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Keeping your home protected against allergens is crucial to creating comfortable living spaces. Your HVAC system has a direct impact on air circulation and airborne allergen levels. This guide walks you through several tips for improving indoor air quality with your HVAC system during the spring allergy season.
Regularly Check and Replace the Air Filter
Your HVAC filter is responsible for trapping pollen, dust, pet dander, and other allergens. It does this to prevent these elements from flowing through the ductwork and into each room. When the filter clogs, it can’t trap these particles effectively. Instead, they end up infiltrating the air you breathe and increasing allergy symptoms.
We recommend checking the filter every 30 days to see whether it needs replacement. You may also want to consider using a filter with a higher MERV rating. The higher the rating, the more effectively it can capture smaller airborne particles. But you must ensure system compatibility to avoid airflow restriction, which can make air quality problems worse.
Install a Whole-Home Air Purifier
If you want to take allergy protection a step further, you can install a whole-home air purifier. This type of device connects to the HVAC to deliver automatic air cleaning. Certain types do an excellent job at reducing allergens, bacteria, and viruses, as well as all types of pollen.
There are different types of air purifiers that can help with various allergens:
- HEPA filtration systems
- Activated carbon purifiers
- UV light air purifiers
- Electrostatic air cleaners
- Whole-home media filters
Use Humidity-Control Devices
Alabama has a naturally humid climate, which creates ideal conditions for mold and dust mites. A whole-home dehumidifier will remove excess moisture from the air to keep indoor humidity levels balanced. This not only discourages mold and dust mites but also helps the HVAC system run more efficiently.
Keep Windows and Doors Closed
Opening windows and doors during the spring is a great way to save money on HVAC expenses. But it also allows pollutants and allergens in the outdoor air to enter your home. If you suffer from allergies, it may not be worth the temporary energy savings just to enjoy fresh outdoor air. Keeping the home tightly sealed will prevent pollen and other airborne irritants from getting inside. You may need to run your HVAC system more, but you will breathe much easier.
Clean Your HVAC Ducts
If your HVAC ducts have never been cleaned, all kinds of dirt, dust, pollen, and other allergens build up inside them over time. When your AC or heater turns on, it forces air through the ductwork, pushing all of that material into the air inside your home. Duct cleaning not only ensures that the inside of your ductwork is clear of contaminants, but also helps your HVAC system work less hard by improving airflow. Similarly, if your ducts are damaged or poorly sealed, contaminants get pushed out of the cracks and gaps. Duct sealing service closes those up so that your air is cleaner and your HVAC system works more efficiently.
Book Professional Maintenance
Booking AC maintenance during late winter or early spring is a smart move for reducing allergy symptoms. We’ll make sure all the components run smoothly and efficiently. The result is a system that circulates fewer allergens throughout your home.
This is how we prep the HVAC for allergy season during a tune-up:
- Replace or clean air filter
- Inspect and clean coils
- Check blower motor operation
- Clear condensate drain line
- Seal ductwork air leaks
- Test airflow and ventilation
When Should You Begin Preparing Your HVAC System for Allergy Season?
We recommend prepping an HVAC system several weeks before allergy season. In Alabama, this usually means from late February to early April. This ensures enough time to address airflow and filtration issues before the spring pollen surge.
Does Routine HVAC Maintenance Improve Allergy Symptoms?
Yes, an AC tune-up each spring can reduce symptoms by improving system performance. We clean all the dirty components and improve airflow to keep allergens from circulating indoors.
How Frequently Should You Replace Air Filters During Allergy Season?
The best filter replacement schedule for your home depends on how often you use the AC and whether you have indoor pets. We generally recommend following a 30-day replacement schedule. However, if the filter clogs before this time, you should go ahead and replace it. This is why periodic checks are so important. Some HVAC systems need filter replacement every few weeks during allergy season.
Can Preparing Your HVAC System for Allergy Season Reduce Energy Costs?
Prepping your HVAC system for allergy season comes with a twofold benefit. You’re not only improving indoor air quality but also making it easier for the equipment to use less energy. This results in less wear and tear on the components, which helps the system last longer. It also reduces repairs and unexpected breakdowns.
Get Expert HVAC Guidance for Allergy Season
Here at Bryant’s Heating & Cooling, we love helping people prep their HVAC systems for allergy season. Our thorough inspections allow us to catch and resolve issues impacting indoor air quality in their earliest stages. We bring over 45 years of industry expertise to each job. With 24/7 emergency repair, you never have to fret about unexpected breakdowns or after-hours system failures.
Ready to prep your HVAC for allergy season? Contact Bryant’s Heating & Cooling today to book tailored HVAC and air quality solutions in Fort Payne, AL.
