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Spring is winding down, but allergies are still rampant. Many people have been knocked out of commission and confined to their homes due to allergies this year. It’s been a rough season, but what if I told you there was a way to fight allergies off. Perhaps, even prevent them from entering your home at all! That is what we are going to talk about in today’s blog! Here’s how your HVAC system can help prevent springtime allergies!
Air Filters
The most important layer of defense against allergies is your air filters! The air filter’s job is to catch dust particles, pollen and even dust mites from circulating throughout your home. You’d be surprised how effective even the most standard of air filters is against indoor allergens.
Most people have some type of air filter installed in their home either in their ducts or occasionally right in your HVAC unit. However, the big issue comes when these filters are not replaced regularly!
We recommend changing them out at least once every 2-3 months, but if you are a frequent allergy sufferer, you might want to make the change even more frequently. Typical air filters will fill up with dust as they capture. Eventually, when they are full, they just can’t capture any more dust. At that point, your air filter is effectively useless! This is why it's so important for homeowners to regularly switch out their filters.
Spring Cleaning
This one isn’t directly related to your HVAC system, but it can be just as important. Your air filter can only do so much. It’s a line of defense that is very effective, but it can be limited in scope. Allergens can enter your home through other channels such as on your shoes or clothing. It can linger on your furniture and flooring. This is why cleaning your home deeply and regularly is so vital!
Spring cleaning is a long-standing tradition and practice that still has uses in the modern-day! A deep clean can be especially effective in clearing away allergens from your home. Routine cleaning is also vital to keeping your home allergy-free. Make sure you vacuum regularly and clean out your floor vents of any dust bunnies, as well!
Don’t Forget About Humidity
Humidity is often forgotten about and overlooked. If the humidity in your home doesn’t stay in the Goldilocks zone between 30% and 40%, your allergy symptoms could worsen. If the air is too dry, your throat and nose won’t be ready to fight off pollen and other allergens. If you’re not sure how to moderate the humidity levels of your home, here are a few tips! We recommend you add houseplants if you need to raise your humidity and if you need to lower humidity, consider installing a dehumidifier.
It’s important to remember that you have some control over your allergy symptoms. Pollen and dust can be controlled and limited within the confines of your home. While you may not have that ability when outdoors, at least you can make your home a safe and welcome oasis away from allergies this spring.
At Cousin’s Air, we’re more than happy to help improve your indoor air quality. If you need help with your IAQ or with your HVAC systems, we can assist. Do you need an HVAC repair or replacement? Give us at Cousin's Air, Inc. a call at (954) 228-5965 or fill out an online contact form!