You already know how we feel about air exchangers. The surprisingly simple, easy-to-use device is one of the best ways to keep your home’s air fresh and clean. But once you have an air exchanger, how do you use it? Should you really just turn it on and forget about it? Is there anything you can do to make it more effective?
We want you to get the most out of your air exchanger. That’s why we’ve put our heads to together to come up with this list of air exchanger best practices. Follow these simple tips, and you could see a huge air quality improvement in your home right away.
SET TO COMFORT, NOT A FIXED NUMBER
Your air exchanger manual probably suggested a setting to keep your unit turned to for maximum effectiveness. There’s a reason the manufacturers included that recommendation, but remember: they didn’t know your home. If your home’s air feels clogged with allergens or dirty, don’t be afraid to change the exchanger’s settings.
If you turn up your air exchanger constantly and it doesn’t help, chances are you have a more serious problem to contend with. Remember, however: air quality fluctuates. It’s natural to need to change your air exchanger settings to keep up every now and then. Just because you have to turn it up now doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. Go ahead and crank that dial when you need to. Remember, you bought your air exchanger so you’d feel comfortable. Use it!
REPLACE THE FILTER
No matter where they’re installed, air filters basically do the same thing. When dirty air passes through the filter, pollutants get stuck inside… while the air keeps going. The air that comes out the other end is pollutant-free and safe to inhale.
So where do the pollutants end up? They stay trapped inside the filter! Over time, filters fill up with the dirty pollutants they intercept from the air. As they fill up, filters become less effective. Eventually, they could even make the air dirtier instead of cleaner. Replace the air filter in your exchanger around once every three months to keep your exchanger as effective as possible.
KEEP IT SWITCHED ON
This one seems obvious, but you have to use your air exchanger to get anything out of it! Your air exchanger is most effective when run continuously. As long as it’s on, your exchanger continuously filters out polluted air and brings in the clean stuff.
If you turn your exchanger off, pollutants can build up in your indoor air. It’ll take time for your exchanger to throw this polluted air out, even after you turn it back on. Keep your exchanger operating at low settings constantly, and you won’t have to worry about stale air buildup.
TURN IT OFF IN SUMMER
Air conditioning your home in summer accomplishes two things. First, it keeps the air in your home cool (obviously). Second, it helps control your air’s humidity. During summer, the air outside naturally becomes more humid, because hot air energizes water molecules and keeps them from condensing.
Pulling humid summer air into your home forces your air conditioner to work harder to compensate for it. As a result, your air conditioner will run longer and drive up your bills. As long as you’re using your air conditioner, consider switching off your air exchanger. To keep your home’s air fresh, turn off the air conditioning periodically and open up the windows instead.
The final, best advice we have for using an air exchanger? Ask questions about anything you don’t know. If you need help with any air exchanger or general HVAC concerns, you can always call Blue Ox Heating & Air.
If you are interested in tips to get the most benefit from your home’s air exchanger, then you already understand the benefits of this device. And you also should know that the Blue Ox Heating & Air team is always here to help you properly maintain your home’s HVAC equipment, keep it operating as cost-effectively as possible, and enjoy the most benefits from these devices. So here are a few tips from the certified pros at Blue Ox to ensure you are getting the most out of your air exchanger to keep the air in your home fresh and comfortable.
Focus On Your Comfort
While your air exchanger comes with recommended settings, remember that every person and every home is different. So each air exchanger’s job will be a little different. If your home feels stuffy or the air seems dusty and unhealthy, increase the function of your air exchanger. Also, keep in mind that the outside air quality can impact your home’s air quality. So when the outdoor air quality decreases, increase the function of your air exchanger to help combat the increase in the polluted air coming inside when doors and windows are opened. However, if increasing the operation of your air exchanger does not improve the air quality and feel inside your home, call the Blue Ox team at 952-208-4570 for an inspection to ensure that the unit is working correctly.
Help Your Air Exchanger To Help You
Air filters are essential to any HVAC system, including your air exchanger. When air passes through a filter, dirt and pollutants remain stuck in the air filter. This process ensures you enjoy the purest air possible in your home. However, it does something else, as well. The debris begins to coat or clog the filter and limits the amount of air flowing through it. Essentially, by doing a good job, the air filter is becoming destroyed. At some point, it will become so covered in dirt that it will no longer allow air to pass through the filter. And that is bad for you and your air exchanger. The simple solution is to regularly inspect the air filter and replace it as needed to protect the air exchanger’s life expectancy, reliability, and indoor air quality.
Spring Cleaning Does Help
Your air exchanger is installed in the ductwork of your home. So keeping those ducts clean is essential for fresh, clean air inside your home. The pros at Blue Ox offer professional duct cleaning to remove the dirt and dust overworking your air exchanger and making cleaning chores more difficult. Our duct cleaning is also a great way to remove allergens and germs that can increase the symptoms of allergies to help you feel better and sleep more soundly.
Keep It Turned On
This one might seem obvious, but you must use your air exchanger to enjoy its benefits. So don’t think you are wasting a significant amount of energy by turning the device on. Your air exchanger is most effective when run continuously. As long as it’s on, your exchanger continuously filters out polluted air and delivers clean, fresh air into your home.
Turn It Off In The Summer
It might sound like we are going to contradict our last tip, but there is a good reason to turn off your air exchanger when you are running the air conditioner. Your home’s AC serves two purposes. First, it keeps the air in your home cool. Second, it helps control your air’s humidity. During summer, the air outside naturally becomes more humid because hot air energizes water molecules and keeps them from condensing.
Pulling humid summer air into your home forces your air conditioner to work harder to compensate for the increased humidity. As a result, your air conditioner will run longer and drive up your bills while shortening its life expectancy. As long as you are using your air conditioner, switch off your air exchanger. To keep your home’s air fresh in the summer, consider turning off the AC at night when the temperature outside is cooler and opening the windows to complete a manual air exchange.
The final, best advice we have for using an air exchanger? Ask questions about anything you don’t know or understand. If you need help with any air exchanger or general HVAC concerns, you can always call Blue Ox Heating & Air at 952-208-4570.
