Leading local HVAC service provider highlights the year-round value and convenience offered by comprehensive professional membership service

SOUTH BEND, Ind., March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Home Comfort Experts, the preferred local provider of high-quality HVAC, indoor air quality and plumbing service in Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan, advises area homeowners that professional preventive maintenance helps keep heating and cooling equipment operating efficiently year-round.

Home Comfort Experts, the preferred local provider of high-quality HVAC, indoor air quality and plumbing service in Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan, advises area homeowners that professional preventive maintenance helps keep heating and cooling equipment operating efficiently year-round.

A comprehensive preventive maintenance program for HVAC systems offered by a trusted professional service provider ensures efficient performance and convenient service while reducing energy costs. Many homeowners see significant utility savings and can extend the life of their equipment by investing in preventive maintenance.

“Home heating and cooling systems require regular expert care over time,” said Brian West, general manager of Home Comfort Experts. “We invest in oil changes and tune-ups for our vehicles, so it just makes sense to take the same precautions with the systems that provide comfort and protection from the elements in our homes. Preventive maintenance programs offer homeowners the unique convenience and value that come with regular routine service relationships.”

Members of Home Comfort Experts Comfort Club, for example, enjoy complimentary maintenance, guaranteed appointments for heating and cooling inspection and service and discounted repairs. The full benefits of programs such as the Home Comfort Experts Comfort Club include:

• Timely repair and maintenance: Preventive maintenance programs help homeowners save energy by keeping equipment running as efficiently as possible.

• Identification of developing issues: Technicians can pinpoint developing problems and recommend furnace or air conditioning repair before major issues arise.

• Reduced operating costs: Maintenance program members pay less over time to keep their equipment running.

• Convenience: Maintenance program members experience fewer interruptions due to equipment failure or major repairs.

• Extend equipment life: Preventive maintenance helps equipment last longer with fewer major repairs.

• Trusted technicians: Home Comfort Experts provides technicians with ongoing training for repair, installation, and maintenance, and employees are subject to drug testing and background checks.

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“Preventive maintenance is a convenient way to stay a step ahead of major problems,” West said. “Investing in a program like this helps homeowners save money and reduce the inconvenience of unexpected equipment failure. We rely on our heating and cooling systems to protect the comfort and well-being of our families, but without proper maintenance their performance will be compromised.”

Since 2006, Home Comfort Experts has specialized in providing residential heating, cooling and plumbing service and maintenance, indoor air quality products and services, and equipment replacement. Home Comfort Experts serves Fort Wayne, Columbia City, Warsaw, South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Plymouth and LaPorte in Indiana and Niles, St. Joseph, Berrien Springs and Dowagiac in Michigan.

For more information about Home Comfort Experts Comfort Club, visit https://www.homecomfortexpertsinc.com/join-comfort-club/.

About Home Comfort Experts

Home Comfort Experts is the preferred local provider of high-quality HVAC, indoor air quality and plumbing service in Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan. Our customers’ satisfaction and comfort is our number one goal. Home Comfort Experts serves clients in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan, including Fort Wayne, Columbia City, Warsaw, South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Plymouth, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Niles, Berrien Springs and Dowagiac. We’re the technicians you can trust with your house keys. For more information, visit https://homecomfortexpertsinc.com/.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
(865) 977-1973
[email protected]

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SOURCE Home Comfort Experts

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Xiaomi officially announced the high-end flagship series of Mijia full-effect air purifier today, which supports core technology, surging experience, pioneering design, March 21 at 10:00, new products please look forward to!

In terms of design, the product features the same four-leaf aesthetic as Xiaomi Mijia Air Purifier Ultra, which is expected to be the standard version of the Mijia Total Air Purifier.

In September 2022, Xiaomi launched Mijia Total effect Air Purifier Ultra, which supports the aldehyde detoxification technology. The catalytic aldehyde detoxification filter element equipped with this technology can decompose formaldehyde into water and carbon dioxide continuously and completely, without secondary pollution release and need not be replaced. Aldehyde removal effect is 10 times better than the national standard, efficient removal of home air pollution. Equipped with solid formaldehyde sensor imported from Switzerland, 0.001mg/m³ precise digital display. Equipped with photoelectric dual self-cleaning technology, there are four groups of high-energy plasma generators, which continuously release low-temperature plasma, form high-energy ion field in the filter chamber, release super ionizing energy, infiltrate continuously eliminate viruses and bacteria attached to the filter element, and remove harmful gases and odors.

