Even in winter, you could have annoying allergy symptoms from pollen, mold, pest droppings or dust. These allergens can collect in your furnace and then spread through your Mobile, Alabama, home when you start using your heater this winter. You can reduce your allergy symptoms by ridding your home of allergens, controlling your home’s humidity, using an air purifier, and maintaining your HVAC system.
Stay Away From Allergens
You can remove allergens such as dust from your home by cleaning regularly. You should vacuum regularly and have your carpets and upholstered furniture steam cleaned as necessary. Frequenting dusting is a must to keep dust particles in check.
Control Your Humidity
Your furnace could make the air inside your home too dry, irritating your sinuses and making your allergy symptoms worse. Dry air can also cause static electricity that results in dry skin and even dry and crack wood floors and furnishings. You can use a humidifier to prevent these problems and improve the air quality in your home since it uses water vapor to add moisture to your indoor air. You can have a whole-home humidifier installed by a professional, or you can use a portable model in one or smaller areas.
The humidity in your home could also be too high, which can cause mold, water damage or rotting floors. If your home has too much moisture, use a dehumidifier to manage humidity levels. Many programmable thermostats can monitor your home’s humidity in addition to managing the temperature.
Use an Air Purifier
An air purifier, also called an air cleaner, with a high MERV or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value can remove all allergens and pollutants from your indoor air, even viruses and bacteria. You can use a less expensive, portable unit in the rooms where you spend the most time or have a whole-home system installed by a professional if you are concerned about the air quality throughout your home. Many air purifiers provide reminders about replacing or cleaning the air filter when it gets dirty. This keeps your indoor air quality high and helps you to conserve energy. There are several types of air purifiers:
- Mechanical air cleaners force air through a special filter that traps allergens.
- Electronic filters use electrical charges to attract allergens and pollutants.
- Hybrid filters use mechanical and electrostatic elements.
Our technicians will help you to choose the right filter for your system. They’ll also show you the right way to clean or replace it.
Maintain Your HVAC System
Taking care of your HVAC system improves your indoor air quality and saves energy. You should change the air filter in your HVAC system and air purifier at least once per month to reduce pollutants and extend your system’s life. A dirty filter can also block the airflow through your ductwork and spread contaminants through your home. When you change an air filter, wear a mask and gloves and put the old filter in a sealable plastic bag before you throw it away. That way, you can protect yourself from potential allergens.
You should also have your heating and air conditioning systems maintained by a professional annually, to prevent any problems such as leaky ductwork that could harm your indoor air quality or make your allergies worse. To make sure your ductwork is clean, remove one of your air registers and check for dust, dirt, cobwebs, mold, pests, or pet droppings. You can have a professional clean your ductwork with special tools.
Air Specialty is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer with more than 20 years of heating and cooling experience. We can help you improve your indoor air quality by choosing, installing, maintaining, and repairing a wide variety of HVAC equipment. Call us anytime at (251) 415-4559 for experienced service from skilled technicians.
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