Monthly Archives: May 2013

A Comprehensive Guide to Optimal Air Quality in Your Baldwin County Home

Maintaining optimal indoor air quality is particularly important during spring allergy season in Baldwin County. Each of the rooms in your home has specific air quality issues that should be addressed to improve the overall quality of the air in your home. This guide will help you improve your indoor air, room by room.

Living room

This is usually the most heavily used room in a home, and it can be a magnet for allergens.

  • Vacuum your living room and upholstery at least once a week to remove dust and dander.
  • Have your fireplace and chimney inspected every year to prevent carbon monoxide leaks.

Bathroom

Humidity in your bathrooms can cause serious air quality issues.

  • Use your exhaust fan when you shower to help eliminate moisture and prevent mold growth. Allow the fan to run for 10 minutes after you’re done.
  • Ventilate well when you’re using aerosol sprays like deodorant and hair spray, which contain chemicals that decrease air quality.

Bedroom

The dead skin cells you shed as you sleep are food for microscopic dust mites, whose debris is a potent allergen.

  • Wash your bedding in hot water every week to kill dust mites. You may have up to 2 million of these microscopic arachnids in your bed.
  • Vacuum your mattress, closet and bedroom weekly.
  • Use allergen-proof mattress and pillow covers to prevent dust mites from getting inside your bedding.

Kitchen

The kitchen probably contains the most gaseous chemical contaminants in your home.

  • Keep your kitchen clean to control pests. Use natural deterrents whenever possible.
  • Use nontoxic cleaning solutions to reduce chemical contaminants in your air.
  • Keep your gas stove in good condition. Vent it directly outside if possible.

Basement

Air leaks, stored chemicals and moisture take a toll on your basement’s air quality.

  • Properly store chemicals to prevent VOCs from entering your air.
  • Install a dehumidifier to prevent mold growth.
  • Test for radon and call a professional if unsafe levels are detected.
  • Maintain your HVAC equipment to prevent carbon monoxide leaks.

For more expert advice to ensure your home has optimal air quality, please contact us at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. We have served the Mobile area with a high level of customer satisfaction since 1964.

The Smart Programmable Thermostat: For Precise Control of Your Home-Comfort Systems

If you truly want to gain control of your home’s comfort level, there’s no time like the present to install a smart programmable thermostat in your Baldwin County home. These advanced units will allow you to reign in some of that wasted energy in your home. Here’s how this new generation of thermostat can change the way you handle your heating and cooling needs.

Out with the old…

The creation of programmable thermostats was heralded by both homeowners and the HVAC industry as a quantum leap in thermostat technology. Gone were the days of severely limited manual thermostats. The new models had digital displays, vacation and hold functionality, and the ability to set the specific times when a homeowner’s heating or cooling equipment would switch on and off. This finally allowed homeowners to wake up to the perfect temperature or arrive home from work to a house that was already set to the comfort level they desired – all while saving energy dollars when nobody was home or awake.

… In with the new

Despite the obvious benefits of programmable thermostats, manufacturers began looking for ways to make these units even better, and the result is the smart programmable thermostat. In addition to sharing all of the attributes of their predecessors, these new devices add functionality such as mobile connectivity and the ability to adapt to your climate preferences.

Mobile connectivity is the biggest change. With one of these thermostats, you can access your home-comfort system via your laptop or smartphone when you’re away from home. Some smart thermostats even have the ability to learn your heating and cooling habits and make adjustments automatically.

Intrigued? Contact the experts at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. for more information on the benefits that a smart programmable thermostat affords in convenience and energy savings. We have been serving the HVAC needs of Mobile and Baldwin County homeowners since 1964.