John Perri understands air quality – it’s his specialty. As founder and co-owner of Air Solutions, a Stamford-based heating, cooling and propane company, he’s had a unique perspective on the issue over the course of the past year, as the pandemic brought challenges for his industry and his customers alike.
Like many small businesses both locally and around the country, Air Solutions was hard hit when the coronavirus hit these shores in March of 2020. Perri says the first result of the pandemic was a huge slowdown for his company, as well a wave of cancellations:
“In the spring, with nobody knowing for sure what was going on with the pandemic, we had to lay off a percentage of our workforce, because nobody wanted us in their house – people just weren’t comfortable. Jobs got cancelled.”
But that slowdown was followed, roller-coaster-style, by a huge uptick in business once the warmer months rolled around.
“In May, suddenly everyone’s working from home, and people said, I don’t care, I need my air conditioner fixed now,” Perri says. In an area where many residents had been commuting to work or school most of the day, air conditioning systems didn’t need much thought during much of the day, most months of the year. When people started working from home, though, that changed. “You’re home all day, you’re noticing every little noise your system makes,” Perri says, laughing.
Add to that the many people who, tired of living in cramped Manhattan quarters during lockdown, were able to depart the city for a new home in the suburbs. New homes mean new systems, Perri says: “People want to feel comfortable in their own environment, and in Manhattan, where maybe before you wanted a building with all the amenities, now you might be looking for a home with an office, a yard, a home gym.”
The result: unexpectedly, Air Solutions had the busiest summer they had had in 20 years of doing business in the area. “For everybody working from home, and new people moving to the area,” Perri says, “it really seems worth it to spend the money on the house. Construction right now is doing very well in Fairfield County.”
As it happened, Air Solutions had recently added a new area of specialization: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). That proved important in what, it soon became clear, was a bit of a pandemic construction boom in Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, and Westchester County.
Air quality has been on everyone’s mind since the start of the pandemic. The virus, after all, is airborne and spreads more easily indoors. And pollutants can have a significant effect on the human immune system—indeed, allergies are both caused by an immune response, and can place a burden on the immune system. Relative humidity also plays a role; bacteria and viruses can thrive in a dry environment – one reason why colds and flu tend to spread like wildfire in winter, when humans are together in enclosed, indoors air that’s dried-out due to heating systems. Too much moisture in the air, however, can also cause problems, allowing mold and fungus to proliferate.
Air Solutions introduced its IAQ assessment prior to the pandemic, but concerns about the virus, along with remote schooling and remote work, have combined to make it essential since. The process begins with a consultation to assess problems or concerns unique to each home. Air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, carbon monoxide alarms, UV lamps, and ventilators, as well as air scrubbers and air duct cleaning, are some of the options that can be recommended, discussed, and installed.
This is true whether a client lives in new construction or an older home. “For newer construction, windows tend to seal very tight, and insulation is tighter,” Perri says. That’s good, but proper ventilation is important to let fresh air circulate. “For older homes, what you’re dealing with is that codes change.” So, for example, older homes might not be able to accommodate proper ventilation for some newer systems. And older ducts may have years of accumulation of dust, pollen, and other pollutants.
Expanding their focus to meet demands in the market has been a solid strategy for Perri. A graduate of The Technical Career Institute, he and business partner Tim DiCamillo started Air Solutions in 1999. They began with a focus in HVAC systems; eleven years later, in 2010, the partners expanded to propane delivery, as well as installing and maintaining propane systems. As locals, they combine their technical expertise with their knowledge of the area.
“I grew up in Greenwich,” Perri says. “I went to Hamilton Avenue, then Western and Eastern for junior high, when my parents moved from one side of town to the other. And I graduated from Greenwich High School.” After years of living in Stamford, Perri and his wife have plans to move back to Cos Cob soon: “I’m a boater, so I love being on the water, being on the Sound.”
