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Tag: Air Flow Controller

Strategies For Optimizing Your Commercial AC Performance

Posted on by Comfort First Products

Maintaining a comfortable and energy-efficient commercial space is crucial to running a successful business. A properly functioning air conditioning system is one of the most critical components in this equation. However, ensuring optimal performance requires proactive measures and strategic maintenance. Here are some effective strategies to keep your commercial AC system running smoothly.

Optimal Airflow Management

Proper air circulation is essential for maximizing the performance of your commercial AC system. Installing air conditioning deflectors on the ceiling is an effective way to enhance airflow. These devices help direct the air movement in the desired direction, ensuring uniform cooling throughout the space. By strategically positioning deflectors, you can minimize hotspots and improve overall comfort levels for occupants. Invest in high-quality deflectors for your AC system from Comfort First Products, our company specializing in indoor air quality products to enhance air circulation.

Regular Maintenance Checks

Regular maintenance checks are crucial for the efficient functioning of your commercial AC system. Arrange regular inspections conducted by qualified professionals to evaluate the condition of your HVAC system. This includes examining filters, coils, fins, and other components for signs of wear and tear. Additionally, ensure adequate refrigerant levels and tight electrical connections. Immediately addressing minor issues can prevent them from escalating into major problems that could disrupt your business operations.

Efficient Temperature Control

Maintaining the right temperature settings is key to optimizing your commercial AC performance. While setting the thermostat to the lowest possible temperature during hot weather may be tempting, doing so can strain the system and lead to higher energy consumption. Instead, aim for a moderate temperature that keeps occupants comfortable without overworking the AC unit. Utilize programmable thermostats to create temperature schedules that align with your business hours, allowing for energy savings during off-peak times.

Regular Filter Replacement

Maintaining optimal indoor air quality goes beyond mere convenience; it’s essential for comfort and health. At Comfort First, we offer a range of replacement filters tailored to fit our products seamlessly. Our MERV-12 and MERV-14 filters trap even the tiniest particles, ensuring cleaner air circulation throughout your space. This superior filtration efficiency means fewer airborne contaminants circulating in your space, reducing the risk of respiratory issues and allergies.

Scheduled Cleaning of Coils and Fins

The coils and fins of your commercial AC system are susceptible to dirt and debris accumulation, which can impair heat exchange and hinder performance. Schedule regular cleaning of coils and fins to remove any buildup and ensure efficient heat transfer. This can be done using specialized coil cleaners and fin combs to dislodge dirt and debris. Keeping these components clean can improve energy efficiency and reduce the risk of system malfunctions.

Proactive Leak Detection and Repair

Refrigerant leaks can affect the performance of your commercial AC system, leading to decreased cooling capacity and higher energy consumption. Implement proactive leak detection measures to identify and address any leaks promptly. Regularly inspect refrigerant lines and connections for signs of leakage, such as hissing sounds or oil stains. If you detect a leak, enlist a qualified technician to repair the issue and recharge the system with the appropriate refrigerant.

Proper Insulation and Sealing

Ensuring proper insulation and sealing of your commercial building can greatly impact the efficiency of your air conditioning system. Inspect and address any gaps, cracks, or areas of poor insulation around windows, doors, and other potential entry points for outside air. This can help prevent cool air from escaping and reduce the burden on your AC unit.

Maintaining a comfortable working environment and safeguarding perishable goods are pivotal, underscoring the critical role of commercial AC systems. You can achieve consistent comfort and performance year-round with diligent care and attention. Comfort First’s innovative products, such as air vent deflectors, ensure even distribution of conditioned air, eliminating hot and cold spots in the room. Our air vent diverter installation service also helps you find the perfect HVAC accessories.

5 Reasons to Spring Clean Your Office

Posted on by james bultitude

Spring has sprung, and cleaning your office is as crucial as ever, especially with more people coming back to the office now that we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for this global pandemic we have been battling for the past year. In this blog, we are going to go over five reasons why you should spring clean your office and the best ways to do it. Contact Comfort First to learn more about cleaning your company as part of your spring cleaning regimen!

Higher Productivity & Efficiency in the Office

Properly cleaning your office and maintaining that cleanliness is crucial to help employees do their jobs more effectively. Reducing germs and keeping your indoor quality high in the workplace keeps your team healthier and happier. It should come as no surprise, but employees work far more efficiently when they are not sick. You can keep this indoor air quality in your office with Comfort First’s air filter products here!

