Have you enlisted your HVAC system to help you combat your allergies? If not, you should. Winter or summer, the HVAC system can help improve your indoor air quality, removing airborne pollutants that may be compromising your respiratory health.
Read on and learn how to use your HVAC system to maximum effectiveness containing the allergens that may be triggering your household’s reactions.
Pollen and Allergic Reactions
At different times of the year, certain plants bloom and give off pollen. Naturally, since spring is the time when most plants bloom, it’s also the time when allergic reactions are most likely to occur. Likely you have been to the doctor and read up on medications you can take to prevent your allergic reactions.However, if you have to go outside — and most of us do — there’s not a lot we can do about being exposed to pollen. But it may be helpful to look into keeping pollen at a minimum in your home so you can diminish your exposure to it.
How Is Pollen Invading Your Home?
Pollen generally enters our homes by traveling inside on our clothes or pets. You can brush off clothing or change it soon after you get inside; you can also brush off pets. You may also want to sequester pollen-bearing plants in one room and close them away until they are pollen free.
But pollen is still likely to drift inside your home through open windows or doors. It can also be sucked inside your home through minute cracks whenever your HVAC is running and producing negative pressure.
One of the best remedies is to upgrade to a pleated, high quality air filter. Select one rated MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) 8-12. Change it as soon as it’s dirty to maintain its particle-trapping abilities.
Also consider acquiring a whole-house air purifier, installed in your HVAC system. A portable model may help to a degree, but the whole-home model will work better.
Consult the experts on indoor air quality at Ace Hardware Home Services about HVAC solutions to your allergies.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
