7 Ways To Reduce Allergies Using Your HVAC System

Every year, allergy season is a dreadful time of year. The COVID-19 epidemic, however, makes allergy season a little more difficult. Experts note that COVID-19 and allergies can be difficult to distinguish since they can cause symptoms like coughing, breathing problems, exhaustion, headaches, sore throats, congestion, and runny nose.

In order to spare oneself suffering and anguish and to stay away from anything that resembles the coronavirus, many householders try to prevent allergic symptoms. However, there are actions you can take inside your house to protect yourself from allergies. Wearing a mask can also help protect you from allergens like pollen or ragweed.

In reality, your HVAC system might be able to reduce allergy symptoms or help you avoid allergens in your house.

Tips To Reduce Allergies Using Your HVAC System

Studies show that one common error made by homeowners is to believe that because they spend more time indoors, they are immune to indoor allergies. But that’s not the case, regrettably. There are several indoor allergens that could possibly aggravate your allergies and even cause asthma attacks in anyone who has asthma in the home. Some of such indoor allergies, according to specialists, can be:

Pet hair
Carpet
furniture covering
Staub mites
Mildew and mold
Bedding
houses plants

Not to mention pollen or ragweed, which can be tracked inside your house or enter your air vents. Having said that, let’s discuss these recommendations.

1. Begin With The Air Ducts

Your air ducts should ideally be assisting in preventing airborne allergens including pollen, dust, mold, and mildew. However, if you haven’t cleaned your ducts in a while, they won’t be able to perform at their best and allergens may start to accumulate. It is simpler for allergens to escape from your air ducts through the vents and enter the air you breathe when they become trapped there. In most circumstances, you won’t notice it. Even mold has a tendency to remain hidden until the issue is severe.

Mold typically forms in air ducts when anything prevents airflow, creating a warm or humid environment. Thus, the first thing you should do if you notice allergy complaints in your house or indications of mold, mildew, and dust accumulation is to arrange for a duct cleaning from your reliable HVAC contractor.

2. Size Does Matter

We should emphasize the value of having HVAC systems that are actually the proper size for your home. The removal of allergens from your HVAC system is also governed by this. If your air conditioner is too big, it will chill the room too quickly before turning off, resulting in abrupt temperature swings and erratic humidity levels. Both in your air ducts and the house being cooled, these circumstances are ideal for mold growth. If this is the issue, check with your service contractor if they offer a replacement air conditioner that perfectly suits your house as well as thermostats with programs and zones to assist you cool your home more effectively.

3. Manage The Humidity

Controlling the humidity in your home can be accomplished by cleaning your air ducts and making sure your HVAC system is the right size. However, humidity problems can occasionally arise even when your home is appropriately cooled. This happens when the warm air within the house mixes with the chilly, conditioned air. Of course, there is a chance for mold growth everywhere there is humidity. Fortunately, dehumidification is a typical solution to this problem, which is why many HVAC systems have one. If yours doesn’t, purchasing a dehumidifier might be able to assist you lessen the allergens in your house, particularly mold.

4. Change Your Air Filters

In order to prevent allergens from spreading through the rest of the system with the conditioned air, air filters are designed to capture particles like pollen, dust, and mold spores. Although this is a useful tool, homeowners are frequently dissatisfied with its effectiveness. This is frequently the result of months of negligence that led to blocked air filters. All air filters eventually need to be changed. Check your air filters to be sure they don’t need to be updated before making a greater expenditure. Additionally, better filters will aid in capturing more airborne debris.

5. Maintenance Of Outdoor HVAC Systems

More than simply your air ducts and air filters need to be cleaned. Maybe you could also clean your external unit. After all, it is frequently exposed to the weather. It could already be blocked by dirt and other irritants, or branches and leaves could have caused a blockage. These allergens might enter your home if they aren’t cleaned. So it makes sense to clean your device frequently.

Start by shutting off the equipment. It should be taken out of the appliance so that you may sweep up any debris that may have gotten past the shielding grille. This includes any dirt, leaves, twigs, etc. Vacuuming can then be used to clear up the challenging spots. Just be careful not to scratch the metal, whirling condenser fins. These are readily bent out of shape or snapped off. Next, use a water hose to thoroughly clean the appliance. You can restart the machine once that has been completed and dried.

6. Purify The Air

A home’s indoor air quality will improve and allergens will be removed with the aid of an air purifier. A couple of tools for improving indoor air quality that most HVAC professionals use are Air Scrubber, which is mounted inside the current ductwork. 99.9% of indoor allergens and contaminants, such as dust, bacteria, and germs, are removed with this method. Additionally, they may have germicidal UV lights, which use the air-purifying capability of ultraviolet light. Also inserted throughout the ducts are germicidal UV lights.

7. Annual Tune Up

Many folks visit their doctor for an annual physical in order to maintain their health. It enables individuals to detect medical problems early on or to leave with assurance that they are in good health. Your HVAC system should follow the same rules. It’s a good idea to get annual tune-ups if you want it to operate effectively and keep indoor allergens out of your house. Keep an eye on maintenance inspections which should last 60 to 90 minutes. Your HVAC system may have up to 21 separate components, all of which should be inspected, evaluated, and cleaned to make sure everything is functioning properly.