Fewer Injuries

Taking time to organize your office and providing a safe place for all of your office’s equipment reduces the likelihood that employees, vendors, and visitors will get hurt and put your company at risk of workers’ compensation and liability claims. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slips, trips, and falls account for more than 9 million emergency room visits each year.

Lower Sick Days Around the Company

With the pandemic still highly prevalent in our lives, proper sanitation and quality air are essential for offices worldwide. Even with COVID-19 being dangerous, other viruses and potentially harmful pollutants still exist out there. Reduce the sick days in your office by spring cleaning and making sure the air that everybody is breathing is quality and clean. Check out more air filtration products in our catalog to help maintain that cleanliness throughout the office.

Easier Supply Inventory Tracking

Organizing supplies lowers unnecessary spending and downtime. Keeping supplies in a central, organized location minimizes over-ordering. When you can easily see what you do and don’t need, you reduce duplicate orders and lost time from last-second runs to the office supply store. Another great way to cut costs is by purchasing store brands, which often offer a better-expected value without sacrificing quality or performance.

Everybody In Your Office Can Be Breathing Clean Air

Here at Comfort First, we stress the importance of indoor air quality in the workplace. This is essential not only for you and your employees, but for any customers or clientele who visit your store. CDC regulations have been more relaxed, allowing businesses throughout the country to open up and allow traffic through their doors. Ensuring that you provide your business with filtered air only has positive benefits. Quality air filters can block all of those potentially harmful pollutants that are brought in from your HVAC system like bacteria, viruses, pollen, and more. Learn more about how you can benefit your company here.

Shop At Comfort First Today

Comfort First is dedicated to providing companies throughout the United States with reliable air filters to provide their office with the indoor air quality they can trust. Want to learn more? Check out our products here or feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns!

Indoor Air Quality and Your Child’s School

Posted on by CFAdmin

When we first think of schools we tend to think about the students, teachers, and all of the learning that takes place within these walls. However, barely any of us think of the air quality that’s in this building. Children spend approximately an average of 1,300 hours in school buildings. That’s 1,300 hours of breathing in the air that is circulating throughout the school. After that number, you’re probably wondering how the indoor air quality is in your child’s school now. 

 

Indoor air quality, or IAQ, is extremely important and something that most people tend to forget about, but it plays a major role in the success of students. Keep reading to learn more! 

 

Clean Air For Student Success 

Humans at every age are extremely susceptible to harmful air contaminants. However, developing children are particularly vulnerable to these irritating pollutants. Floating around in the air are massive amounts of microbiological pollutants, allergens, chemicals, and ultra fine particles, which can directly affect the lungs of children. Exposure to polluted air during these developing years has also been associated with decreased respiratory function later in life. Increased reports of asthma among school aged children has been directly linked to elevated amounts of air pollution. 

 

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, respiratory illnesses are the most common cause of absent students, especially with asthma-related illnesses. These account for more than 14 million missed school days every single year. 

 

Where Does Pollution Come From?

Pollution can come from a variety of places. There are several sources of air pollution in schools. According to the EPA, new schools with tightly sealed buildings tend to have a lack of neutral ventilation. The use of synthetic building materials and furniture can also leak hazardous chemicals into the air. Older school buildings may have lead, asbestos, and radon contamination. They may also have issues with mold due to excess moisture. If your building is especially old you may also find excess dust from crumbling walls. 

 

Due to funding, buildings, both new and old, may resort to turning off their HVAC systems or fail to properly maintain them. Due to this, outdoor and indoor pollutants (like vehicle exhaust, pesticides, factory emissions, etc.) may be able to make their way into an already polluted environment. 

 

What Can I Do? 

Parents, teachers, and others can take action by making sure that their schools have clean air in every classroom. Make sure your schools are routinely inspecting and maintaining their HVAC systems regularly. Ask about the cleaning techniques that your school’s janitorial staff is taking, as well as any routine maintenance that the school gets done. Another way to keep the integrity of your child’s school air is to invest in indoor air quality products from Comfort First. We’ve designed a wide array of products that anyone can easily install and maintain. We understand the importance of indoor air quality, which is why we made our products easy to use, while being extremely accessible. Connect with us to learn more today! 

