If you suffer from allergies, it’s likely that you’re used to worsened symptoms at certain times of the year. From itchy, watery eyes to that annoying sneeze, allergy symptoms can easily make you feel sick and uncomfortable.
One reason you experience these symptoms is because of the airborne particles and pollens floating in the air during certain times of the year. Breathing in these particles causes you to experience allergies such as hay fever, and can lead to a host of discomforts.
The good news is, you have a tool right in your home that you can use to fight those airborne allergens; your HVAC system. With your HVAC system, you can reduce flare-ups of allergy symptoms and feel better during your worst allergy seasons.
5 Simple HVAC Steps to Help Improve Air Quality and Reduce Allergens
You may be surprised to learn that your HVAC system can help reduce your allergy symptoms by improving the air quality in your home. However, effectively using your HVAC system for your allergies requires proper, intentional maintenance and care. If you don’t take care of your HVAC system, you could actually increase the allergens in your home and make your symptoms worse.
By following these HVAC maintenance steps, you can keep your system clean and your home free from most allergens:
Change Filters Regularly
One of the purposes of an HVAC filter is to trap allergens and keep them from the air in your home. However, if your filters get clogged, those airborne allergens are aggressively circulated throughout the home along with dust and other allergy-inducing particles.
An old dirty filter ends up doing the exact opposite of what it’s supposed to do and fills your space with allergens. To ensure that your HVAC filter works properly and prevents allergens instead of boosting them, change your filters every couple of months.
Clean Vents
Your air vents may be one of the last things on your mind when it comes to cleaning, but if you want to keep your home free from allergens, they need to be a priority. Dust contains allergens that can be spread throughout your home when the vents aren’t clean. Take a duster or cloth and wipe down your air vents regularly to help prevent allergens.
Clean Air Ducts
Dirty air ducts can be a huge problem when it comes to the quality of air in your home. The air that flows in your home passes through your air ducts before being spread throughout your space. If air ducts are dirty, they can fill your home with mildew, pollen, and mold.
Anyone who suffers from allergies and other respiratory issues can be severely impacted by the contaminants picked up in dirty air ducts. That’s why it is essential to have your air ducts cleaned every so often by a professional HVAC company, such as Quick Temp HVAC. They will make sure your air ducts are free and clear of contaminants, giving you great air quality in your home.
Pay Attention to Humidity
The air in your home shouldn’t be extremely humid or dry. It’s important to keep it fairly balanced between the two to ensure the highest quality of air. When air is too dry it allows contaminants to spread easily throughout the home. When air is too humid, mildew and mold begin to grow and cause unsafe air issues. Ensure your home has the proper balance of the two through regular humidity monitoring.
Use Your HVAC System
A simple way to keep allergens out of your home is to use your HVAC system instead of opening your windows. When your windows are open, pollens and other allergens from outside the home can easily float in. If you’re concerned with the quality of air inside your home, you’ll want to use your HVAC system as much as possible.
What is the Best Way to Clean the HVAC System?
To prevent allergen pollutants in the home, you’ll want to ensure that your HVAC system is regularly cleaned and maintained. While there are some things you can do yourself, there are also a number of reasons to have an HVAC company perform your system’s cleaning.
When you are caring for your system yourself, make sure to regularly dust the air vents and to keep your filters free from debris and build up. You can easily clean a furnace filter or replace your filter every couple of months.
Use a cloth, a duster, and a vacuum to remove dust from vents, registers, and other areas within your reach. These things should be done regularly to prevent build up of contamintants that increase household allergens and lead to allergic reactions to dust mites.
Other than dusting vents and cleaning or changing air filters, you’ll want to make sure and have a professional HVAC company take care of the rest. Cleaning air ducts requires special brushes, vacuums, and expertise to ensure it is done properly and thoroughly.
How Much Does an Air Duct Cleaning Really Cost You?
Attempting to perform cleaning yourself would include a huge air duct cleaning equipment cost. Fortunately, when you hire a professional company to perform your cleaning, you don’t have to purchase any of the equipment yourself.
Air duct cleaning pricing depends on the HVAC company. Some companies charge by air duct and some charge by square footage.
Depending on the size of your home, you should expect to pay between $250 and $1,000 for professional air duct cleaning.
7 Eco-Friendly Ways of Alleviating Allergies Using Your HVAC System
Keeping your HVAC system in top condition and clean will help alleviate allergies in your home. Your HVAC system provides you with natural ways of combating allergies. If you’re looking for simple, eco-friendly ways to ensure your HVAC system is working for you and your home’s air quality instead of against them, here are 7 steps to follow:
- Schedule your air duct cleaning with Quick Temp HVAC.
- Make sure you have the properly-sized HVAC system for your home.
- Pay attention to the humidity levels in your home.
- Regularly replace your air filters.
- Keep the outside portion of your HVAC system clean and free from debris.
- Use an air purifier to purify your home’s air.
- Have a regular professional checkup to keep your system in great condition and make sure it’s functioning properly.