Ultra has optical design of the opposite UV lamp group, the use of high-intensity reflective aluminum film coating, break through the narrow exposure range of traditional UV lamp beads, achieve full range of full face light irradiation, elimination area covers the complete surface of the filter element, keep the filter element clean. Output clean air 12500L per minute, also equipped with Germany ebm DC fan, 4.3 inch LCD large color screen, support Mi App and small love classmate control, can be installed universal wheel, drawer type filter design easy replacement.

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This week we honor and memorialize Hal Levin an IAQ Pioneer by remastering the first of a 2 part show that was done on April 30, 2010. A nice obituary for Hal can be found at https://www.ashrae.org/news/esociety/in-memory-of-hal-levin

Hal Levin was a Research Architect with Building Ecology Research Group, Santa Cruz, California. Mr. Levin conducted research and consulted on building’s impacts on occupant health and comfort as well as on the larger environment. Since 1978 his work focused on the integration of knowledge about indoor and outdoor air pollution as well as other risk factors into the design, construction, and operation of residential, educational, and commercial buildings and communities.

Hal contributed to the design of many award-winning buildings including the design of ventilation, building materials’ selection, energy conservation, and total environmental quality. He also contributed to the scientific and professional advancements in the fields of life-cycle analysis and risk assessment as indicators of the sustainability of building designs and practices. He coined the term “building ecology” in the late 1970s (first published an article by that title in 1981), focusing on the dynamic and interdependent relationships between buildings, their occupants, and the larger environment. Hal was a leader in numerous professional and scientific societies and received awards from several including ASHRAE’s Environmental Health Award in 2008. He was also the Executive Director of ISIAQ, the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate, and President of the Indoor Air Institute. 

Hal was an avid baseball player and pitched competitively in an over-25 hardball league in San Jose, California. He received the Most Valuable Player Award at the Los Angeles Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp.

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Newly developed filter simultaneously removes particulate matter and volatile organic chemicals as primary air pollutants while retaining initial performance for up to 20 years

Samsung Electronics today introduced a new air filter technology that simultaneously collects particulate matter (PM) and decomposes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and can be used for 20 years through simple water washing. A study about the technology was published in the journal Nature Communications on 15th February UK Time.

 

▲ (left to right) SAIT Researchers Dong Sik Yang, Hyun Chul Lee, Hyuk Jae Kwon and Min Seok Koo

 

“This project started from listening to suggestions from manufacturers and users of air purification filters,” said Hyuk Jae Kwon, one of the lead-/corresponding authors at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). “We plan to expand the research into accelerating the commercialization of long-lifetime filters in the future.”

 

▲ Filter Structure

 

Conventional air purification filters need frequent replacement because of their short cycle of six months to one year. In addition, every single filter can only remove either PM or VOCs, respectively, limiting air purifiers’ space efficiency.

 

To address these problems, researchers at SAIT developed and implemented an unprecedented filter technology that applies photocatalysts such as copper oxide (Cu2O) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) for the first time and verifies the viability for commercialization.

 

Samsung’s ceramic catalyst filter technology is expected to help implement compact air purification systems, significantly reducing both disposable waste and the cost burden caused by frequent filter replacement.

 

The filter is designed to capture PMs first in the porous ceramic wall at the inlet channel, where the inorganic membrane is coated and decomposes VOC gases on the photocatalyst on the outlet channel under a single-pass airflow. It combines two different filters for dust and gas and increases dust loading capacity by four times compared to conventional filters, from five grams per liter to 20.

 

In addition, since the SAIT-developed Cu2O/TiO2 photocatalyst is insoluble, the filter is regenerable by simple water-washing and still retains its initial PM and VOC gas removal performance. Assuming ten times of regeneration through water-washing, the filter can be used for 20 years, lasting up to 40 times longer lifespan than the conventional HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter.