Common Types of Air Pollutants

Posted on by CFAdmin

No matter if you’re living or working in an urban or rural environment, indoor air quality is of the utmost importance. Through all of the hustle and bustle that goes on everyday, we are constantly breathing in things that aren’t the best for our health. Studies have actually shown that living in heavy metropolitan areas can actually reduce your lifespan but two to three years. Due to these strong allegations, it is important to understand what major pollutants are and how we can decrease the damage that they cause. Keep reading to learn more! 

 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required by the Clean Air Act to set quality standards for six of the most common and harmful types of air pollutants. These air pollutants pose a particular threat to the enviornement, and people’s health and well-being. Since these pollutants have the potential to cause so much damage, the EPA sets permissible levels for these air contaminantes and checks on them on a regular basis. The six most common pollutants include ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. 

 

Ozone

Ground-level ozone is different from the ozone layer that protects the planet from the sun. It is actually created on the ground when volatile organic compounds chemically react with oxides of nitrogen in the presence of sunlight. These chemicals are a result of a motor vehicle exhaust, emissions from electric utilities, and industrial facilities, chemical solvents, and gas vapors. Ozone can also have harmful effects on the ecosystem, which can then cause changes to the quality of habitats, nutrient cycles, and water.

 

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide is a byproduct of the combustion process, carbon monoxide emissions most commonly come from transportation sources. Carbon monoxide is extremely harmful to the body due to its ability to inhibit the blood from delivering oxygen to the organs. At high levels, it can stop all oxygen delivery which can cause death. Carbon monoxide fumes can also be dangerous when they’re inside due to the area holding the fumes in. Many people have carbon monoxide detectors in their homes and workplaces. 

 

Sulfur Dioxide 

The combustion of fossil fuels at power plants and other industrial facilities are responsible for the majority of sulfur dioxide production. It is also very harmful to the respiratory system, which can cause asthma-like symptoms. Sulfur dioxide can also react with various compounds in the air which form small particles. These particles can then embed themselves in the lungs and can cause emphysema symptoms for certain people. It can also affect those with heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death.

 

Lead 

Now that we’re aware that lead is an extremely poisonous and toxic chemical and we are no longer using it in day to day products, it is still considered to be an air pollutant. Lead isn’t as prevalent however it still shows in certain air quality tests, making it important to note.

 

Nitrogen Oxides 

These are produced from emissions that are formed from power plants, on-road vehicles, and off-road vehicles, nitrogen oxides are one of the chemicals that are involved in the formation of harmful fine particle pollution and ground-level ozone. They have been known to cause respiratory distress and a large number of other health issues. 

 

Particulate Matter 

This can also be commonly called particle pollution, and this form of pollution is extremely harmful to the body. Nitrates, organic chemicals, soil, metals, sulfates, and dust particles are responsible for creating particulate matter. The EPA has classified the particulates into two categories, which include inhalable coarse particles and fine particles depending on their size. 

 

While these air pollutants are commonly found outside, they can also be easily transferred indoors. This can be even more dangerous due to the fact that the air can be condensed and trapped inside. Investing in products that help improve the quality of air, especially indoors, are investments that are beneficial for not only you but those around you. At Comfort First Products, we have a full range of filtered supply diffusers that drastically improve the quality of your indoor air. Both our Control-A-Flow® Draft Eliminator and Comfort First Filtered Diffusers™ redirect air along with the ceiling and terminate drafts and cold breezes through superior airflow that are compatible with all HVAC systems. Contact us today! 

Don’t Buy Into These Myths About Indoor Air Quality

Posted on by CFAdmin

At Comfort First, we sell all kinds of products that are meant to improve the indoor air quality of your building and promote healthy indoor air quality. However, the importance of our products can easily be lost on someone who doesn’t have a solid understanding of why it’s important to maintain good air quality.

Unfortunately, this problem is exacerbated by various myths and misconceptions that have long been floating around. It’s time to put these to rest. Don’t buy into the following myths regarding indoor air quality!

Myth: Indoor Air is Healthier Than Outdoor Air

From a certain point of view, this one could make sense on paper if you don’t think too hard about it. After all, the outdoor air in many cities is tainted by smog and who-knows-what, and a lot of people have the expectation that indoor HVAC systems naturally filter the bad stuff out.

