Peguin Air Conditioning Service

Air Conditioning Problems?

Allergies and Air conditioning

Mold information

To prevent ducts from becoming wet:

Moisture should not be present in ducts. Controlling moisture is the most effective way to prevent biological growth in air ducts.

Moisture can enter the duct system through leaks or if the system has been improperly installed or serviced. Research suggests that condensation (which occurs when a surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature of the surrounding air) on or near cooling coils of air conditioning units is a major factor in moisture contamination of the system. The presence of condensation or high relative humidity is an important indicator of the potential for mold growth on any type of duct.

Controlling moisture can often be difficult.

Here are some steps you can take:

Penguin air practices a full service Preventative maintenance plan.

1. Promptly and properly repair any leaks or water damage.
2. Pay particular attention to cooling coils, which are designed to remove water from the air and can be a major source of moisture contamination of the system that can lead to mold growth.
3. Make sure the condensate pan drains properly. The presence of substantial standing water and/or debris indicates a problem requiring immediate attention.
4. Check any insulation near cooling coils for wet spots.
5. Make sure ducts are properly sealed and insulated in all non-air-conditioned spaces (e.g., attics and crawl spaces). This will help to prevent moisture due to condensation from entering the system and is important to make the system work as intended. To prevent water condensation, the heating and cooling system must be properly insulated.
6. If you are replacing your air conditioning system, make sure that the unit is the proper size and installed by Penguin Air licensed air conditioning contractor with pryde and experience ensuring a properly sized system for your needs and that all ducts are sealed at the joints will also increase energy efficiency. A unit that is too big will cycle on and off frequently, resulting in poor moisture removal, particularly in areas with high humidity. Also make sure that your new system is designed to manage condensation effectively.

Improper sizing air conditioning systems is a common problem:

1. short runtimes.
2. early compressor, fan failure
3. results in a less efficient system
4. higher energy bills.
5. poor humidity control for cooling systems
6. even as it is thought that a larger unit will keep a home cooler it is not so as the system short cycles it fails to remove the humidity from the home causing less comfort.Good sealed ducts are important to keep an air conditioned home cool without upsizing your system because it is often the ducts improper seal and size that creates energy loss and gives the impresion of insuficient air flow.

Indoor air quality.

Improve the air quality of your home and breath easier by having your;

• Ducts cleaned
• Coils maintained clean by preventive maintenance
• Air handler kept clean and free from mold and bacterial growth
• Ask about a UV light installation benefits
• Air Cleaner filter system

Preventive Maintenance improves the efficiency of your air conditioning unit, saving you money. Many customers have reported a substantial savings in their energy bills, in some cases, the energy savings are enough to offset the cost of the annual maintenance service.
Our preventive maintenance programs are tailored to keep your system in peak efficiency and performance year in and year out. A system that enters our preventive maintenance plans experiences considerably fewer breakdowns and lower energy costs, maximize the life span of your unit as well as cleaner air.

What Causes Indoor Air Problems?

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.

Pollutant Sources

There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.

Indoor Air Pollution and Health

Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.

Immediate effects

Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person’s exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.

The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.

Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from home, for example, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.

Long-term effects

Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.

While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occurs from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.

I put a lot of effort into making my home comfortable. What difference will the quality of my indoor air make?

There’s a lot about indoor air quality that you might not know and certainly can’t see. Up to 72 trillion microscopic irritants, or allergens, find their way into your home every day. They include dust, pollen, pet hair and dander, dust mites, mildew, lint, fungus, most tobacco smoke, cooking grease and bacteria. Many of these particles are so small that your nose and throat can’t filter them out, and they can get deep into your lungs.

• Additional Resources: uv light, air-cleaner, duct cleaning, mold

click here from the epa Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality in Schools