Spring brings longer and warmer days. Unfortunately, it also brings unwanted allergies. Irritants in the air cause sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, and wheezing. Consequently, family members with serious conditions like asthma may suffer more during the spring months.
Air quality in the home is usually lower than the air quality outdoors. Dust, mold, pollen, and other build-ups in your home’s HVAC system add to the poor air quality. One way to improve indoor air quality and battle spring allergies is with spring HVAC maintenance.
Regularly scheduled HVAC maintenance offers many benefits beyond helping spring allergies. Not only does HVAC maintenance help improve air quality, but it also protects your system from unexpected repairs.
Keep your HVAC system in top condition. With HVAC maintenance your system is inspected to identify any areas that need repair or replacement. This helps prevent unscheduled downtime and also improves the overall efficiency of your HVAC system. When the system is working properly, it does a better job of moving the air through. Less energy is used and air quality improves.
Check out these three tips for reducing spring allergies with HVAC Maintenance:
Replace the Air Filter
The air filter for your HVAC system should be inspected monthly and replaced every three months or so. Inspecting and replacing an air filter is a simple job you can do on your own. However, the filter is typically inspected and replaced during regularly scheduled maintenance.
Old, dirty, and clogged air filters are unable to effectively remove dust and grime from the air. In fact, dirty filters can start to spread unwanted irritants into your home’s environment. When dust, pollen, dirt, smoke, and mold build up on the air filter, the debris begins to circulate in the air. This is why changing your air filter regularly is so important, not just to prevent allergies but to maintain the overall health of your family and friends.
Duct Cleaning
Schedule a duct cleaning with the experts at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing to avoid nasty mold and pollen build-up in your air duct system. When the humidity in your home is not properly managed, mold spores may grow in your HVAC duct system. Your heater or air conditioner then distributes the mold spores into the air in your home.
One way to protect your duct system from growing mold is by insulating the duct system, especially in the unfinished areas of your home. Insulation helps keep condensation at bay, reducing potential mold growth. However, if the insulation becomes wet from flooding or leaks, the insulation should be replaced in order to avoid mold growth.
In most cases, the only way to know if mold is growing in your ductwork is with a scheduled HVAC inspection by a trained and trusted professional technician. An expert can confirm if what you suspect is visible mold is actually mold and can offer professional advice on how best to rid the substance from your home.
Remember, you must not only clean the mold from your system but also resolve the issue causing mold growth. If you don’t resolve the issue, the mold growth will return. Just another reason regular HVAC maintenance is smart for the health of your home!
Clean Visible Vents and Fans
One easy way for homeowners to improve air quality and keep their home clean is by cleaning vents and fans. Throughout your home are the heating and air registers that allow the flow of air from your HVAC system into your home. Bathrooms, the kitchen, and the laundry room usually have fans to help filter smoke and stale air.
Dust, dirt, and grime build up in vents and fans over time. This build-up of debris can cause the system to work inefficiently. The HVAC equipment must work harder to push the air into your home. Also, the air must pass through the dirt and dust before it disseminates.
Clean the external surface of vents and fans with a damp cloth to remove visible dust. Then, vacuum the entry of the vent and fan to remove additional debris. Floor vents are especially susceptible to catching debris from your home like hair, small toys, dirt, leaves, and other unwanted items.
Regular cleaning of your vents and fans should be done between scheduled HVAC maintenance. This helps ensure the quality of the air in your home is maintained throughout the year.
Schedule Your Spring HVAC Maintenance
The experts at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing offer over fifty years of proven and quality expertise to Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding communities. We’ll help reduce the impact of spring allergies and improve your home’s air quality with HVAC maintenance.
