hurts everyone and can have lasting health impacts for some. The Canadian Lung Association points out that “People with asthma, allergies or lung disease can be greatly affected by poor indoor air quality. Poor indoor air quality can affect development in children and has been linked to lung disease later in life.”

How? Pollution plays a major role in the spread of viruses by weakening our respiratory tracts and taking away the natural protection that the tract is meant to provide. Harmful air particles also weaken our immune systems by causing inflammatory reactions, and it’s even suggested that chemical pollutants can change the structure of viruses themselves and make it easier for them to penetrate the mucous membranes and to multiply. Scary stuff.

Common symptoms of exposure to poor indoor air include:

With what we know about the Coronavirus and how it affects people, we definitely don’t want to add any of the above mentioned health conditions to the mix. And the fact that mould, mildew and high humidity in the home are the major culprits of poor indoor air quality, we can safely conclude that taking steps to increase our indoor air quality can help keep us stronger and more ready to fight the Coronavirus should we be exposed.

Air quality plays a crucial role in the spread of viruses and we have no reason to believe that the Coronavirus would act any differently.

Avoiding poor indoor air quality is another way we can fight the virus in our own homes.

So what can we do?

As we explained in our post “The importance of cleaning your ducts regularly” airborne particles floating around in the air including flakes of dead skin, hair, pet dander, microorganisms from cat litter (toxoplasmosis), pollen, mold spores, fungi, and even rodent feces collect in your HVAC ducts.

Combined with humidity, your ducts become “the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, mites and allergens.” If you’re unable to have your ducts cleaned soon, at the very least we recommend removing your floor vents and hand wiping as much of the duct as you can safely reach, and changing your furnace filter.

In addition to cleaning your air ducts and filters, we also offer 10 Simple Ways to Ensure the Air Quality of your Home. Check them out and start fighting the Coronavirus with another layer of protection in your home today.

Note: the information contained in this blog article is meant for reference only and should never replace advice given by a medical doctor or the instructions from your local health authorities when it comes to dealing with Covid-19.

Humidity levels play a major role in the quality of your indoor air. We’ve written about how dampness is one of the most common causes of indoor pollution in homes, but dryness can also lead to several health conditions and low indoor air quality.

Seasonal weather changes can make it very challenging to maintain a safe and comfortable humidity level in one’s home. In Gatineau, Ottawa and the Outaouais Region, indoor air becomes overly dry in the winter and then unpleasantly humid in the summer.

In this article, the indoor air experts at Solution d’Air answer these most commonly asked questions about controlling indoor humidity:

What is a safe humidity level in a home?

Health Canada recommends keeping the humidity above 30% in winter and making sure it doesn’t exceed 55% in summer. Ideally, it should be somewhere between those percent values at all times. You can easily measure the humidity level of your home with a hygrometer, available at most home improvement or hardware stores.

Without measuring exactly, excess humidity is easy for homeowners to spot by looking for foggy windows, the presence of mildew or musty odors, or skin that feels clammy. Overly dry air will cause discomfort in the throat, eyes and make skin feel itchy.

How can we control the humidity level in the house?

There are lots of factors that lead to excess humidity in the home. Each person in the home releases 1.25 litres of water into the air per day just through breathing and sweating alone! Add to that the moisture produced through showering, cooking and doing laundry, and before you know it, you’ve got overly humid indoor air, even during the dry winter season.

The key to getting rid of the extra moisture in the air is ventilation. Kitchen and bathroom ventilation fans are an effective way to get rid of excess humidity and condensation, but these ceiling ventilation fans also suck out uncontrolled amounts of warm or cool air that your furnace and air conditioner have worked hard to produce. In a similar vein, cracking open a window or door works well to allow moisture to escape, but is ineffective when it comes to maintaining temperature and saving energy.

So what is the best way to control humidity in the home while maintaining a comfortable temperature and reducing energy waste? Enter the air exchanger.

What does an air exchanger do to help humidity?

As the name suggests, air exchangers work by pushing stale air out of the home and exchanging it with fresh air which is filtered back into your house. These systems are very energy efficient and can be set to any level of humidity in your home; it simply gets connected to the existing ductwork on your furnace.

Air exchangers are particularly effective when it comes to controlling the humidity in your home because as the indoor air starts to grow too moist, the air exchanger will kick in and force out the moisture. At the same time, cooler, dryer air will be brought into the house by the air exchanger and this continuous cycling of fresh air in your home will create the perfect level of humidity to keep your family comfortable and healthy.

When do we need to clean an air exchanger?

