allergy relief Archives | Modernistic ®

What Is Air Duct Sanitizing, And Why Do I Need It?

Posted Friday, March 29th, 2019

What is air duct sanitizing? While you may know the health and cost benefits of air duct cleaning (like allergy relief and lower energy bills), we’ve found that many people don’t know the benefits of air duct sanitizing. So, what does air duct sanitizing do?

What is it?

Air duct sanitizing is an additional service the certified air duct technicians at Modernistic can provide while cleaning your home. After cleaning the ductwork, while your HVAC system is still hooked up to the air duct truck and under negative air pressure, they apply the sanitizer. The technicians use a fogger to apply the sanitizer and due to the negative air pressure, it coats the entire interior of the duct system. The product has no lingering scent and is safe enough that it is used in hospitals.

How is it different than air duct cleaning?

What’s the difference between a standard air duct cleaning and sanitizing the ducts? A standard air duct cleaning removes any debris from your ductwork such as dirt or drywall dust. The sanitizing adds the disinfecting and deodorization of the ductwork of your home while killing any mold or mildew hiding inside. In addition, it prohibits bacterial, viral, and fungal growth for approximately six months after being applied.

Why should I have my air ducts sanitized?

There are lots of situations where you and family might benefit. If you are moving into a new home, sanitization can make sure that any unknowns from the previous homeowner are taken care of. It can also help during the winter months by minimizing the germs your HVAC system is spreading through your indoor air. Sanitization further assists with removing any triggers for you or your loved ones who suffer from allergies or asthma. Killing any mold or mildew will also help those with weakened immune systems such as a new baby or someone just coming home from the hospital.

How often should you sanitize?

While there is no strict guideline for how often you should sanitize your ductwork if you do suffer from asthma or allergies you might want it done every few years. If you had a flood in your home and moisture got into the duct system it’s a good idea to sanitize. Everyone is different and it depends on each individual’s household needs.

The bottom line.

A healthy home needs air duct sanitizing! All the germs, bacteria, mold, and mildew that you can’t see in your vents is certainly bad for your home’s indoor air (and for you!), which is why we recommend sanitization for every HVAC system we clean. While you may not be able to see what’s hiding in your ducts, it’s well worth getting them sanitized!

Modernistic has been keeping Michigan’s air ducts clean and healthy since 1973! Click or call today to find out more about air duct sanitizing.

You Can’t See Dirty Air, But You Can Clean It

Posted Wednesday, August 15th, 2018

When it’s time to clean your home, you KNOW it’s time to clean your home. It’s easy to see when the floors have tracked in too much filth, or when your countertops are looking rough. However you won’t always see how dirty the air in your home might be. Unless your home is filled with car exhaust or smoke, in which case… get out of there! That’s some seriously dirty air!

Whether or not you can see the dirty air of your home, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking every step you can to keep it clean. With the amount of time we spend indoors, it is extra important we make sure the air we breathe in our homes is as clean as can be. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that we spend around 90% of our time indoors! That is a lot of time to be breathing in air potentially carrying any number of biological pollutants.

What Is The Danger?

Many of these contaminants are sourced from things you encounter on a daily basis without thinking about it all that much. Your air quality can be affected by just about anything under your own roof: your pets, excessive moisture, candles (or anything that burns), even certain types of wood and insulation. Many of these seemingly harmless things can affect the air quality in your home, and in turn affect the air that you breathe into your lungs.

Allergic reactions are one of the leading side effects of poor indoor air quality. Dander from your pets is often the driving force behind many allergy issues in the home. As clean as we think we are when it comes to our animals, their dander will enter the air ducts to circulate throughout your home. This can cause minor discomfort with the sniffles, or it can cause even more serious issues by intensifying asthma attacks along with irritations to the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. These things thankfully can easily be avoided.

So What Can I Do?

Question:

“Can I duct tape scouring pads soaked in household cleaners to my 4 year old, and let them loose to play inside the air ducts?”

