Heating and Cooling Your Seasonal Allergies Away

Owning a home can be overwhelming due to the different tasks needed to maintain its appeal and function. However, certain tasks are not only beneficial to your home's value and structure, but also to your health. Considering an estimated 50 million Americans suffer with allergies, you may also suffer with the runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and sneezing associated with seasonal allergies. Focusing on your home's heating and cooling system can reduce these troubling symptoms. Using this guide, you can reduce the symptoms of your seasonal allergies this spring while maintaining your heating and air conditioning system.

Focus on Filters

Your heating and air filters are imperative parts of your system's efficiency, since they trap dirt, dust, and debris. If these filters are clogged, conditioned air will not be able to flow into the home properly. Of course, clogged filters will not be able to trap allergens before they flow into the home. These allergens will increase allergy symptoms, so replacing or cleaning your system filters is imperative.

Unfortunately, you may not know where to locate your specific system's filters, so use this guide to locate filters before cleaning and replacing:

  • Return Grills. You may have one or more return grills on the ceiling or walls of your home. Remove the grill covers before removing the interior filters.
  • Vertical Air Handler. If the return duct of your vertical air handler enters below the air handler, the filter fill fit into the slope below the unit. If the return duct of the vertical air handler enters on top of the air handler, the filter will slide in on top of the unit.
  • Horizontal Units. The air duct will most likely be located on the side of the air handler, so the filter location will also be on the side of the unit.

If disposable, remove the old filters and replace with new ones to reduce allergens inside the home. For reusable filters, remove and soak in a solution containing warm water and liquid dish soap. Remove dust and dirt from the register or vent covers using a wire brush or vacuum attachment. Use a vacuum attachment to suction out dirt, dust, and debris from the filter opening, as well. Be sure to rinse off the soapy solution and allow to dry before reinserting the filter back into the opening.

For the best results, consider replacing filters with new HEPA filters. HEPA filters are the most effective option for reducing allergens in the home, since they are capable of trapping 99.97 percent of particles .03 microns or larger in size.

Duct Cleaning

Located in the ceilings, walls, crawlspace, and attic of your home, the ductwork is an essential part of moving conditioned air into your space. Unfortunately, dirt, dust, and other allergens may also be moved into the home during this transport of conditioned air through the ductwork.  

A duct-cleaning service is a great option for improving the efficiency of your heating and cooling system, but it can also improve air flow and air quality. Duct cleaning reduces the amount of allergens that flow into the air, significantly improving the symptoms of allergies.

During a duct cleaning, contractors will first inspect the ductwork for leaks and the presence of mold or asbestos. Necessary repairs are made and specialized equipment is used to eradicate a mold or asbestos issue. To clean the ducts, high-powered vacuums with HEPA filtering technology are used to clean out the supply, intake, and return ducts of the home. Contractors will also clean and inspect the air handler, fans, motors, housings, and coils of the heating and cooling system to improve the quality of air flow and the system efficiency.

Seasonal allergies are common, but they do not have to wreak havoc on your daily life. With these tips and the help of your HVAC contractor, you can maintain your system while reducing the symptoms of your seasonal allergies. To set up an appointment with a contractor, use a website like http://affordableplumbingandheat.com/.


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