How Your Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Allergies
Those who suffer with seasonal allergies are all too familiar with the importance of good indoor air quality; contaminants and allergens that are present in your home’s air can play a significant role in the severity of seasonal allergies. Even people who do not suffer from allergies can feel the effects of poor air quality. Your HVAC system plays a much larger role in the air quality of your home than you may realize.
You should be regularly changing your system’s air filter – ideally every three months, possibly more during peak seasons. Allergens and other debris will become lodged in your filter, and once it collects too much dust, dirt, and allergens, two main things will happen: 1) The air flow will become greatly reduced, and 2) The air that does flow through your home will carry those particulates with it – exacerbating allergies and other respiratory symptoms. Most people do not realize that the quality of the air indoors can be worse than it is outside!
If you’re contemplating additional ways to improve your air quality indoors and reduce allergy symptoms, consider the following:
- Electronic Air Purification Systems: These systems can remove up to 99.97% of all particles in the air that are greater than 0.3 micrometers in size. For families with allergy sufferers, they also can filter the air from each room in the building, which is why they are so effective in medical facilities.
- UV sanitation systems: UV lights can kill bacteria, allergens and other harmful particles. These lights can be installed in your ductwork to provide clean, fresh air. The air that travels through your ducts is spun over the light using a motor.
- Be sure your home is properly ventilated when using the shower or cooking – many irritants can enter the air in your home this way. Without proper ventilation, the irritants can remain indoors and potentially make allergy symptoms worse. This is especially true when cooking with strong-odor foods, or any food should it become burned.
- Keep linens, fabrics and furnishings clean. Wash bedding frequently and vacuum carpets often. Dust mites, a common cause of household allergies, can number in the millions in a home!
Contact A-1 Guaranteed Heating & Air, Inc. today and make your appointment to have your system maintained. We can also help you achieve cleaner indoor air in other ways too, so call today! We offer indoor air quality services in addition to services for all major brands of air conditioners and furnaces. Contact us now.