With the warm weather settling in, many people are plagued by allergies. Often, the air inside your house can be more polluted than the outside air, and this means there’s no escaping summer allergies when you go inside… unless you take steps to remove allergy-causing dust and debris from the air. Here’s five tips for alleviating your summer allergies:
HVAC Cleaning
Since your HVAC equipment is responsible for releasing heated or cooled air throughout the home, it is your first line of defense against indoor air allergens. Have a trusted HVAC technician perform annual cleaning and maintenance on your cooling and heating equipment and its distribution system. A clean system is less likely to release allergens, dust and debris into the home, allowing your home’s occupants to escape summer allergies.
Sealing the Ducts
Your home’s duct system is responsible for moving air from your heating and cooling system throughout the home. Dirty air can infiltrate leaky ducts running through unconditioned areas such as your garage and crawlspace, and then get blown into your household air. You can seal some of the leaks yourself with mastic or metal tape, but for inaccessible ducts you’ll probably need the help of an HVAC specialist. He will repair cracks, seal joints and add insulation where needed, improving indoor air quality and saving energy.
Air Cleaners
Someone with severe summer allergies may benefit from the added benefits of an electronic air cleaner. One popular model of air cleaner uses ions to attract allergens from indoor air. Ion-charged particles then pass through the machine, getting trapped in the panels.
Filter Maintenance
The air filters in your cooling equipment will collect ample allergen-carrying dust and debris when in continuous use during the summer. Change your filter as often as monthly during the high-use season. Check your filter’s packaging to make sure it’s the type that will remove allergens, mold spores and other hazardous particles from your indoor air.
Cleaning the House
Support your HVAC cleaning efforts with proper house cleaning. Dust, debris, pollen, pet hair and other allergens settle on furniture and flooring. Purchase a vacuum with a high-quality, allergen-reducing filter. Dust furniture using electrostatic dusting products. Shake out area rugs, cushions and pillows. Wash bedding weekly.
For more information on HVAC maintenance and allergy-reducing tips, contact Mr. Cool Air Conditioning. Mr. Cool serves the Fresno, California area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about summer allergy prevention and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Donald P Dick Air Conditioning services the greater Fresno area in California. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!