Can a Dirty Furnace Mess with Your Allergies?
Constantly having itchy eyes and a runny nose is no way to live, especially not in your own home! If you have allergy symptoms, the issue may stem from your home’s air quality. Dust, pollen, pet dander and other allergens circulate through your home and wreak havoc on your sinuses. Unfortunately, your furnace only makes the situation worse, as it continues to recycle the already dirty air throughout your house. Continue reading to learn more about the relationship between a dirty furnace and your allergies in Kalamazoo, MI:
- Dirty air filters: Your furnace’s air filter works on two fronts. First, it protects the blower from harmful dirt, dust and debris. Second, it’s supposed to help keep the air inside your house free from nasty allergens. As you can imagine, the filter gets dirty pretty quickly, making it less and less effective each day. If your filter isn’t changed regularly, you’ll notice a decrease in your unit’s efficiency and an uptick in the amount of allergens in the air.
- Allergen circulation: It’s getting cold outside, which means you’re probably running your furnace both day and night. Assuming that’s the case, allergens are continually being pumped throughout your home. You can stop this from happening by replacing your air filter each month, or consider upgrading to a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Talk to your HVAC contractor about upgrading to a more effective air filter.
- Moldy AC unit: It doesn’t just have to be your furnace causing a reaction with your allergies in Kalamazoo, MI—allergies can also stem from issues with your AC unit. Left untreated, mold can start to grow inside your AC unit or in your ductwork. As the mold spores spread throughout your home, you may have breathing problems, watery eyes or other allergy symptoms.
What can be done?
The good news is that you don’t have to live with allergies caused by your HVAC system. Here’s how you can help get rid of those allergy symptoms (without regularly taking allergy medication):
- DIY maintenance: As we discussed above, regularly changing your air filter can do wonders to reduce the number of allergens circulating throughout your home. We recommend changing your filter once a month for the best results. It’s also not a bad idea to clean off your registers every once in a while, as those can get pretty dirty, too.
- Professional cleaning and tune-up: The best way to handle a dirty furnace and allergies in Kalamazoo, MI is to ensure your unit stays as clean as possible. Call a professional each fall to clean and tune up your furnace. This quick maintenance visit will improve your unit’s energy efficiency, prolong its lifespan and mitigate the majority of your allergy problems.
If it’s time for a cleaning or if you’d like to learn more about how your furnace is causing a reaction with your allergies in Kalamazoo, MI, then pick up the phone and give All Brands Heating & Cooling a call. We’ll send someone out right away to inspect, clean and tune up your unit so it’s ready for winter.
The post Can a Dirty Furnace Mess with Your Allergies? first appeared on All Brands Heating And Cooling.
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