How Your Furnace Can Spark Your Allergies

Have you ever felt when you start your furnace for the first time in the fall, you’re sneezing more often? While spring allergies usually get a harsher reputation, fall allergies are still very prominent and affect many. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring due to temps impairing our immune systems and from starting up our furnaces. This can leave you considering, can furnaces make allergies worse in the U.S., or even lead to them?

While furnaces can’t cause allergies, they can aggravate them. How? During the hotter months, dust, dander and other pollutants can build up in heating ducts. When the colder temps begin and we switch our furnaces on for the first time, all those allergens are now pushed out of the ductwork and travel throughout our residences. Fortunately, there are things you can do to stop your furnace from aggravating your allergies.

How to Keep Your Furnace from Affecting Your Allergies

1. 1. Get a New HVAC Filter. Regularly replacing your filters is one of the best chores you can perform to help your allergies at any time of the year. Fresh filters are better at catching the allergens in your house’s air, helping to keep you healthier.

2. 2. Dust Your Air Ducts. Not only do pollutants harbor in your HVAC filters, but in your ventilation as well. An air duct cleaning might help reduce allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system work more efficiently. When you request an air duct cleaning, our experts survey and clean components like your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers.

3. 3. Keep Your Furnace Well Maintained. Adequate HVAC maintenance and scheduled service are another excellent way to both increase your house’s air quality and keep your system working as smoothly as possible. In advance of flipping your furnace on for the first time, it can help to have an HVAC mechanic run through a maintenance checkup to confirm your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in tip-top condition.

Allergies and frequent illness can be irritating, and it can be tough to pinpoint what’s causing or triggering them. Here are some extra FAQs, including answers and tips that might help.

Is Forced Air Harmful for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are usually told that forced air heating could affect your allergies even more. Forced air systems can push allergens through the air, leading you to breathing them in more regularly than if you used a radiant heating system. While it’s correct forced air systems can make your allergies worse, that is only if you ignore appropriate care of your system. Other than the practices we mentioned previously, you can also:

• • Dust and vacuum your residence frequently. If there aren’t dust, dander or mold spore particles to collect in your air ducts, your air system can’t carry them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some extra cleaning tips are:

• • Make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter.

• • Dust ahead of vacuuming.

• • Clean your curtains periodically, as they are a common harbor of allergens.

• • Remember to clean behind and under furniture.

• • Watch your home’s moisture levels. Increased humidity levels can also lead to more severe allergies. Humidity enables mold growth and dust mites. Getting a dehumidifier with your HVAC system keeps moisture levels balanced and your indoor air quality much better.

H2: What is the Ideal Furnace Filter for Allergies?

Most often, HEPA filters are the best if you or someone in your family struggles with allergies. HEPA filters are rated to filter 99.97 to 99.99% of particles, like dust, pollen and dirt. These filters have a MERV rating of 17-21, depending on the kind. This rating illustrates how well a filter can take pollutants from the air. Because of their high-efficiency filtration performance, HEPA filters are thick and can reduce airflow. It’s helpful to contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to confirm your heating and cooling system can perform right with these high efficiency filters.

Can Clogged Filters or Air Ducts Make Me Sick?

Clogged filters can harbor particles and allow poor quality air to recirculate. This also applies to filthy ductwork. If you inhale these particles it can produce sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related issues, depending on your sensitivity.

It’s beneficial to switch out your HVAC filter after 30-60 days, but here are some indications you may need to more frequently:

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

• • You come across more dust in your house.

• • Energy expenses are increasing with no apparent reason.

• • Your allergies are acting up.

• • Symptoms your air ducts could use cleaning include:

• • The metal is sitting in dust.

• • Dusty supply and return vents.

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

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

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

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