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 wheezing more often? While spring allergies usually get a more severe reputation, fall allergies are still very typical and many people struggle with them. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring colder temps affecting our immune systems and from winding up our heating. This could leave you considering, can furnaces make allergies worse in the U.S., or even cause them?

While furnaces can’t lead to allergies, they can make them worse. How? During the warmer months, dust, dander and other pollutants can collect in heating ducts. When the cooler temperatures start and we turn our heat on for the first time, all those allergens are now pushed out of the vents and circulate throughout our homes. Fortunately, there are things you can do to prevent your furnace from worsening your allergies.

How to Keep Your Furnace from Worsening Your Allergies

1. 1. Change Your HVAC Filter. Routinely replacing your filters is one of the best things you can complete to minimize your allergies at any time of the year. Fresh filters are ideal for trapping the allergens in your house’s air, helping to keep you breathing easy.

2. 2. Clean Your Air Ducts. Not only do small particles gather in your HVAC filters, but in your ventilation as well. An air duct cleaning may help minimize allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system perform more efficiently. When you request an air duct cleaning, repair techs inspect and clean components such as your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers.

3. 3. Keep Your Furnace in Good Working Order. Quality HVAC maintenance and periodic checkups are another excellent way to both strengthen your house’s air quality and keep your heater performing as smoothly as possible. In advance of flipping your furnace on for the first time, it tends to help to have an HVAC technician perform a maintenance examination to ensure your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in great condition.

Allergies and continuous illness can be discouraging, and it can be tough to learn what’s creating or worsening them. Here are some additional FAQs, along with answers and suggestions that could help.

Is Forced Air Harmful for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are typically told that forced air heating can aggravate your allergies even more. Forced air systems can circulate allergens through the air, leading you to breathing them in more regularly than if you had a radiant heating system. While it’s correct forced air systems might make your allergies not so good, that is only if you avoid suitable upkeep of your system. Other than the tasks we listed previously, you can also:

• • Dust and vacuum your house regularly. If there aren’t dust, dander or mold spore particles to clog your air ducts, your air system can’t transport them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some additional cleaning tips are:

• • Ensure your vacuum has a HEPA filter.

• • Dust ahead of vacuuming.

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

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

• • Watch your house’s moisture levels. Increased humidity levels can also contribute to worsening of 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 fresher.

H2: What is the Top Furnace Filter for Allergies?

Usually, HEPA filters are ideal if you or someone in your home deals 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 type. This rating demonstrates how thoroughly a filter can clean pollutants from the air. Because of their high-efficiency filtration performance, HEPA filters are deep and can reduce airflow. It’s important to touch base with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to confirm your heating and cooling system can perform properly with these high efficiency filters.

Can Clogged Filters or Air Ducts Make Me Sick?

Old filters can trap particles and allow poor quality air to move throughout your home. This also applies to dirty air ducts. If you inhale these particles it can cause sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related issues, depending on your sensitivity.

It’s smart to swap out your HVAC filter every 30-60 days, but here are some signals you could need to more frequently:

• • It’s taking longer for your system to cool or heat your house.

• • You find more dust in your house.

• • Energy expenses are going up with no clear reason.

• • Your allergies are acting up.

• • Signs your air ducts could use cleaning include:

• • The metal is covered in dust.

• • Dusty 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 house is always dusty, in spite of constant cleaning.

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