Air Quality

While Canada's air is ranked among the cleanest in the world, you still need to ensure high air quality indoors. This is where First Choice Heating & Air Conditioning comes in. Our licensed and skilled team will ensure your home or business has clean, breathable air that's healthy for you.

Why is Air Quality Important?

Because we spend so much time indoors, we need to ensure that the air we breathe is not polluted from the air outside. However, it's not only pollution we need to worry about; we also need to be concerned about indoor air pollution resulting from other sources, such as:

• Pollen
• Dust and dust mites
• Mold and mildew
• Gasses from heating equipment that are not regularly maintained
• Building materials and furniture may contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and semi-VOCs
• Pet fur
• Smoking, as well as second-hand smoke from neighbors, can be an issue for townhouse and condo residents if seals between homes are not properly installed

Without high indoor air quality, you may suffer from various health issues such as allergies or asthma.

Air quality systems can be divided into two groups, namely:

• air purification and filtration
• humidity control

Air Purification and Filtration

Air purification systems are usually given a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating. This rating indicates how effective the system is at trapping different size particles. The higher the MERV number, the more efficient it is at trapping small particles such as viruses and spores.

A MERV rating of 1-10 will trap around 10% of the particles in your home, while a MERV rating of 11 or above will trap upwards of 70% or more.

Types of physical filters, including HEPA filters, are most effective in trapping fine particles that otherwise would not be visible to us.

Humidity Control

Clean air at the wrong humidity still feels uncomfortable. In winter, forced-air heating can drive indoor humidity below 20% — dry skin, sore throats, static shocks, and hardwood floors that crack and gap. In summer, excess humidity feels muggy and encourages mold. The sweet spot for indoor humidity is generally 30%–50%.

We install whole-home humidifiers integrated with your furnace and ductwork — one unit covers the entire house, no daily refilling, and far more even than portable units. For damp basements in summer, we can add dehumidification as well. We'll measure your home's actual humidity levels first, then size the right solution for you.