As with any part of your larger HVAC system, in order to do its job of improving your health and the air quality in your home, an air exchanger needs to be properly maintained. Here are some general maintenance guidelines to follow:

For the homeowner:

For your trained HVAC professional:

If you have questions about how to control the humidity level in your home or whether or not an air exchanger can make your house more comfortable and healthy for your family, don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at Solution d’Air. We’re happy to help and are committed to helping our clients achieve the best possible indoor air quality.

Whether looking to buy or renovate an older home or commercial building, homeowners and investors are often concerned about the possible presence of asbestos. And rightly so, it can be very hazardous to the health of you and your family, and would definitely scare off potential buyers if you’re putting a property on the market.

Let’s take a look at some of our most commonly asked questions about asbestos in the home.

But first, a word of caution: If you visited this blog to find answers to the question “how can I remove asbestos from my home by myself” or were searching for “DIY asbestos removal”, be advised that asbestos abatement (removal) requires specialized methods of containing the area, removing materials and ensuring no contamination. Read on to find out why you need to call in the professionals to test for and remove asbestos from your home.

What is asbestos and why don’t we want it in our home?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral which used to be a popular choice for many home construction materials because its fibers were strong, flexible, and resistant to heat and fire. It has been identified as a toxic mineral and is no longer used in Canadian home construction. In fact, a 2018 law made it illegal to import, manufacture, sell, trade or use products made with asbestos in Canada..

Asbestos becomes a health hazard when its particles become airborne. You can’t see or smell loose asbestos particles in the air (even with a microscope), but exposure to the fine dust created by these loose fibers can cause serious and life-threatening lung diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer.

Where is asbestos most commonly found in homes?

Homes built before 1980 are the most likely to contain asbestos in various building materials. Some of the most common places we find asbestos in homes include:

What do I do if I suspect I have asbestos in my home?

First and foremost, if you suspect that a building material in your home contains asbestos, don’t touch, move, or manipulate it in any way and certainly don’t try to remove it yourself. You must call in a professional who is certified to do asbestos abatement (removal) work. This is not a job for your regular “handyman” or a local “jobber.”

Suspected asbestos fibers must be analyzed in a certified laboratory in order to determine for certain whether or not it contains asbestos. Homeowners and professionals alike are unable to identify asbestos with the naked eye and as such, it’s important to choose a trusted company to work with when making your home asbestos-free for the health of you and your family.

At Solution D’Air, we use modern techniques and tools for the effective asbestos removal and decontamination of your buildings. We care about the safety of our clients and employees, and proudly serve commercial, institutional and residential clients in Gatineau and Ottawa and would be happy to hear from you if you have concerns about asbestos in your home.

While cleaning your HVAC system’s ductwork isn’t likely on the top of your to-do list, it’s important to schedule regular duct cleaning instead of waiting until something has gone wrong with your heating and cooling system or worse, with the health of your family or colleagues. Regular preventative air duct maintenance can go a long way toward keeping your forced air system running efficiently and preserving the indoor air quality of your home or business.

Ready for the dirt on your air duct dirt?
Warning: this isn’t going to be pretty!

But it’s just dust, isn’t it?

No matter how clean your house is, fine dust will inevitably collect on your air duct surfaces, vents, motors and coils. No big deal, right? Now add in the other things floating around in the air including flakes of dead skin, hair, pet dander, microorganisms from cat litter (toxoplasmosis), pollen, mold spores, fungi, and even rodent feces. These air borne particles all stick to the dust which has innocently collected in your HVAC ducts. Add a dash of humidity and your HVAC ducts become the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, mites and allergens in your dirt coated air ducts.

5 Reasons to Clean Your Air Ducts

If the list of undesirable ingredients building up in your ductwork and affecting your indoor air quality isn’t enough to convince you to book your duct cleaning service this year, consider the fact that debris build-up in your ducts will cause your heating and cooling system to lose efficiency; running up your energy bill and increasing wear and tear on your HVAC unit.

Here are 5 reasons to have your HVAC air ducts cleaned regularly:

In order to keep your HVAC system running at its best, and your family and colleagues running at theirs, the experts at Solution D’Air recommend a visit from a professional air duct cleaning service every 3 to 5 years. If you’re looking for ways to improve your indoor air quality and cut your monthly energy bills, reach out to Solution D’Air to discuss our duct-cleaning services for residential and commercial buildings in the Gatineau region today.

Maintaining healthy air in your home doesn’t have to be a costly or time consuming affair.
If we aren’t mindful of increasing our air quality, our HVAC systems will simply circulate stale indoor air and increase the amount of allergy-inducing dust mites, pet dander, and mold spores. Even worse, when we don’t take measures to control air quality in our homes, uninvited toxins that have been introduced inside the house can linger longer.

Here are 10 simple ways to ensure the air quality of your home is at the right level to keep your family safe, and your HVAC system working at its best to keep you comfortable and healthy.

