While it might seem like a total dream to live in a beach town with sand and salty air, many people don’t consider the hidden upkeep required for coastal homes. For example, your HVAC system, especially your outdoor condenser, is constantly exposed to salt from ocean breezes. Because salt naturally adheres to moist surfaces, it can form a permanent, damaging layer on critical components.
At CMi A/C & Electrical, we have over two decades of experience with how salt air affects HVAC systems. Unfortunately, along with buildup, salt corrosion in HVAC systems chips away at the integrity of various metal components over the long haul. To the naked eye, this often shows up as pitting on the coils or a white, powdery substance. As the damage continues, the system has to work hard to keep your home comfortable. This can quickly lead to an uptick in energy use, higher monthly utility bills, and a shorter lifespan for the system. Our team at CMi A/C & Electrical has found that it is not uncommon for a standard unit to last 15 years in a dry climate, but that lifespan can significantly drop without diligent annual maintenance.
How Salt and Humidity Trap Pollutants Indoors
The impact of the coastal area affects more than just how well your HVAC system runs. It also creates significant challenges for indoor air quality in Florida. Salt particles are incredibly small, yet when they enter a home, they do not just sink to the floor. Instead, because the Florida coast has so much moisture in the air, the salt naturally connects with water molecules. This makes the air heavy, forcing your HVAC system to work much harder to filter out common pollutants such as pet dander and pollen. In this environment, salt acts as a magnet for other irritants, keeping them suspended in the air. This means you are not only breathing in those standard allergens but also microscopic salt crystals.
Control Humidity to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Humidity and indoor air quality are closely related. If anyone in your family deals with allergies or other respiratory issues, breathing airborne contaminants can wreak havoc on their respiratory system. This is a major reason why you should have a high-quality dehumidifier in your coastal home setup. When homes in Florida retain excess moisture, they become breeding grounds for health problems, such as mold and mildew.
Protecting Your Home with Higher Quality Air Filters
Protecting your home with better filtration is a necessity. Consider using higher-quality HVAC air filters for your coastal home. Standard filters do a great job of capturing dirt and debris that may damage your heating and cooling system’s internal components. However, a higher quality one will capture finer particles and can improve indoor air quality. You should also check your filter monthly to stay ahead of salt buildup. If you are not sure which filter will work best with your system, our technicians can help.
Consider Adding An Air Purifier
In addition to upgrading your HVAC filter, we recommend installing a multistage air purifier. A quality system includes a HEPA filter, which can capture fine salt particles, along with other micro-contaminants such as dust mites and pet dander. Many local homeowners also have us install a Fresh-Aire UV system. These indoor air quality solutions eliminate biological contaminants, including viruses and mold spores. Our technicians can integrate both types of systems seamlessly into your current HVAC system to drastically increase the air quality in your home.
Seal Gaps and Cracks
While you don’t hold the power to change the weather, you can certainly shift the way your home responds to it. You can significantly improve your indoor air quality in Florida by sealing your home’s perimeter. Start by ensuring the seals around your windows and doors are tight. This is your first line of defense to keep the salty, humid air out. Next, check for any leaky air ducts. Investing in professional duct sealing is one of the best ways to ensure that salty air doesn’t creep in through your attic or crawlspace and bypass your filters entirely.
Schedule Annual Maintenance
Do not underestimate the power of a deep clean. While it is tempting to pull out the water and soap to scrub off the salt yourself, this is a job for the professionals. DIY efforts can easily damage sensitive components, such as the coils in your outdoor condenser. During our maintenance visit, we will gently clean all your system’s internal components. We will then lubricate moving parts, tighten connections, and check the sensitive electronics. Before leaving, we will test and fine-tune your system to improve performance and energy efficiency.
Our annual visit also allows our technicians to detect early signs of salt corrosion in your HVAC system. Finding small issues early allows us to correct minor issues before they develop into costly repairs or result in an emergency breakdown.
Trust CMi A/C & Electrical for Your Coastal Comfort
At CMi A/C & Electrical, we have been serving the residents of Lake Park and the surrounding Southern Florida communities since 1992. We have become experts at managing the unique challenges salty air and humidity present to HVAC systems. Additionally, we offer a full range of electrical and cooling services specifically designed for the challenges of the Florida coast. Whether you need a high-efficiency system upgrade, a new dehumidifier for your coastal home, or advanced air purification, we can handle the job. As a local business, we focus on developing long-term customer relationships. This means you can expect high-quality work at reasonable prices.
Contact CMi A/C & Electrical today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced team members.