 

For further assessment, Samsung Electronics plans to produce prototypes for air conditioning facilities at office buildings, bus terminals and underground parking lots in its semiconductor campuses.

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If the first three months of operations at Shell’s petrochemical plant are any indication, the next 30 years are going to be stressful and hazardous for nearby Beaver Country residents.

The community is locked into a lasting and significant source of plastics production and dirty air pollution that will degrade the Commonwealth’s air quality and our environmental legacy for decades to come. Shell clearly isn’t interested in operating safely or responsibly ― so it’s up to regulators and citizens to force them to get emissions in check.

The Shell Polymers Monaca plant in Potter Township officially began operations in November of last year. Even before opening day, the plant was already posing a threat to the surrounding community. From the very beginning, Shell has not managed to keep its pollution to safe and legal levels. It has set a terrible precedent for decades to come, and there’s no reason to expect Shell will act differently ― unless it’s forced to do so.

The Environmental Integrity Project and Clean Air Council are taking steps to force Shell to take their responsibility to residents and the environment seriously. Our organizations have filed a notice of intent to sue Shell for the consistent violation of air pollution limits.

In September 2022, the plant emitted 512 tons of volatile organic compounds, nearly reaching in that one month the 12-month permitted limit of its approved volatile organic compound emissions (516.2 tons in any consecutive 12-month period). These chemicals contribute to smog and can cause nausea, nerve damage and other health problems. Shell also emitted the dangerous pollutants nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide from sources at the plant in the final months of 2022 at rates that exceed permit limits.

It’s important to note that these limits were agreed upon by Shell and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) through an in-depth permitting process. The fact that Shell began violating them immediately underscores just how little regard its leaders have shown for the residents harmed by the massive facility.

Those residents have had to be extra vigilant in ensuring their families are safe. The plant has caused unexpected noises in the middle of the night, odd smells, unexpected flaring activities, and more. With few official updates from Shell, community members and environmental advocates have taken to sharing information on social media and elsewhere to stay informed and connected. Eyes On Shell is one group monitoring the refinery’s actions and keeping local residents updated.

Clearly, it shouldn’t be left up to citizens and nonprofit groups to decipher flames brightening the skies or chemical odors and figure out how to protect their loved ones. Shell should be updating the community and taking every action to protect surrounding residents through safer operations and no environmental violations. The public should be able to rely on DEP to force Shell to do better.

The Shell petrochemicals complex is ground zero for an identity crisis playing out in the fossil fuel space. As the world recognizes the need to transition away from dirty fossil fuels to renewable forms of energy, companies like Shell are pivoting to massive investments in plastics manufacturing. The cracker plant on the Ohio River is a prime example: it can produce as much as 3.5 billion pounds of plastic pellets in a single year. Yet Shell’s own leaders have been caught questioning the impact of three more decades of single-use plastic production and wondering if the company will one day “take responsibility” for all that environmental damage.

We demand that Shell take responsibility now. It’s time for Shell to take responsibility for the unsafe pollution and start operating under the permitted emissions limits. It’s time for Shell to take responsibility to inform and protect the community it joined when it began this massive project. It’s time for Shell to take responsibility for the generations of Pennsylvania families it threatens with its reckless operations and environmental destruction. Tell your local lawmakers and DEP that it’s time to hold Shell accountable.

Joseph O. Minott is executive director and chief counsel of the Clean Air Council, one of the leading nonprofit advocates for Pennsylvania’s environmental protection. 

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Humidifiers are designed to help you breathe better, but depending on the type you have and the water you use, it might also be affecting your air quality at home.

“It’s not that I am saying humidifiers (are) completely bad for people. It’s just we should be aware that the water quality we put into the humidifier is directly reflecting the quality of the indoor air you’re breathing,” said Ran Zhao, an assistant professor of Environment Chemistry at University of Alberta.

Zhao studies indoor air quality and he has published research showing using tap water in a cool-mist or ultrasonic humidifier can send high concentrations of particulate matter into the air.

“Those little particles can go all the way into the deeper sites of your lungs and with (that) they can carry whatever chemical they’re associated with.”

He has found levels in a home consistently using a humidifier are comparable to a polluted city.

