How Your Furnace Can Trigger Your Allergies

Have you ever felt when you run your furnace for the first time in the fall, you’re wheezing more often? While spring allergies seem to get a harsher reputation, fall allergies are still very prominent and many people are affected by them. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring brisk temperatures weakening our immune systems and from cranking up our equipment. This might leave you thinking, can furnaces make allergies worse in the U.S., or even lead to them?

While furnaces can’t cause allergies, they can make them worse. How? During the hotter months, dust, dander and other allergens can build up in heating ducts. When the cooler conditions hit and we flip our heating on for the first time, all those allergens are now circulated through the ductwork and circulate through our homes. Thankfully, there are things you can do to prevent your furnace from irritating your allergies.

How to Keep Your Furnace from Triggering Your Allergies

1. 1. Get a New HVAC Filter. Frequently replacing your filters is one of the best things you can do to alleviate your allergies at any time of the year. Clean filters are superior when snagging the allergens in your home’s air, helping to keep you healthier.

2. 2. Dust Your Air Ducts. Not only do particulates gather in your HVAC filters, but in your ventilation as well. An air duct cleaning may help reduce allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system perform more efficiently. When you request an air duct cleaning, technicians review and clean components including your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers.

3. 3. Keep Your Furnace in Good Working Condition. Adequate HVAC maintenance and periodic tune-ups are another excellent way to both enhance your house’s air quality and keep your heating running as smoothly as possible. Prior to turning your heat on for the first time, it can help to have an HVAC technician complete a maintenance examination to ensure your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in tip-top shape.

Allergies and continual illness can be irritating, and it can be hard to learn what’s creating or worsening them. Here are some extra FAQs, including answers and tips that can help.

Is Forced Air Harmful for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are typically told that forced air heating could irritate your allergies even more. Forced air systems can push allergens through the air, leading you to breathing them in more often than if you used a radiant heating system. While it’s accurate forced air systems might make your allergies worse, that is only if you ignore appropriate upkeep of your system. Other than the things we mentioned above, 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 carry them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some extra cleaning suggestions are:

• • Ensure your vacuum has a HEPA filter.

• • Dust before vacuuming.

• • Clean your curtains routinely, as they are a typical collecto of allergens.

• • Make sure to clean behind and under furniture.

• • Keep an Eye on your residence’s moisture levels. Increased humidity levels can also contribute to worsening of allergies. Humidity causes mold growth and dust mites. Adding a dehumidifier to your HVAC system keeps moisture levels in check 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 household struggles with allergies. HEPA filters are rated to take out 99.97 to 99.99% of particles, like dust, pollen and dirt. These filters have a MERV rating of 17-21, depending on the brand or filter material. This rating demonstrates how thoroughly a filter can clean pollutants from the air. Due to their high-efficiency filtration construction, HEPA filters are dense and can limit airflow. It’s important to talk to Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to ensure 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 hold on to particles and allow poor quality air to recirculate. The same goes for filthy ductwork. If you inhale these particles it can cause sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related symptoms, depending on your sensitivity.

It’s beneficial to switch out your HVAC filter around 30-60 days, but here are some signals you could need to sooner:

• • It’s taking more time for your system to cool or heat your residence.

• • You notice more dust in your residence.

• • Heating and cooling expenses are increasing with no obvious reason.

• • Your allergies are popping up more often.

• • Clues your air ducts require cleaning include:

• • The metal is sitting in dust.

• • Dirty 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, despite continuous cleaning.

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