How Your Furnace Can Worsen Your Allergies

Have you ever noticed when you turn on your heat for the first time in the fall, you’re sniffling more frequently? While spring allergies seem to get a more severe reputation, fall allergies are still very typical and affect many. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring thanks to weather impairing our immune systems and from starting up our heating. This might leave you considering, can furnaces make allergies worse in the U.S., or even trigger them?

While furnaces can’t cause allergies, they could intensify them. How? During the summer months, dust, dander and other debris can collect in heating ducts. When the cold temperatures hit and we turn our heating on for the first time, all those allergens are now circulated through the ventilation and travel throughout our houses. Luckily, there are things you can do to stop your furnace from irritating your allergies.

How to Keep Your Furnace from Worsening Your Allergies

1. 1. Change Your HVAC Filter. Frequently replacing your filters is one of the best tasks you can complete to help your allergies at any time of the year. Fresh filters are superior when catching the allergens in your residence’s air, helping to keep you in better health.

2. 2. Clean Your Air Ducts. Not only do particulates harbor in your HVAC filters, but in your vents as well. An air duct cleaning may help reduce allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system run more efficiently. When you call for an air duct cleaning, repair techs survey and clean components such as your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers.

3. 3. Keep Your Furnace in Good Working Condition. Quality HVAC maintenance and regular service are another excellent way to both strengthen your house’s air quality and keep your heater performing as smoothly as possible. Before flipping your furnace on for the first time, it tends to help to have an HVAC mechanic perform a maintenance examination to ensure your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in tip-top shape.

Allergies and continuous illness can be irritating, and it can be difficult to learn what’s creating or aggravating them. Here are some extra FAQs, complete with answers and suggestions that might help.

Is Forced Air Harmful for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are frequently told that forced air heating could irritate your allergies even more. Forced air systems can push allergens through the air, leading you to breathing them in more regularly than if you owned a radiant heating system. While it’s true forced air systems can make your allergies more severe, that is only if you avoid suitable maintenance of your heating equipment. Other than the practices we mentioned previously, you can also:

• • Dust and vacuum your house regularly. If there aren’t dust, dander or mold spore particles to accumulate in your air ducts, your air system can’t carry them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some added cleaning ideas involve:

• • Confirm your vacuum has a HEPA filter.

• • Dust in advance of vacuuming.

• • Clean your curtains regularly, as they are a typical harbor of allergens.

• • Don’t forget to clean behind and under furniture.

• • Check your home’s moisture levels. High humidity levels can also result in aggravating your allergies. Humidity causes mold growth and dust mites. Getting a dehumidifier with your HVAC system keeps moisture levels balanced and your indoor air quality much healthier.

H2: What is the Ideal Furnace Filter for Allergies?

Generally, HEPA filters are ideal if you or someone in your home deals with allergies. HEPA filters are rated to take out 99.97 to 99.99% of particles, like dust, pollen and dirt. These filters have a MERV rating of 17-21, depending on the brand or filter material. This rating reveals how successfully a filter can remove pollutants from the air. Due to their high-efficiency filtration materials, HEPA filters are dense and can reduce airflow. It’s important to touch base with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to ensure your heating and cooling system can run correctly with these high efficiency filters.

Can Dirty Filters or Air Ducts Make Me Sick?

Clogged filters can trap particles and allow poor quality air to move throughout your home. The same goes for filthy air ducts. If you inhale these particles it can trigger sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related problems, depending on your sensitivity.

It’s smart to replace your HVAC filter every 30-60 days, but here are some indications you could need to more regularly:

• • It’s taking a longer amount of time for your system to cool or heat your house.

• • You notice more dust in your residence.

• • Energy bills are increasing with no obvious reason.

• • Your allergies are acting up.

• • Signs your air ducts require cleaning include:

• • The metal is sitting in dust.

• • Filthy supply and return vents.

• • Mold in your furnace, air conditioner, heat pump or air handler.

• • Dust coming from your vents when your HVAC system is working.

• • Your residence is always dusty, regardless of continuous cleaning.

Your health and comfort are our highest priority at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. Whether it’s furnace repair now.