Breathe Easier with Martens and AprilAire

An air-quality Q&A with Jeff Martens

When it comes to a healthy home, you are what you breathe. This is especially true in colder months, when dry, unfiltered air can distribute allergens, bacteria and pathogens as it travels through ducts and vents.

According to the American Lung Association:

• Americans spend 90 percent of our time indoors.
• Indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

Dry indoor air can be as harmful as dirty air. It becomes the elephant in every room. You can’t see it, but you feel it: dry mouth and nose and eyes, itchy skin, a nagging cough.

Martens Plumbing & Heating understands how winter feels from the inside out. We provide HVAC maintenance and emergency service and install customized HVAC systems and solutions in homes of all sizes. If you need to refresh dry or dirty indoor air, an AprilAire humidifier or air purifier may be part of the solution.

In this Q&A, Martens Plumbing & Heating President Jeff Martens discusses dry, dirty air and combining HVAC technology with Martens’ expertise to bring healthy air into your home.

How does healthy or high-quality indoor air feel?

Indoor air quality is about having the right amount of humidity. It’s not ‘too’ anything: too cold, too moist, too dry.

If you experience static shock when you turn a doorknob, that’s a sign your home is dry. You see this more in homes with carpeting. If you wake up with a dry nose or mouth, check your indoor air moisture level.

How do I check moisture levels in my home?

Call us. We can make a stop, no obligation, and verify the humidity in your home. You want data that supports your decision to invest in a humidifier. We need data that drives us to the right product.

Proper humidity levels, those that provide the most benefit, range from 40 to 60 percent relative humidity. That optimum zone keeps fungi, molds and other allergens out of the house. If your home produces enough moisture, through cooking or showering, you may not need a humidifier.

Why is autumn to winter an important time to check moisture levels?

Cold air can’t hold moisture like warm air can. When outdoor air enters the home, it makes indoor air drier. If you have rhinitis or asthma, you can really feel the effects of this.

Proper moisture levels promote healthy HVAC in all seasons, like keeping your air conditioner running more efficiently in the summer. High quality indoor air supports a healthy home year-round.

Why AprilAire?

We’ve been selling and installing AprilAire products for 50 years. Their products are state of the art, from a company with a proven record of success based in Madison, Wisconsin.

AprilAire offers several product lines: air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers. Improving indoor air quality comes down to two product suggestions for Martens’ clients: AprilAire 2410 Whole-House Air Purifier and the AprilAire 600- and 700-model large bypass humidifiers.

Both systems are flexible and reliable. They’re compatible with any forced-air furnace and easy to install and maintain.

How do the 600- and 700-model humidifiers work? Which one do I need?

The 600 is our go-to model for homes up to 5,000 square feet. The 700 takes care of slightly larger homes. The 620 and 720 models are newer and recycle water more efficiently, so there’s less going down the drain.

Set up is minimal and effective for the 600 and 700. Martens technicians install humidifiers with hot water to get the greatest amount of evaporation. Our installation process is a little different. We use a quality shutoff valve instead of a needle valve so it’s easier to operate.

Seasonal maintenance is simple in spring. Shut off the unit, close the damper, turn off the water and replace the pad. In fall, turn the humidifier back on. Open the damper and water valve. Check the hose to make sure it’s clear, not kinked.

How does the 2410 air purifier work?

Generally, the 2410 is mounted on your return air duct.

What about a dehumidifier?

For homes with high humidity, we carry AprilAire models that greatly exceed the capacity of small, lower-level dehumidifiers. Between higher efficiency and enhanced safety, AprilAire dehumidifiers prove to be the best choice for our clients.

Since we implemented the plan, we’ve seen reduced nighttime and emergency service calls. The way it works, we come out in fall to tune up your furnace and in spring to service your AC. We charge one annual diagnostic fee and Peace of Mind clients receive a ten percent discount on HVAC parts.

You can read more about Peace of Mind on our website or call us directly.