Your Basement Matters When it Comes to Air Quality in Your Home

We may love our kitchens and spend a lot of time in our living rooms, but one of the most important places in a house is the basement.

"Furnaces and air conditioners come in a range of sizes. And if it's not sized properly, the blower motor is not going to be matched to the existing duct system; therefore you're not going to get the proper amount of air flow in your house. That can affect your indoor air quality and your overall comfort level," said Marc Gladding, a heating and cooling expert.

Keeping your home air tight is important for your utility bills, but that's only one step.

"A lot of people like to seal their homes from the outside to minimize their utility bills, they're not allowing the house to breath, so what they bring in, stay is. That's why air filtration, ultraviolet light, and humidification are so important so that you can mitigate those issues," said Gladding.

How do you keep everything working optimally?

"We recommend annual checkups whether it be on your furnace or your air conditioner. That's a complete tune-up where we go in and we go right through the unit and make sure it's operating properly. Most people do not change their filters. Time of year doesn't matter, the main thing is that you do it," said Gladding.  

How many bedrooms? Square footage? Does it have a pool? These are all common questions when buying a home, but one you should be asking is how old is the heating and cooling unit.

"Most people that are out buying a new home don't spend a lot of time looking at the mechanicals, but it could be one of the most expensive repairs you have to do in your home. They should be making sure that their home inspector does a thorough inspection of the unit, to make sure they don't run into any unexpected problems after the purchase," said Gladding.

There are many options for heating and cooling systems, depending on the size and age of your home. There are even remote options that you can control with an app on your phone. Consult a professional to find out what system might be best for your needs.