Pyramid Heating & Cooling Was Featured in The Oregonian

Proud to Be the Team Our Community Trusts

On April 1, 2020, our team at Pyramid Heating & Cooling, including our very own Rachel Smith, was featured in an article published by The Oregonian – and it was no joke! We were so grateful to be able to provide expert insight to writer Janet Eastman, The Oregonian, and their readership on the importance of indoor air quality, particularly during such troubling times.

Using Indoor Air Quality to Boost Respiratory Health

Because so many people spend so much time indoors – even more so now, with much of the country quarantined at home – the importance of indoor air quality is more pressing than ever before. Buildings are generally intentionally designed to be closed systems, allowing for greater efficiency in their HVAC and electrical systems. This does mean, however, that any pollution that makes its way indoors has no easy means of escape.

Because of this, the pollutant levels tend to be far higher indoors than outdoors. Higher levels of pollutants lead to increased aggravation of respiratory diseases such as asthma or chronic lung disease. While this is more than reason enough on its own, it is even more important in our current climate as health experts have stated that those with compromised respiratory health are at greater risk for more severe symptoms of COVID-19.

Tips for a Healthy Home

We had several recommendations for the readers of The Oregonian on what they can do to improve their home’s air quality.

These recommendations included:

• Sealing the ductwork: A building’s ductwork is designed with balance in mind, and leaks or misalignments can cause inefficiency and let in unwanted air from crawlspaces or attics

• Balancing the air change: Ensuring that you have regular air change keeps the system moving efficiently and does not allow for leaks

• Maintaining healthy humidity levels: Too much moisture in the air can encourage the growth of mold, while too little can increase the spread of viruses

• Filtering the air: A good air filter that is cleaned or replaced regularly can go a long way toward removing the unwanted particles from the air circulating throughout your home

• Purifying the air: A system that utilizes both electrostatic technology and a UV germicidal lamp will neutralize a majority of unwanted contaminants in the air, even reducing the presence of biological contaminants on surfaces

If you have any questions about how you can improve the air quality in your home, feel free to reach out to us at (503) 783-8488 today!