Answer:

“No, probably not*.”

Getting your air ducts professionally cleaned by Modernistic and keeping an air purifier in the home are two great options for dealing with dirty air! Most of the serious biological pollutants that can cause bacteria and allergy issues can easily be prevented with a thorough air duct cleaning from the Modernistic Air Duct Team. Our crews come to the home prepared, with the most advanced equipment in the industry. We take the dirt with us, leaving your home clean and clear. So please don’t try to do anything crazy to get your HVAC system clean on your own, and make an appointment with the experts. Hope to see you soon!

*Definitely not

Purify Your Home’s Air in 6 Easy Steps

Posted Friday, April 7th, 2017

Purify Your Home’s Air in 6 Easy Steps

Cold weather means furnaces are turning on across Michigan, forcing many of us to stay indoors as the temperature drops. Unfortunately, according to the EPA, the level of indoor pollutants can be up to 60% higher than outside air! Not cool!

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to purify your home’s air. Here’s how to help purify your home’s air and breathe easy this winter:

Dust everything! Really give your home a thorough once-over with the feather duster. Try to remove as much dust as you can, rather than spreading it around. Don’t be afraid to use multiple dusters!
Deep clean your upholstery and carpet. Allergens love to hide in the fibers of your carpet and the fabric of your furniture, becoming airborne as they are disturbed. Even a light vacuuming can help remove allergens on the surface. Your carpet is your home’s biggest air filter, after all! To get a deep and complete cleaning, a professional truck-mounted extraction system will give the most thorough cleaning and remove as many allergens as possible.
Don’t idle your car in the garage. Your car, lawnmower, snow blower, and other motorized equipment give off carbon monoxide, which can leak into your home if left to build up in your garage. Try to run them outside only.
Get your air ducts professionally cleaned. This is probably the most important step. Your HVAC system is designed to circulate air throughout your home, but any dust, dirt, or other particulate in your ductwork get blown about as well. A professional cleaning using a truck-mounted vacuum system is the best way to clean every square inch of your ductwork system.
Change your furnace filter regularly. Your furnace filter is your first line of defense against airborne particulate. There’s even special allergen-specific filters you can get for even better allergy relief.
Clean out your dryer vent. Gases from your dryer, if not vented properly, can build up and enter your home’s air. Get your dryer vent cleaned at least once a year to prevent lint and other debris from blocking it up.

How Poor Air Quality Affects Your Day

Posted Wednesday, October 12th, 2016

Breathing Your Way to a Better Day in Plainfield

According to the American Lung Association and the EPA, our indoor air can be far more polluted than the air outside. Every breath might fill your lungs with a dangerous mix of asbestos, bacteria, household chemicals, common pesticides, mold, dust mites, VOCs, formaldehyde, or other toxins. Unless your lungs can catch a break, poor air quality will affect your daily routine for the worse.

Healthy Air Means Healthy You

Do you or your family experience debilitating allergies, asthma, or respiratory disease? The air in your house can be taking a serious toll on your health, keeping you home from work or school, or away from social events. Ironically, the more time you spend on the couch recuperating and breathing that same polluted air, the worse you’ll feel.

Is Your Job (Literally) Killing You?

We all have enough trouble getting through the daily grind without worrying about whether the air in the workplace is putting us at higher risk for cardiovascular disease or lung cancer. Be alert at work, especially if you work in a setting where more pollutants may be present. See that all employees wear the appropriate protective gear, and that heating, cooling and ventilation systems are in working order. And remember that a healthy workforce keeps the factory floor running and health costs down.

Signs and Symptoms of Poor Air Quality

If you regularly experience coughing, sneezing, irritated eyes, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, congestion, or asthmatic wheezing, then monitor your symptoms. Do you wake up after a night spent in a particular bedroom with terrible allergies? Maybe its the dust mites under the bed and in your mattress. Find yourself experiencing extreme fatigue and headaches? Be sure your carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. When bad air is the culprit, you may find your symptoms are connected with a particular location.

