4 Steps to Completely Removing Cigarette Smoke Odor From a Home

Trying to get rid of the harsh smell of cigarettes?  You are not alone.  Whether you just moved into a new apartment or recently quit smoking, eliminating cigarette odor can be extremely challenging and frustrating.  Here are three tips that will help.

Step #1: Scrub Everything

That’s right…the first step to getting out the smell of smoke is to start cleaning. Get yourself a pair of rubber gloves and get to work. Wash the walls, ceilings, windows, closets, cabinets, light fixtures, and all the nooks and crannies. Experts usually recommend using a common degreaser, however, some people swear by less toxic solutions of vinegar and baking soda. Either way…a little elbow grease should go a long way.

Step #2: Remove all Carpet and Fabric

The smell of smoke will never come out of carpets, drapes, and couches. Your best bet is to ditch all of these items that you can.

Step #3: Prime and Paint all Walls and Ceilings

Whether you do it yourself or hire a painter…do NOT skip this step. It is important to give all of your walls a fresh coat of primer and a fresh coat of paint in order to have a fresh smelling home.

Step #4: Clean Your HVAC Ductwork

Hiring a licensed and certified (by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association) company to clean your coils and ductwork is a critical step to removing the smoke oder from a home. All of that cigarette-infested air has been flowing through your HVAC system.  Don’t forget to throw out and replace that old filter as well.

Aeroseal: 5 reasons to Make Your Florida HVAC System as Energy Efficient as Possible

1. Having an energy-efficient, lossless HVAC system saves you money.
2. Energy efficiency conserves valuable resources like oil and natural gas.
3. Increasing energy efficiency helps decrease the amount of pollution in the air and improves the outdoor air quality as well as the indoor air quality.
4. The demand for energy efficient solutions creates jobs and spurs innovation in the marketplace.
5. Increasing the energy efficiency of your HVAC system will make the temperature more consistent throughout your home and make you more comfortable.

In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, 20 to 30 percent of the conditioned air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. The result is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.  Duct leakage costs consumers $25 billion each year on escaping energy.

Here at Air Duct Aseptics, we now have the most cutting-edge technology, Aeroseal, to offer our customers. Aeroseal Duct Sealing is a patented breakthrough technology that tackles leaks from the inside out. Aeroseal software allows the technician to accurately measure the duct leakage.  The Aeroseal process puts escaping air under pressure and causes polymer particles to stick first to the edges of a leak, then to each other until the leak is closed. To better understand how it work I’d like to share this short video from our friends over at Greenmark Builders.

To schedule an appointment to have your ducts sealed from the inside with Aeroseal, please call us 888.838.9249 or email us info@ADAFlorida.com

Wellington Florida – Air Quality Impacted By Sugarcane Burning

Sugarcane burning increases the efficiency of sugarcane harvests and lowers the costs of producing sugar.  Unfortunately, it also brings unwanted smoke and ash into the community.  West of the Village of Wellington, in Palm Beach County, there are 300,000 acres of sugarcane fields.  Between October and April, farmers burn the fields to rid the plants of leafy material, which accounts for about 25% of each plant.

The resulting smoke and ash leads to negative health effects for those in the surrounding communities. When the fields are burning and the air quality is poor, there is an increase in asthma attacks, coughs and itchy eyes.  The smoke and ash enters homes and offices and may affect indoor air quality long after the plants are done burning.  The Sierra Club is calling for the end of sugarcane burning,   “It’s time to end a practice that makes our community sick,” Julie Hathaway, of the Sierra Club.

As indoor air quality specialists, we are hopeful that the practice of burning the cane fields will give way to a new process that will be less detrimental to the health of the people living in Belle Glade, Pahokee, Loxahatchee, Wellington, and Royal Palm Beach.

If you live in these communities and you would like to speak to us about your indoor air quality concerns…please call us!  888.979.9564

We offer indoor air quality testing and air duct cleaning that can help ensure that your indoor air is as clean, fresh, and healthy as possible.

Source posted by Michelle

This is the Cheapest Way to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality in Minutes

Your first step to improving your indoor air quality is quick, inexpensive, and will provide immediate results.

Hold your current air filter up to the light.  If you can see through it, then small airborne particles are going to go straight through it too.   Those small particles can get into your lungs.

Replace the  air filter with a new higher efficiency air filter.  You cannot see through high efficiency filters, and those small, aggravating particles cannot get through either.  Although a new air filter will not clean existing dirty ducts, replacing an air filter with a higher efficiency filter will start to reduce airborne contaminants, providing you with a cleaner air flow.  Once your equipment has been professionally cleaned, your new filter will help keep your air conditioning equipment clean which will also help with your energy bill.

It’s important to note that all air conditioning filters must  properly fit your air conditioning unit. If not properly fitted and installed, air always takes the path of least resistance which means that some of your air will not go through the filter and you will not see a reduction in your airborne particles.

Most air conditioning equipment should have the capacity to handle the additional air restriction which will occur when you use a higher efficiency filter.  Do not use cheesecloth or other very restrictive methods to try to control dust within the air conditioning system as this can damage the equipment.

Call us at Air Duct Aseptics to discuss your filter requirements toll free 888-707-7763 or visit us online at www.ADAflorida.com

Learn how to extend life of your air handler unit.

As your a/c equipment ages, it can become less efficient, detrimental to your indoor air quality and parts will wear to the point that you may be thinking of replacement.  As a tune-up will restore most of your cars’ performance, precision tune ups and remediation to the air handler components can restore lost performance, efficiency and improve IAQ. It’s important to consider an AC Scheduled Preventative Maintenance Plan.

Evaporator / Cooling Coils:
The efficiency of the cooling coils can be directly attributed to the level of cleanliness and can be directly measured by the pressure drop over the coils.  NADCA, The National Air Duct Cleaners Association, recommends  yearly inspections of the air handling unit and “cleaning is highly recommended for heat exchange coils, cooling coils, air flow control devices, filtration devices and air handling equipment determined to have restrictions, blockages, or contamination deposits that may cause system performance inefficiencies, air flow degradation or that may significantly affect the design intent of the HVAC system” (ACR 2006, NADCA)

Condensate Pan / Drain:
Microbial-like growth, dirt and debris can clog condensate pans if not properly maintained, causing overflow within the air handler.  This condition could cause microbial growth to occur within the air handler and ductwork.  The pitch of the drainage pan is also important in assisting the proper flow to the building exterior.

Blower Wheels:
Blower wheels and fins can become heavily soiled and less efficient if not regularly maintained and cleaned.  A dirty condition can also result in poor air flow.  Care must be taken not to unbalance the blades when cleaning but efficiency can be substantially increased.

Insulation Liner:
The liner on the internal surfaces of the air handler unit provides insulation and sound dampening.  However, in this microbially vulnerable area of the HVAC system, the liner can fail much quicker than the other components.   If degraded and flaking, particles can enter the air stream and cross-contaminate into the occupied spaces.  Closed cell insulation can be installed to extend the equipment life and provide a non-porous insulation liner within the air handler.

Air Duct Aseptics provides fully certified HVAC systems cleaning and remediation services throughout Florida.  Servicing our clients since 1990, you can count on Air Duct Aseptics for professionalism and superior service.  Call toll free 888-707-7763.

Air Duct Aseptics (www.ADAflorida.com)