The quality of the air in your home plays a major role in alleviating allergies and asthma in your family. Although the outdoor air quality in Lake Bluff, Illinois, is generally pretty good, allergens and other factors can easily cause a build-up of indoor air pollution. The long-term consequences of poor indoor air quality may cause respiratory problems in your family. Your children may be particularly vulnerable living in those conditions. Let’s take a look at how HVAC systems impact allergies.
Different Ways the HVAC System Impacts Allergies
Airborne allergens are small enough to enter your home via air currents and therefore carried throughout the home easily through the HVAC system. Although HVAC systems are designed to trap these tiny particles, an influx of debris may overload a badly maintained system.
Although the air filters keep the system uncontaminated, there is sometimes an accumulation of dust and grime that can stick to the ducts due to static pressure or moisture. This accumulation of allergens in the duct work poses a problem. The duct sealing needs to be kept in good condition to prevent dust, dirt and miscellaneous debris from entering the house. The build-up of allergens in the ducts will affect circulation, which in turn, affects the indoor air quality.
Pollen, dust mites, and pet dander are common causes of respiratory irritation. Pollen enters your home through clothing, shoes, or open doors and floats in the air. Dust mites breed in humid conditions and live off skin cells that people naturally shed. They cause hay fever and asthma, among other allergies. Pet dander is an issue for allergies in homes with pets. Pollen, dust mites and pet dander can all go airborne and circulate through the HVAC system.
Volatile organic compounds, also known as VOCs, are chemicals that are emitted from various household products like acetone, air fresheners, and many cleaning products. They are also airborne and are known to have negative health hazards, which children are often susceptible to. Once again, these chemicals can be spread through the HVAC system.
How to Reduce the Symptoms of Allergies Through the System
The easiest way to keep your indoor air clean is to change the filters regularly. The purpose of the filter is to prevent the allergens from being spread throughout your home. This causes the filter to get clogged over time and become inefficient. It’s advisable to change or clean them at least once every three months. Check the MERV rating of the filter. The higher numbers have finer filters. Consult with your HVAC technicians to ensure that you are using the correct filter for your system.
Regular maintenance of your system is imperative to avoid the spread of particles in your home. Professional technicians will spot potential problems before you need to pay costly repairs and keep the system operating at its optimum level. A healthy HVAC system creates clean indoor air with far fewer airborne allergens, preventing asthma, allergies, and other health issues.
Your HVAC system circulates the air your home and works hard to not allow a build-up of particles and irritants. HVAC circulation also prevents the accumulation of moisture or humidity in a room. It purifies the air and reduces the chances of respiratory complications in your family. Make sure that your ducts are kept clean to allow for consistent circulation throughout the house. Leaky ducts can also cause a problem by allowing allergens in and around your house.
Cleaning the vents regularly also prevents that build-up from getting out of hand and ruining the quality of the air.
Don’t allow your family to suffer from asthma or allergies at home due to poor indoor air quality. The air quality can easily be improved to reduce the risk of respiratory disorders. Call Ireland Heating and Air Co. at 847-388-0108 to look at our indoor air quality systems and services. Our trained technicians will advise you on the best way to deal with your air quality needs by evaluating your home thoroughly so that your family has the best opportunity to be healthy.
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