How to Combat Colds and Allergies with Your HVAC System

Your HVAC system circulates dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and other contaminants. These impurities can exacerbate respiratory conditions, irritate allergies and increases the chances of catching colds and other viruses.

Luckily, there are many ways to keep the air in your HVAC system clean.

Regularly Replace Air Filters

When filters are blocked with pollen, dust and other debris, they have a hard time filtering out pathogens, allergens, and particulates. In order to ensure that your air filters are always working as effectively as possible, change out all air filters in your HVAC system once every three months.

Choosing the Right Air Filters

To get the best possible filtration for your HVAC system, choose high-efficiency particulate air filters, also known as HEPA filters or minimum-efficiency reporting value filters (MERV filters).

Regular air filters trap floating dust, pollen and dander, but they’re not very effective at capturing anything smaller. HEPA filters have a tightly woven mesh that captures virtually all airborne particulates and pathogens, including tobacco smoke, bacteria and mold spores.

The downside to HEPA filters is that the extremely small holes make it difficult for air to move through them efficiently. Systems with HEPA filters require more energy to force enough air through the filters to ensure the heating and cooling work effectively.

MERV filters don’t require extra energy like HEPA filters do, and they provide roughly the same level of filtration in an HVAC unit as long as the rating is high enough. MERV filters rated 13 or higher closely match HEPA’s effectiveness.

Regularly Clean Air Ducts and Vents

Dust, pollen, bacteria, allergens and other particulates build up in the air ducts and vents as air circulates. Even if the air is filtered correctly, it’s common for these pathogens and debris to wind up back in the air when they’re swept up in dirty ducts and vents.

Air ducts need to be thoroughly cleaned once every three years to keep them as free from particulates and microorganisms as possible. Professional cleaning services are required to clean most parts of your air ducts since you only have direct access to small portions of the ducts. Do not attempt to disassemble and clean them yourself. This can be dangerous or cause ductwork damage.

About once a month wipe off or vacuum your vents.

Maintain Healthy Humidity Levels

High humidity makes it easy for dust mites, mold and bacteria to breed, increasing the odds of viruses in the air, along with substances that aggravate allergies.

When humidity is not adequate, impurities in air ducts become dried, breaking into small dust particles and entering the air.

Low humidity also causes dry mucus membranes, which can respiratory systems to struggle, and make it more difficult for humans to fight illnesses.

A humidity level of 40% to 50% is perfect. This level creates the best moisture balance and helps cut down on allergens and pathogens.

Consider an Air Purification System

While a good HVAC air filter helps protect your home from pathogens, allergens and other particulates, a dedicated air purifier cleans and sanitizes your home’s air with UV light or ionizers that destroy microorganisms instead of just trapping them.

Our skilled technicians provide duct cleaning and installation services for air purifiers. We also offer maintenance, repairs and AC and furnace installation.