While HVAC systems do, in fact, filter harmful particulates in the air, the truth is the indoor air is almost always lower quality than outdoor air. The bottom line is that the air we breathe indoors comes from the air outside, so even if it gets filtered, we’re still breathing in the same air over and over as it circulates.

And that’s not taking into account HVAC quality. If you haven’t changed your air filters in a long time, or invested in products such as air deflectors and vent diffusers, you could be lowering the air quality in your home or commercial building.

And, finally, buildings have their own problems that you don’t always encounter outdoors. Mold, dust, pet dander, and pathogens all love to thrive indoors, and you can bet they will be circulated through your air system. With all these things considered, it’s easy to see why it’s so important to be proactive about maintaining your HVAC system.

Myth: Indoor Air Quality Isn’t a Big Deal

If this point were true, we wouldn’t be taking the time to write about it! Though, if that argument isn’t quite compelling enough for you, let’s break it down a little more.

Bad indoor air quality can manifest itself in various forms, ranging from mildly annoying to a legitimate health hazard. People who have breathing problems suffer greatly from bad indoor air quality, as dust and pollutants can trigger asthma attacks. People who experience seasonal allergies can have regular reactions indoors if the HVAC system isn’t up to par. Meanwhile, harmful chemicals like mold can build up in your air vent system, creating a nasty odor, headaches, and respiratory problems.

If it’s your home, being negligent about air quality is one thing, but it’s on another level if you’re the owner of a large commercial building or office space. Sure, you might be willing to cough every once in a while and deal with allergies, but do you want to be responsible for exposing countless other employees to that? People have different tolerances to air quality, so it’s best to prevent any major problems by investing in well-made indoor air quality products.

Myth: Newer Buildings Always Have Better Air Quality

We tend to have a subconscious habit of regarding newer things as better, or higher quality. But we advise you to not be deceived. Did you know that newer and “cleaner” buildings actually often have worse indoor air quality?

First off, newer buildings are much more airtight than what came before. This has its advantages, such as being less susceptible to outdoor temperatures, but it also means that it’s harder for air to escape, thus resulting in poor indoor air quality as the same air is circulated over and over.

Also, the construction aspect of new properties doesn’t do favors for your air quality. Paint fumes and formaldehydes have a tendency of getting into the air, and the building will actually need some time to totally rid itself of the pollutants.

If you’re a commercial building owner, it’s important to remember that your air quality might not be good just because your building “feels” nice, so make sure to get it checked as soon as possible!

Myth: You Have No Control Over The Airflow in Your Building

Many people believe that they’re under the whim of their building design when it comes to airflow. In other words, they resign themselves to the ventilation design of the building, when in reality, there are many things that can be done to have some degree of control over your building’s airflow.

Consider a vent deflector. You’ve probably seen these all over various commercial buildings. Vent deflectors create an angle or slope right underneath an air vent, which guides the air flow in a certain direction. This is useful, because sometimes if you do nothing, the air being circulated by your HVAC might end up congregating in a corner, or blowing disproportionately hard on a certain region of the office.

By making wise use of vent deflectors and air diffusers, you can create even airflow throughout your building, something which ultimately can benefit the indoor air quality! It also ensures that, if you have any problems with your air quality, that they’re not being forced upon one specific region of the office, resulting in employees who routinely experience worse air quality than their coworkers.

Myth: Air Filters Should Be Replaced on An Annual Basis

Close, but no cigar. While it’s absolutely true that your air filters should be regularly replaced, doing it once a year is not nearly “regular” enough. Air filters, especially the ones that are found in commercial buildings, filter out a whole lot of contaminants, and if you leave them sitting there for months and months at a time, you can bet that they’re going to build up with pollutants, resulting in less efficient air flow, and more particles “breaking through” the barrier, which ultimately reduces air quality.

We would suggest replacing your filters every two to three months. Fortunately, if you’re the type of person that has a hard time remembering mundane maintenance jobs like this, you can subscribe to our air filter subscription program, where we will routinely send you new filters! This will ensure that you have a solid reminder every few months to change your filters, and your indoor air quality will be all the better for it.

Air Diffusers, Vent Deflectors, Air Filters, and More

The best thing you can do to promote good indoor air quality is to invest in products that will facilitate healthy and productive airflow.

We call ourselves “Comfort First Products” for a reason — it’s because our HVAC components have a profound impact on the indoor air quality of your commercial building, resulting in a comfier, healthier, and safer environment for you and your employees. Browse our selection today!