10. Air out the garage before closing the garage door

Air out the garage before closing the garage door to allow vehicle exhaust to vent outside so that it is not sucked into your home when the interior door to the house is opened.

9. Keep humidity down with cost-free fixes

Keep humidity down with cost-free fixes like running the exhaust fan longer after cooking and showering, and keeping a lid on your pots while boiling and simmering. If you hang dry your laundry, spread out your laundry loads over the week so that you don’t release a large amount of moisture into your home at the same time.

8. Choose lemon and vinegar as a natural cleaning alternative

Choose lemon and vinegar as a natural cleaning alternative to lower the amount of toxins released into the air inside your home. Even scent-free industrial cleaners can leave a residue that will affect air quality.

7. Cut back on particle board furniture in your home;

Cut back on particle board furniture in your home; it is a material that releases toxins over time. Clear out any unused pieces that you’ve been saving “just in case” and rest assured that you’ve disposed of items that were lowering the air quality in your home.

6. Choose detoxifying plants like bamboo, ivy, and dracaenas

Choose detoxifying plants like bamboo, ivy, and dracaenas that work overtime to purify the air in your home naturally. Ironically, all 3 of these plants are commonly available at IKEA right next to mountains particle board furniture (see number 7!)

5. Choose multitasking home decor which emit negative ions.

Choose multitasking home decor which emit negative ions. Beeswax candles and Hemilayan salt lamps use the same air purifying principles that mechanical air purifiers are based on. Pollen, dust, dirt, and other indoor air pollutants carry a positive charge and will fall from suspension when paired with a negative ion.

4. Increase your house cleaning frequency

Increase your house cleaning frequency, especially now that you’ve got those negative ions dropping things everywhere! (see number 5). Keeping clothes, bedding and towels clean will cut down on the number of dust mites; a common household allergen.

3. Making your home smoke-free

Making your home smoke-free by keeping tobacco products and chemical e-cigarette vapors outside will help ensure healthy indoor air quality for everyone in your home.

2. Clean your furnace filter every three months

Clean your furnace filter every three months to get rid of the dust, dander, mites and other air pollutants that have been trapped by your filter. Handle the used filter carefully to avoid re-introducing the collected debris back into the air.

1. Ventilate by introducing fresh air into your home

Ventilate by introducing fresh air into your home and pushing stale air out. If you don’t have an air exchanger, open your windows for fresh air for 10-15 minutes per day. If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times, keep the air moving in your home.

Make maintaining healthy indoor air quality a priority for your family by taking these simple steps to reduce allergens, asthma, and other effects of poor indoor air. If you have questions about how to improve air circulation, heating or cooling in your home, don’t be shy to reach out, we’re here to help!

Keeping your home dry and mould-free is vital to maintaining healthy indoor air quality for your family – something we care deeply about at Solution d’Air. Dampness is one of the most common causes of indoor pollution in homes, and this extra moisture promotes the growth of mould.

Mould, a fungus, can be both invisible and odorless, or alternatively, may produce stains of a wide variety of colours and have a strong, musty odour. Either way, mould grows and spreads if left on its own. There is no safe limit for mould in the home, and any level of mould can cause health problems such as:

Homeowners will naturally be on the lookout for moisture and mold after water leaks or flooding. But it’s important to remember that high moisture and mould growth can be caused by regular, everyday activities like cooking, doing laundry, and showering. These activities can create condensation in your walls and in addition to mould growth, can lead to structural damage and wood rot.

The key to mould control is humidity control. As such, here are some things to do to control humidity and mould in your home in order to avoid indoor pollution.

Check for existing mould

It’s important to remove any mould that already exists. Even if you don’t see any visible signs of mould or mildew, if you smell a musty, earthy odour in your home, there’s undoubtedly mould in your house somewhere and you need to find it before it leads to health problems.

Key materials to search are damp wood, paper, fabrics, drywall and insulation. Look for stains or discolouration on floors, walls, window panes, fabrics and carpets. Common damp spots include basements, closets, window sills, roofs, and around sinks, tubs and pipes.

Mould can also lurk inside walls or above ceiling tiles and is not always obvious to find. Start by checking anywhere that is damp, especially where water damage has happened.

Remember: any areas that have been water-damaged in the past and weren’t dried within 24-48 hours are at a high risk of mould growth.

Increase Ventilation

Poor ventilation is a major cause of low indoor air quality and is easy to fix in spaces that produce moisture like kitchens, bathrooms and basements.

