Indoor air pollution is among the top health concerns for Americans. The average person spends over 90% of their time indoors, where pollutant concentration levels are often 3 to 5 times higher. Through better indoor air quality (IAQ), you can improve your comfort and health. With smarter IAQ choices, you can also lower your energy bills and your household’s carbon footprint.
Automatic Temperature Adjustment
If you don’t yet have one, upgrade your home with a digital programmable thermostat. Through programming alone, the average household can lower its annual energy costs by up to 10%. To achieve these savings, the Department of Energy recommends lowering your temperature in winter and raising it in summer by 7 to 10 degrees for at least 8 hours. Many households can achieve 12 to 16 hours of savings during the periods when they’re sleeping or away from home. A programmable thermostat also improves IAQ by limiting how often and for how long your HVAC system runs.
Smart Thermostat Controls
Smart thermostats are programmable thermostats with Wi-Fi capabilities, which allow for remote access and control. They often have additional energy-saving features, including:
- Rate awareness
- Machine learning
- Predictive maintenance alerts
- Demand response compatibility
- Energy monitoring and reporting
Seal Air Leaks and Improve Insulation
Homes with loose building envelopes experience poorer IAQ and lower energy efficiency through natural ventilation. Sealing your home and upgrading your ventilation will improve comfort and IAQ while lowering your month-to-month energy costs.
Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilators
The downside to a tight building envelope is limited ventilation, which can lead to reduced comfort and stale air. A whole-house fan is a mechanical ventilation system that can provide a home with a steady influx of fresh air. A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is an advanced whole-house fan that you can run alongside your heating or cooling system. That’s because an HRV has a heat exchanger to preheat or precool the incoming fresh air as needed. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is an HRV with a hygroscopic membrane. That water-loving membrane allows an ERV to add or remove water vapor to or from the air as needed.
ENERGY STAR Humidification, Dehumidification, and Air Purification
When choosing whole-house humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air purifiers, look for the ENERGY STAR label. The Environmental Protection Agency awards this certification to products that deliver high energy efficiency. Air purifiers provide active protection against indoor air pollution. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers promote better IAQ by optimizing relative humidity throughout a home. A dehumidifier improves energy efficiency by making your air conditioning more efficient. A humidifier can help you stay warm at a lower temperature in winter.
Get on track to protect your health and wallet today. To learn more about how you can lower your energy costs while improving your indoor air quality in Wilmington, NC, contact NC Quality Air today.
