There was a time when spring cleaning meant only a great deal of elbow grease and the airing out of the house or office after a long winter. Things have changed for modern home and business people. Today’s managers are more aware of building issues such as air quality. While many will clean wall, floor and ceiling vents, most people do not think about cleaning the entire duct system. Additionally, in a demanding economy, most home and business managers are also concerned about the efficiency of the structure where the family and employees live and work—spring cleaning now includes mechanical and systems assessments. There are two steps to make spring cleaning into green cleaning.

The problems caused by indoor air pollution can range from the aggravation of excessive dusting to debilitating health issues like allergies and asthma. A system does not produce dust, pollen, volatile organic compounds (VOC) or mold. These pollutants usually come from outside the home or office. It is important to investigate the health level of all the equipment that processes the air in a structure. The first step is to have a professional look for the source of the problem, rather than arbitrarily recommending expensive air cleaning and purification equipment.

Along with the quality of the air comes the cost it takes to produce it. For the consumer, going green can begin with a conservation evaluation. The next step is to have a highly trained and certified HVAC technician thoroughly evaluate the home or business system. The analysis should include an energy overpayment calculation—the technician will approximate how much energy the system is wasting—and then perform an eco-efficient tune-up and calibration of the system, advising on any necessary repairs. On average, a calibration such as this can improve a system’s efficiency by as much as 17 percent.

Jonathan Green is the senior vice president of Peaden, a full-service residential, commercial and mechanical, air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical contractor. Founded in 1969, the company is committed to energy conservation, eco-friendly products and services and consumer education. For more information, call 850-872-1004 in Panama City, 850-362-6646 in Ft. Walton Beach and 850-396-6126 in Gulf Breeze.