House Dust Mite

Dust Mites are a reality, they live with and feed off the human species. Are dust mites dangerous? well the short answer is yes. Dust mites themselves are not dangerous and do not drink blood like the bed bug but they can cause breathing problems and bring on allergy attacks through there fecal matter. Dust mites do not have stomachs, but the enzymes left behind after feeding are a common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms worldwide.

A typical house dust mite measures only 420 micrometers in length and 250 to 320 micrometers in width. Well not large in size they are large in numbers, a typical mattress can have as many as two million dust mites occupying it’s warm and well nourished frame. The human body losses as much as 1.5 grams of skin per day which enough to feed over a million dust mites.

Male dust mites only live an average of 19 days well the female dust mite can live up to 70 days well laying as many as 200 eggs in the last five weeks of it’s life. Dust mites like the warm and humid area’s, if exposed to temperatures below 20 degrees celsius for any length of time will prove fatal to the dust mite, a relative humidity of 50 or less usually proves fatal also. A quick run through the washer will remove any fecal matter left by the dust mite and a tumble through the dryer for more than ten minutes at greater than 60 degrees celsius will kill any remaining mites.

House dust mite allergens are among the most common triggers of asthma, symptoms include itchiness, sneezing, inflamed eczema, watery eyes, running noses and clogged lungs.

As far as eliminating dust mites by furnace duct cleaning your heating system is concerned, there is no evidence that performing this service will help remove the mites from your home. Yes some dust mites will exsist in the return air system after being blown from room to room by the powerful furnace fan but the real problems lyes in your bedding and furniture.

Using a service like “Bed Doctors” would be a better option at removing the dust mites from the source of the problem, regular cleaning of the bedding and using a powerful vacuum to clean your mattress, furniture and draps would go a long way in eliminating the problems. Companies such as the “Bed Doctors” use ultraviolet light to kill all remaining dust mites after a vacuuming has removed the main population. UV light given enough time will kill 100% of bacteria, molds and other micro-organisms.

You can look at our products page and view the Sanuvox systems that we offer that can be used in the duct system or as a stand alone product placed in any room of the home.

Hope that this helps clear any misconceptions that you have concerning dust mites and Air Duct Cleaning.

A-1 Ductworks is a Furnace Duct Cleaning company located in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada you can contact us at 780-598-5966 for free estimates on improving your indoor air quality.

Usually the systems of SBS are sensory irritation of the eyes, nose, throat; neurotoxic or general health problems; skin irritation; nonspecific hypersensitivity reactions; and odor and taste sensations.

SBS is one of the leading casues of employee’s missing work in North America and costs businesses hundereds of millions per year. Great lengths have been taken to prevent and correct the causes of SBS. What can you do to identify and correct the problems associated with SBS?

1. Pollutant source removal or proper storage of chemicals in your building. Storage of harsh chemicals in the mechical rooms can lead to unwanted fumes and vapors finding their way into the HVAC system.

2. Remove carpeting that has been damaged with water. Carpet that has been through a flood can be filled with molds and should be replaced as soon as possiable.

3. Use paints, adhesives, solvents, and pesticides in well-ventilated areas, and use of these pollutant sources during periods of non-occupancy.

4. Increase the amount of air exchanges in the building. A minimum of 8.4 complete air exchanges per 24 hour period is the reccommended amount by the engineers of The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning.

5. Proper and regular maintence of the HVAC system.

6. Proper cleaning and disenfecting of the air handling system and the attached ducting.

With building getting tighter and not allowing leaks to naturally occur we have to be sure to follow the proper installation of HVAC systems and consider installing air exchangers. Be sure to maintain your HVAC system and periodically clean the entire system.

Contact A-1 Ductworks of Alberta Canada at 780-598-5966 to recieve a free estimate on your Furnace Duct Cleaning http://www.furnacecleaning.info

Indoor Air Quality

We spend up to 90% of our time indoors and more than half of the population in North America suffery for at least one allergy. Spring and Summer are the worst time of the year for people who suffer from any allergies, so this year add these tips to your regular spring cleaning regimen to help eliminate the needless suffering.

