HVAC systems often get a bad rap when it comes to allergies. There’s a prevalent misconception that cooling and heating make allergies worse. While your HVAC can exacerbate preexisting problems, it isn’t the culprit. You can even use it to achieve a more enjoyable allergy season.
Use a Smart Thermostat
Every home should have a programmable or a smart thermostat. Through scheduling, you can limit how often your system runs. The goal is to make your home comfortable with the least HVAC cycle time. That will lower your costs and any negative effects on indoor air quality. Many smart thermostats also give you finer control over ventilation, humidity, and more.
Ventilation
A key to minimizing the negative effects of allergens is reducing their concentration levels. The way to do that is to get more fresh air into the home. One option is to set your HVAC blower on or have your thermostat schedule it to run more often. This way, you’re still getting an influx of fresh air when the heating or cooling is off. You can also upgrade your ventilation with a whole-house fan. That can provide substantial fresh air in between heating and cooling cycles.
Schedule Seasonal HVAC Maintenance
Dirt builds up on your HVAC equipment. Having that equipment professionally cleaned is an important step in avoiding worsened allergies. Air conditioners and heat pumps have an evaporator coil where there can be microbial growth. Furnaces and boilers have combustion equipment that can dirty the air and even give off dangerous gases.
Opt for a High-MERV HVAC Filter
Your HVAC filter can help protect you from allergens by trapping them and keeping them out of your HVAC system. The industry uses minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) to measure filter effectiveness. Most modern HVAC systems support up to MERV 13. MERV 13 filters cost a bit more than basic filters but trap at least 90% of allergens.
Replace Your HVAC Filter Regularly
Don’t swap out your filter on a set schedule. Instead, check it at least once a month. When you can see dust building up on the outside of the filter, it’s time to change it. If you hear a whistling sound, that means the filter is no longer functioning well, and you need a new one right away.
Schedule Regular Duct Cleaning
Even with regular HVAC tune-ups and filter replacements, dust will get in your ducts. We recommend scheduling an annual duct camera inspection, which you can do alongside your tune-up. During that inspection, we’ll use a high-definition camera on a cable to show you the inside of your ducts. Typically, it’s just a bunch of dust. In rare cases, we find mold, moisture, or pests. You can then use that visual evidence to decide if you want the service. If you do, we’ll seal your vents so that no dust gets into the living areas. We’ll then use our duct cleaning equipment, which features a high-powered vacuum and an air filtration system.
Install an In-Duct Air Purification System
For even better allergen removal, consider a whole-house air purification system, which we can install in your ducts. One of our most popular products is the ActivePure air scrubber. This system uses ultraviolet light and a catalytic process to destroy over 99% of surface and airborne contaminants. That includes allergens. It also includes pathogens and many substances that can irritate your respiratory system, such as gases and chemicals.
Install Humidity Control Equipment
The ideal relative humidity varies from person to person but is somewhere between 30% and 50%. If you can’t achieve those targets through heating and cooling alone, we offer solutions. A dehumidifier helps to reduce humidity in summer. That makes it easier to breathe and reduces the concentration of some pollutants. A humidifier helps to increase humidity in winter, and that helps to avoid respiratory inflammation.
Would You Like to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality?
Unique Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. is an HVAC company that’s served Northglenn and the neighboring communities for over 15 years. Our company provides both residential and commercial HVAC services. That includes the installation, maintenance, and repair of all heating and cooling technologies. We offer a maintenance plan through which you can save money while keeping your equipment serviced on schedule. Our team installs and services water heaters. We also specialize in duct cleaning, air purifiers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers. If you have questions or want to schedule an appointment, call today, or contact us online.