Here are some simple solutions to help avoid indoor pollution caused by humidity and mould:
• Run kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans during, and for several minutes after cooking, bathing, or showering.
• Open windows and doors (weather permitting), or run an air conditioner with the vent control open to remove humid air and introduce cool air
• Double check that dryer, stove, kitchen and bathroom fans are venting well to the outside.
• Change or clean furnace, central heating, air conditioner, and dehumidifier filters regularly. Dust and dirt which accumulates in these filters will restrict airflow and decrease the efficiency in removing excess humidity in your home.

Decrease Dampness

Homeowners can usually clean small and moderate areas of mould on their own. If you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to find the source of the mould or deal with it on your own, we invite you to contact us at Solution d’Air immediately, to limit any additional damage to your home, and to protect the health of you and your loved ones.

Wall-mounted air conditioners, also known as ductless air conditioners, split-minis (if they also provide heat), or room air conditioners are a popular choice when a home doesn’t have an HVAC system and you don’t want a window AC unit. Wall-mounted air conditioners are an economical, energy-efficient way to add air conditioning to older homes with no ducts and are a great choice for basements, man caves, garages, and any space you want to add air-conditioning to without the expense of a full HVAC system.

It’s important to clean your wall-mounted air conditioner every autumn to extend the life of the unit and make sure it’s ready to run cost and energy efficiently next spring/summer. Cleaning your ductless air conditioner will help keep your costs down because it will keep running efficiently and last longer between maintenance visits and eventual replacement.

Wall-mounted air conditioners are connected directly to the compressor unit outside, and annual fall maintenance of your ductless air conditioner entails a quick cleaning and check-up for the parts inside and out. Regular cleaning is the best way you can prevent issues that come from neglect, like unpleasant smells or odors, growing mold, and internal pieces getting worn down, and for that, we start with the filter.

Filters

Improved air quality is a major benefit of wall-mounted air conditioners due to their highly efficient filtration systems. It’s essential then, to keep the filter inside the ductless unit clean. Fall is an important time to clean your air conditioner filter so that the accumulated dust and dirt don’t sit for the winter on the unused filter, making it harder to clean in the spring when you turn the unit on again.

Cleaning the filter of your ductless air-conditioner will also keep it running as efficiently as possible, and this, after all, is one of the main reasons that people choose wall-mounts over HVAC systems: they have no energy loss and are therefore more energy efficient and cost less to operate. A dirty filter, however, will make your wall-mounted air conditioner work harder than it needs to, and negatively affect its efficiency and your energy bill.

By cleaning your filter in the fall, your wall-mounted air conditioner will need only a light clean-up in the spring after sitting idle during the winter, and will be ready to run at maximum efficiency, minimum cost.

Coil and Condenser

Before winter comes, take time to check and clean the outside component of your wall-mounted air conditioner. Dirt and debris collect on the outdoor portion of wall-mounted air conditioners and if neglected could cause the unit to fail. Before you put your garden hose away for the winter, clean the exterior coil and condenser of your ductless air conditioner so that it’s ready to go in the spring and will help your ductless system run at it’s best to keep your indoor air clean and cool.

And one final tip, when doing your fall maintenance and cleaning for your wall-mounted air conditioner, choose a wise place to store your remote control over the winter.

Remember to tend to your wall-mounted air conditioner each fall. You’ll thank yourself when you’re sitting clean and cool in the spring while your neighbors are troubleshooting their neglected units (and looking for their remote!)

Air ducts are central elements in our different properties, which is why it is important to properly take care of them. When seasons change, their usefulness becomes even more crucial. Find out why it’s important to have your ducts cleaned in the fall.

Air ducts serve as the main channel for air diffusion in houses, schools, offices, etc, which also means that it is exposed to accumulating dirt and dust.

For example, during the summer, windows are more likely to be open, which means ducts tend to be more exposed to several elements and have more time to accumulate dust or bacteria. In addition to making air ducts less efficient, this can also affect the air quality that will be broadcast. The danger in that is that if the air continues to spread, it can have adverse effects on your health and that of your loved ones.

For these reasons, fall is the perfect season to clean your air ducts. During this transition season, habits change, windows are not open as much, and more people spend time indoors, which means that the rooms will be less and less airy. It is also at this time that most heating systems are reactivated, so it is important to ensure that the ducts are sufficiently clean.

This is not only true for houses, but also for any other very busy property such as schools, offices, shops, etc. For example, most schools close during the summer season which means the air ducts may have accumulated dust. It is therefore important to clean up before returning to class to avoid exposing students and staff members to poor air quality, especially since we know that fall is the popular season for allergies.

How do you know if you are due for a cleaning?

Certain signs are more obvious like the accumulation of dust in the duct, unusual odours or a faulty ventilation system. Also, you may have noticed the appearance of mould in some places.

For a deeper diagnosis and effective cleaning, be it residential, institutional or commercial, trust experts who will help you and guide you.

Contact Solution d’Air for more information

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