1. Before you enter your home brush off your clothes and shoes to remove any pollen spores and debris that you may picked up during the day.

2. During hot Summer days where the humidity levels can rise up over 80% in the home the perfect weapon against both the hot air and the poor indoor air quality due to high humidity levels is the Air Conditioning System. A good Air Conditioning system will keep the home in the 30 – 40% humidity range eliminating molds and forcing the air to run through the furnaces air filters. If your home is not equipped with Air Conditioning then a portable Air Conditioner will still decrease the humidity levels in the home.

3. Running your furnace fan during the Spring and Summer months is a good idea to bring cooler air from the basement to the upper levels of the home and force the air in the home to pass through the furnace filtration system. So if you have a standard furnace filter that operates at about 3% efficiency it’s time to have the system upgraded to a more efficient filter such as the Lifebreath TFP or at least an Electrostatic Air Filter.

4. If the local pollen count is high be sure to close the windows for the day.

5.  Use the Vacuum often, just cause you can’t see the dirt on the surface doesn’t mean its not there. Be sure to use the vacuum not only on the floors but on the blinds, drapes and furniture. Use the attachments and choose a vacuum that has HEPA filters for best results.

6. If you have bad enough allergies it would be a good idea to remove all carpets and replace with hardwood, tile or laminate where you can.

7. Have a UV air purifier installed. UVV / UVC air purifiers remove bacteria, kill molds and remove odors from the home for more information on Air Purifiers check out our Sanuvox Lineup .

8.  Be sure to keep up to date on the AQI “Air Quality Index” for Alberta.  Alberta Environment produces this air quality rating to provide a qualitative measure of outdoor air, rated as Good, Fair, Poor or Very Poor. Check the Index here: AQI Alberta

I hope these tips help you relieve some needless suffering for Spring and Summer allergies.

For a free estimate on improving your indoor air quality call A-1 Ductworks in Fort McMurray at 780-598-5966

Main Furnace Duct Cleaning Site

Lifebreath TFP Air Cleaner

Indoor Air Quality is a major concern for many people who suffer from allergies or asthma. Last week I installed one of our best Indoor Air Quality warriors in the Lifebreath TFP air cleaner.

My customer was faced with breathing problems that caused her to cough constantly when in the comfort of her own home. She called our company to have the furnace duct cleaning service performed and ask what other steps she could take to improve the indoor air quality in her home.

This is a fairly new home but has never had the furnace system cleaned in its five year existence. First we preformed our Viper cleaning method to insure that all the debris would be removed from the system. Next we removed the the drum humidifier that was never cleaned and full of mold and calcium buildup and not providing much humidity to the home, we replaced this with our Generalaire SL-16 Flow Thru Humidifier. After removing the sources of the poor indoor air quality we installed the best air cleaning system available today in the Lifebreath TFP air cleaner.

The Lifebreath TFP  “Turbulent Flow Precipitator” Air Cleaner removes close to 99.97% of particles such as pollen, fungus spores, dust, animal dander and dirt; removes some bacteria; and even removes a large proportion of particles as small as one tenth of a micron.

The features of the Lifebreath TFP are:

• Revolutionizing home air cleaning, combining two particle capture technologies to ensure clean, healthy air throughout your home
• It allows air to circulate freely without putting any extra load on your air distribution system.
• The TFP removes 99.97% of health-threatening particles from the air in your home.
• And has the lowest maintenance requirements of any air cleaner available. Check-up required only once a year.
• The Hepa filter replacement only required every 3 years. Operating continuously at maximum efficiency with minimum maintenance.
• Unlike electronic air cleaners the Lifebreath TFP does not generate any poisonous ozone which can damage your lungs.

I waited a few weeks before writing this article so that the customer would have time to adjust to the new indoor air quality in her home and report back to me how she was feeling, the news was fantastic, she is no longer coughing all day well in her home and is extremely pleased with the results of our service.

For more information about Furnace cleaning or other indoor air quality questions contact us in Fort McMurray at 780-598-5966

Main Furnace Duct Cleaning Site