The current pandemic has led many of us to reevaluate our hygiene practices and make changes in our lives that will benefit our health well into the future. One thing that has become increasingly important is air quality and cleanliness, so we put together some HVAC system tips to help you combat COVID-19 and adhere to the new PHAC at-home ventilation guidelines.

Who is the PHAC?
The PHAC is the Public Health Agency of Canada and they recently released a set of guidelines to help Canadians stay healthy and improve the quality and cleanliness of their household air. The guidelines were primarily developed to ensure that Canadians’ HVAC systems are distributing the highest-quality air possible throughout their homes, but also to help combat the COVID-19 virus.

What are the at-home ventilation guidelines?
The guidelines are things we should all be doing to protect our respiratory health, pandemic or not, but they are more important now than ever before. As the first line of defence, they recommend using air filters with high Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values, also known as a MERV rating, in your current HVAC system. The higher the MERV rating your filters have, the better they will be able to capture small airborne particles like the COVID-19 virus. They also suggested that homeowners set their systems to the “FAN ON” setting to increase the amount of air that gets filtered.

What else can you do to keep your household air clean?
In addition to following the PHAC guidelines to enlist the help of your HVAC system to reduce your chances of contracting COVID-19 and other illnesses, there are some other things you can do around your house to help as well.

• Open windows around your home when the weather permits to increase the flow of fresh air.
• Place a box fan in a window or run your kitchen and bathroom exhausts to draw more air in through the open windows.
• Avoid using pedestal and ceiling fans if there is no flow of fresh air because they can increase the amount of time that infectious droplets and particles remain airborne.
• Invest in a whole-home humidifier to achieve the recommended 30-50 percent humidity level and reduce the amount of time contaminants can remain airborne.
• When possible, install a whole-home air purifier in line with your HVAC system rather than a portable unit, as portable options have been found to be relatively ineffective at combating the COVID-19 virus.

The virus will eventually be eradicated, but these tips can help improve your overall health and reduce your chances of contracting other airborne illnesses long after the current pandemic is over.

Need help getting your home to meet the new PHAC guidelines?
The team at Delta has the equipment and solutions you’re looking for!

The team of HVAC experts at Delta have been proudly serving the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph regions heating and cooling needs since the 1950s. We are committed to providing our clients with cost-effective solutions and high-quality equipment.

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