“From the mass point of view, it’s equivalent to a polluted city. But from the chemical composition point of view, we’re not talking about emissions coming from industry, cars and other human sources of air pollution.”

According to Health Canada, “the number of particles released into the air is generally much lower when using distilled water. However, tap water is fine in most cases, as long as you change the water and clean your humidifier on a regular basis.”

Zhao’s advice is to do your best to find the cleanest water you can afford or find a humidifier that uses evaporation to generate the mist.

He notes more research is needed to look into the potential health hazards, “to prove that it is indeed harmless or, alternatively, maybe there is some potential health hazard or health concern if we continue inhaling such a high concentration of particulate matter, even though the chemical itself is not harmful.”

Health Canada also said cool-mist humidifiers don’t boil the water and that a health risk can develop if the water is left sitting, as bacteria can collect and multiply.

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Expertly Installed Air Purifiers in Garland

With so many contaminants in your indoor air, many homeowners install components of an indoor air quality system selected to address particular issues. UV light, for example, neutralizes airborne organisms like mold so they don’t grow when they land on moist surfaces. HEPA filters remove even tiny particles, while other air purifiers draw contaminants out of the air using an electric charge. Once you’ve “tuned up” your indoor air with our air purification systems, you’ll realize how important it is to treat your body well with the best indoor air you can arrange.

Whole house HVAC system-based air purification equipment processes all the air which passes through your ductwork for thorough treatment. It’s installed on your ductwork near the AC and furnace systems. Maintenance is straightforward and can be performed during other HVAC care.

If you decide to upgrade the air you breathe at home, the first step is to get an assessment of your current air quality. A thorough duct cleaning service will remove airborne material that has accumulated over time, and air purifiers appreciate the fresh start. Skilled technicians provide careful installation and testing of your new equipment, and explain to you the basic maintenance it requires. Then, you can relax, breathe deeply, and enjoy! Look around you after a week or so, and you’ll also realize that there’s much less dust accumulating. Indoor air quality enhancement to your HVAC equipment definitely makes a difference!

Airborne contaminants addressed include:

• Household chemical sprays
• Airborne mold and mildew
• Pet dander and other allergens
• Dust and other fine particles

Testing can help you identify issues with your indoor air quality that can be addressed with air purification. You may also be aware of symptoms and conditions that members of your household have which respond well to cleaner indoor air. Experienced HVAC professionals at On Time Experts can answer your questions and design solutions with air purifiers that could change the way you enjoy life at home in Garland!

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Medindia »

Environmental Health

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A low-cost, mobile pollution detector developed by researchers enables people to track air quality more widely.

Air Pollution Statistics

The World Health Organization has estimated that it leads to over 4 million premature deaths worldwide annually.

The detector, called Flatburn, can be made by 3D printing or by ordering inexpensive parts. The researchers have now tested and calibrated it in relation to existing state-of-the-art machines, and are publicly releasing all the information about it – how to build it, use it, and interpret the data.

‘Flatburn, a low-cost detector can help measure air pollution. ’

“The goal is for community groups or individual citizens anywhere to be able to measure local air pollution, identify its sources, and, ideally, create feedback loops with officials and stakeholders to create cleaner conditions,” says Carlo Ratti, director of MIT’s Senseable City Lab.

Air Pollution Detector

“We’ve been doing several pilots around the world, and we have refined a set of prototypes, with hardware, software, and protocols, to make sure the data we collect are robust from an environmental science point of view,” says Simone Mora, a research scientist at Senseable City Lab and co-author of a newly published paper detailing the scanner’s testing process. The Flatburn device is part of a larger project, known as City Scanner, using mobile devices to better understand urban life.

“Hopefully with the release of the open-source Flatburn we can get grassroots groups, as well as communities in less developed countries, to follow our approach and build and share knowledge,” says An Wang, a researcher at Senseable City Lab and another of the paper’s co-authors.

Source: Eurekalert

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NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., March 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AirAnswers® has announced a new partnership today with Totally Safe Air. AirAnswers and Totally Safe Air join forces to identify and eliminate indoor biological contaminants that could lead to serious health complications. Measuring biological contaminants in the air allows Totally Safe Air to provide targeted solutions tailored specifically to their clients’ individual indoor environmental needs. 