Breathe Freely

For business owners or home owners, clean air means a better day. Whether you want a better life or just a better bottom line, every breath of clean air will help you get there. So check out our tips for simple changes you can make to improve air quality indoors. Also be sure to jot down a time for your home or business to have its HVAC system serviced. Contact Modernistic to set up an appointment today.

Manage your fall allergies

Posted Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

East Lansing: enjoy Michigan color without sacrificing your health.

Most Michigan residents agree that fall is the best season: the summer humidity breaks, the leaves turn color, and apple cider hits the store shelves. But for many, the changing weather can also bring allergy symptoms or trigger asthma attacks. So for those of you who are allergic to autumn, here are some strategies to help manage your symptoms.

Limit exposure to ragweed pollen

What many of us refer to as “hay fever” is actually a reaction to ragweed pollen. Late August through September and early October are high times for ragweed pollen, which can spread great distances even if there isn’t any near you. Keep an eye on the pollen forecast, and avoid going outdoors when the pollen count is high. Close your windows, and shower in the evenings to avoid getting pollen on your pillow while you sleep. You can also run a HEPA air filter in certain rooms, particularly bedrooms, to improve air quality.

Avoid outdoor mold

Damp piles of leaves are ideal breeding grounds for mold and mildew. So before you start raking leaves, be sure your mouth and nose are covered with a protective mask. If your reaction is severe, consider turning that chore over to a non-allergic friend.

Seek medical treatment

Consult a doctor or an allergist about the best treatment for your symptoms. Your treatment will vary depending on the specific trigger, and it’s important to know which activities are safe and which to avoid.

Clean your ducts and air filter before turning on the heat

Pollen, mold, dust mites, and dander all collect in air ducts. When you turn on your heat that first chilly fall day, you could very well circulate allergens throughout your home. If you or someone in your family suffers from seasonal triggers, consider cleaning your air ducts and air filter to reduce symptoms.

Modernistic can help you manage your fall allergies. When it comes to air duct cleaning, our technicians are NADCA certified. We also offer anti-allergen and disinfectant programs to reduce allergens in your home. So stop being allergic to autumn: contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Allergy relief is on the way.

Posted Thursday, August 18th, 2016

Sorry, for your allergies, Brighton: we blame the weather.

After one of the driest summers on record, recent weather changes have led to a high pollen count across Michigan. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you’re probably already well aware of the problem. Modernistic offers special anti-allergen cleaning, but here are a few tips to hold you over while you wait for help to arrive.

Keep allergens out

Keep pollen and other allergens from entering your home in the first place. Close your outside doors and windows, leave your shoes at the door, and keep doormats at all entryways.

Regulate your temperature and humidity

Dust mites and mold grow best in a hot, humid environment. Keep your indoor temperature between 68 F (20 C) and 72 F (22 C) and relative humidity below 50%. If you haven’t changed the filters in your furnace or air conditioner in a while, you may want to check them as well.

Invest in an air filtration system

Choose one that comes equipped with a small-particle or HEPA filter. This can be especially beneficial to use in bedrooms: have it direct clean air toward your head while you sleep so that you can get a better night’s rest.

Do the laundry

Wash your bedding in hot water once a week to kill any dust mites. Also, if you have washable curtains, area rugs, and doormats, clean them as well.

Give your house a good cleaning

If your symptoms are exceptionally bad, you may want to wear a dust mask while you clean. After that, vacuum all your floors, and use a microfiber cloth or slightly dampened rag to get rid of dust built up on your shelves and dressers without brushing it into the air.

Ask about Modernistic’s Allergy Relief Services

Our specially-trained professionals can reduce allergens in your home for up to six months. We can remove up to 90% of dust, dander, and other debris from your carpets and upholstery, leaving you with long-lasting allergy relief in your home. Call today to schedule a cleaning.