Avoid Winter Colds and the Flu with Improved IAQ

The winter season in Cincinnati is notorious for colds and the flu. We all dread feeling under the weather – sometimes it seems these seasonal colds and flus take months to kick! Your inability to recover quickly may be caused by something that probably isn’t on your radar: your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ).

While germs and viruses can be tracked into the home from school or work, poor air quality can keep them there, affecting your ability to recover and spreading your illness to other family members. When sick, most of us rest and recuperate in our homes; when air quality is poor, your home cannot serve as a comfortable respite spot.

How illness is spread

When the heating system is on in your home, air circulates throughout your living areas. It goes back into the system where it is warmed and recirculated. Air may pick up germs for your room and spread them into other areas.

Indoor air quality is a major contributor to the spread of illnesses. That’s one reason hospitals utilize heavy-duty air purifiers and other IAQ equipment. Outstanding indoor air quality builds clean and sterile indoor environments and protects patients from catching airborne diseases in the hospital.

Improving IAQ for healthier homes

This winter, your entire family can benefit from improved air quality in the home. Your furnace filter plays a big role in the health of your home. It’s important that you change your furnace filter regularly – with clean filters in place, more germs and viruses can be captured and removed from the indoor air supply. Also, we recommend that you upgrade from low-quality replacement filters to one rated MERV 8 or above. These filters can remove smaller particles, like the germs and bacteria making you sick.

Installing a whole-home air purifier is an excellent defense against sickness. Depending on the model you use, they can remove approximately 99.7% of airborne contaminants – including the microscopic viruses making your family ill.

Let Nelson Comfort keep your family healthy this winter – we’ll set you up with IAQ solutions to create a healthy indoor environment that keeps germs and viruses at bay. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

About The Author

Dan Detmer

Dan Detmer is the owner of Nelson Comfort. Dan was born into the heating and cooling industry, coming from a family of well respected HVAC contractors in Dayton, Ohio. After working in the family business, Dan decided to work for a local HVAC wholesale business helping local contractors grow their business. When he felt his heart moving him back into the residential and light commercial business, Dan joined the Mortimer Heating & Cooling team in Cincinnati, where he had called home and become part of the community for several years. After a short period of time Dan purchased the company and created what is today, Nelson Comfort. Today he operates a company based on integrity, honesty, and stellar customer service. If you have any questions feel free to tweet (at sign) NelsonComfort and we will get right back with you!