Your Furnace Could Be Making Your Allergies More Severe

Have you ever noticed when you turn on your heating 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 common and affect many. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring because of colder temps weakening our immune systems and from cranking up our equipment. This may leave you thinking, can furnaces make allergies worse in Ocala, or even cause them?

While furnaces can’t cause allergies, they sometimes make them worse. How? During the warmer months, dust, dander and other pollutants can build up in heating ducts. When the colder temperatures hit and we switch our furnaces on for the first time, all those allergens are now pushed out of the ventilation and travel within our residences. Thankfully, there are things you can do to keep your furnace from worsening your allergies.

How to Keep Your Furnace from Worsening Your Allergies

1. Get a New HVAC Filter. Routinely replacing your filters is one of the best chores you can do to alleviate your allergies at any time of the year. New filters are ideal for snagging the allergens in your residence’s air, helping to keep you in better health.
2. Freshen Up Your Air Ducts. Not only do small particles harbor in your HVAC filters, but in your ventilation as well. An air duct cleaning might help reduce allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system perform more efficiently. When you request an air duct cleaning, our experts inspect and clean components including your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers.
3. Keep Your Furnace Well Maintained. Adequate HVAC maintenance and periodic checkups are another easy way to both improve your residence’s air quality and keep your furnace running as smoothly as possible. Prior to flipping your heating on for the first time, it tends to help to have an HVAC tech complete a maintenance inspection to ensure your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in working shape.

Allergies and recurring illness can be annoying, and it can be tough to figure out what’s leading to or aggravating them. Here are some additional FAQs, along with answers and suggestions that can help.

Is Forced Air Bad for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are usually told that forced air heating could aggravate your allergies even more. Forced air systems can circulate allergens through the air, causing you to breathe them in more frequently than if you had a radiant heating system. While it’s accurate forced air systems might make your allergies worse, that is only if you put off suitable upkeep of your system. Other than the practices we mentioned above, you can also:

• Dust and vacuum your house often. If there aren’t dust, dander or mold spore particles to collect in your air ducts, your air system can’t transport them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some additional cleaning ideas are:
  • Ensure your vacuum has a HEPA filter.
  • Dust in advance of vacuuming.
  • Clean your curtains regularly, as they are a typical harbor of allergens.
  • Remember to clean behind and under furniture.
• Keep an Eye on your residence’s moisture levels. High humidity levels can also result in more severe allergies. Humidity enables mold growth and dust mites. Installing a dehumidifier with your HVAC system keeps moisture levels balanced and your indoor air quality much healthier.

What is the Ideal Furnace Filter for Allergies?

Generally, HEPA filters are ideal if you or someone in your home suffers from allergies. HEPA filters are rated to filter 99.97 to 99.99% of particles, including dust, pollen and dirt. These filters have a MERV rating of 17-21, depending on the kind. This rating reveals how thoroughly a filter can clean pollutants from the air. Due to their high-efficiency filtration performance, HEPA filters are deep and can restrict airflow. It’s beneficial to talk to Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to confirm your heating and cooling system can work properly with these high efficiency filters.

Can Clogged Filters or Air Ducts Make Me Sick?

Worn filters can hold on to particles and allow poor quality air to recirculate. This is also applicable for dusty air ducts. If you inhale these particles it can produce sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related symptoms, depending on your sensitivity.

It’s smart to replace your HVAC filter after 30-60 days, but here are some signs you could need to sooner:

• It’s taking a longer amount of time for your system to cool or heat your home.
• You come across more dust in your home.
• Heating and cooling bills are rising with no apparent reason.
• Your allergies are acting up.

Symptoms your air ducts require cleaning include:

• The metal is covered in dust.
• Dirty 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 often dusty, despite constant cleaning.

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