Tips From The Top

Our summer days are beautiful here in Jackson Hole, but one thing we know all too well is the impact of wildfire smoke across the West. The orange skies and thick, smoggy air in the summer and autumn months is harmful to all. When the haze and smoke settles over us, it affects everyone in Jackson Hole and throughout Teton County.

For information on outdoor air quality, Teton Conservation District provides real time data on air quality, visibility, and particulate matter in the air. With their help, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality offers particulate matter (PM) real-time data. Particulate matter is the main health risk here—these microscopic particles can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and make things a whole lot worse for those with asthma or chronic heart and lung diseases. Young people and old people are especially sensitive to these challenges. But all of us suffer.

While the orange skies and smog get our attention, the greater concern could be what we’re breathing inside our homes.

Indoor Air Quality is just as important to our overall health, especially as we spend more time indoors. Surprisingly, recent studies show that indoor air quality can be even worse than outdoor — up to two- to five-times more polluted than outdoor air. 

Tobacco smoke, mold, dust mite allergens, pet dander, chemicals from cleaning products, and volatile organic compounds from a variety of sources like aerosol sprays, new building materials, and personal care items, plus outside pollutants that come in, all contribute negatively to our indoor air quality. And over time, these indoor pollutants can build into dense concentrations that we breathe all day and all night.

This is where your home’s HVAC system can help. Whole-home air purification systems, designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, are still popular viable options for a whole-home integrated system. Our clients can choose from a comprehensive, air-scrubbing smart HVAC system, or go with a modular, connected system that uses a variety of air quality sensors, monitors, and other tools. These systems give our clients real-time data about their homes and the tools to improve the air quality.

Smart home integration gives our clients better awareness and control to create the home environment that will best serve the needs of their family’s health and overall well-being.

From our top whole home automation systems like Savant and Control4, to a smaller, modular approach that you can build on, the bottom line is that today’s smart home technology offers a variety of tools for home owners to design a personalized system to best suit the needs of their home and their families – for their health, well-being, and smarter energy use.

To learn more about how technology can improve the air quality in your home, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.