AirAnswers® is the only commercially available comprehensive air sampling system that detects, identifies, and measures all biological particles including molds, mycotoxins, bacteria, viruses, and allergens, down to 0.1 microns in size. AirAnswers technology provides users the ability to assess, remediate, and monitor indoor spaces for biological contaminants. By identifying the indoor airborne contaminants with AirAnswers, Totally Safe Air can now provide targeted remediation and monitoring services to detect and remove viruses, molds, mycotoxins, bacteria, viruses and allergens from indoor environments.

“The AirAnswers air sampling device is an innovative breakthrough in the indoor air quality industry,” said David Saggio, CEO of Totally Safe Air. “It can capture airborne mycotoxins and allergens that could not be properly identified up until now, which will close the gap in getting complete and relevant data to the appropriate people who can help solve it.”

“I am excited for this partnership with AirAnswers and being able to offer this comprehensive service to our clients. As undefined health problems continue to rise, I have seen a growing need for more detailed airborne testing. With this new and unique technology, we can now provide so much more information and a solution that will better the indoor air quality and our clients health,” said David Saggio.

“I’m happy to welcome Totally Safe Air as a partner with AirAnswers, “said Jim Koziarz, CEO of AirAnswers. “This is another major step forward in our Air Quality Program that emphasizes Assessment-Remediation-Monitoring as the best way to ensure healthier indoor air. Identifying and measuring airborne biological contaminants is an essential element in providing cost-effective remediation. Combining measurement and remediation is a game changer in the indoor air quality industry and I’m looking forward to a very successful collaboration with Totally Safe Air. “

To learn more about this partnership, contact: Katie Gragg, Marketing Manager at AirAnswers® 866-539-4253, [email protected]

About Totally Safe Air:

Totally Safe Air provides effective, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly solutions. Safety is our #1 priority, including our solutions for mold remediation, cleaning, and sanitizing services to treat your air quality problems. www.totallysafemedical.com

About AirAnswers, Inc:

Based at Rosalind Franklin University’s Innovation and Research Park in North Chicago, Illinois, AirAnswers is the only company providing specific airborne biological contaminant detection for indoor air quality companies and experts. AirAnswers’ highly sensitive patented technology collects and measures biological agents in the air, including molds, mycotoxins, allergens, and viruses down to 0.1 microns in size. Developed in collaboration with several renowned institutions, including Johns Hopkins University, The University of Chicago, Harvard University, and Argonne National Laboratory, the AirAnswers mission is to deliver customized Indoor air quality management solutions to improve respiratory health and peace of mind by bringing a breath of fresh air to indoor environments everywhere. AirAnswers has been validated with an extensive portfolio of patents and publications in peer-reviewed literature. www.airanswers.com

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Nearly 50,000 Clean Air Zone (CAZ) fines have been successfully challenged by drivers since the launch of Birmingham’s controversial scheme, our investigation has revealed. The city council has backed down and scrapped a huge 48,256 penalty charge notices after motorists refused to pay because they believed them to be unfair.

And that figure was only up to the end of 2022, meaning the exact total is likely even higher. In addition, fines which have only recently been appealed will still be being processed.

It’s also emerged that almost 70,000 fines in total have been written off by council bosses, including those which were successfully challenged. The huge number of penalties cancelled by the authority once again raises questions about the running of the CAZ.

READ MORE: Clean Air Zone change to leave struggling cafe owner facing £8 daily charge

The details were handed to BirminghamLive by the city council following a freedom of information request. It means around 2,700 penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been cancelled every month on average since the launch of the CAZ in June 2021 – with more likely still being processed from the end of 2022.

Around 6% of all PCNS – more than one in 20 – have been scrapped by the city council since the launch of the CAZ. The city council has given up chasing around another 20,000 fines which were never paid because of the resources and time that would be needed to collect all the cash owed.

It means these drivers got away without ever having to pay. The council said: “In the 18-month period, since the start of the enforcement of the Clean Air Zone in 2021, there have been 69,114 penalty charge notices written off so far which is around 6% of the total issued.

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