Being able to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home is ideal for protecting the integrity of your residence, the furnishings within it, your plumbing system, etc. However, from creating a cozy and inviting environment to protecting your physical safety and promoting your overall well-being, your HVAC equipment also affects your psychological outlook. Let’s consider some of the different ways that your HVAC system plays a direct role in the state of your mental health.
Reducing Allergen Exposure
Running your HVAC system helps to remove particulate matter from the air you breathe each day. If you expose yourself to indoor air contaminants such as pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and dust, this can lead to an increase in allergy symptoms. Allergies can interfere with your ability to perform daily tasks, which can leave you feeling unproductive. They can increase the inflammation in your body and cause mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
If you’re exposing yourself to volatile organic compounds, this can also affect your mental health and well-being in a number of ways. For example, these chemicals can interrupt normal hormone function in the body, which can certainly affect mental health. VOC exposure also increases inflammation, which can cause an interruption in neurotransmitter function.
You can reduce allergens by running your HVAC system on a regular basis. It’s recommended that you keep your home at approximately 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and around 78 degrees in the summer. You can also upgrade your system so a whole-house air purification device removes particulates from your air as it circulates through your furnace or air conditioner.
Reducing Stress
A comfortable residence is something that a lot of homeowners neglect to appreciate. We assume that our HVAC system is going to run when it’s needed and keep our house comfortable. If the system breaks, this can cause a great deal of stress in a short amount of time. Imagine not having access to a working HVAC system in the middle of a heat wave in Jacksonville, FL. It’s recommended that you utilize routine maintenance and professional inspections to ensure your system will continue to work when you need it most. This will provide you with peace of mind, knowing that you’re doing all you can as a homeowner to avoid an HVAC system breakdown.
Humidity Control Benefits
Running your HVAC system can help control the relative humidity in your home. It’s recommended that this level remain between 30% and 50% regardless of the time of year. The climate can become very humid in Jacksonville, resulting in your home becoming stuffy and oppressive. Your air conditioning equipment does a great job of reducing humidity by cooling the air and condensing any of the moisture that is present. The result is a much more comfortable indoor environment. If you’re living in a very humid residence, this can affect your mental health. You may feel uncomfortable, stressed, unable to focus, etc.
If you frequently deal with high levels of humidity in the home, you may want to consider having our team install a whole-house dehumidifier. This equipment allows you to better control the level of relative humidity in your residence. It’s much more convenient than using a portable dehumidifier, which must be moved from one location to another. Also, a whole-house unit doesn’t need to be emptied. There is a drain line that will move moisture away from your equipment and home without more than periodic maintenance of the line to remove mineral deposits and sediment.
Improving the Quality of Your Sleep
To maintain optimal mental health, it’s ideal that you focus on how much sleep you’re getting at night. The quality of your sleep is also very important. It’s recommended that adults get a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night. Some people do better with a bit more. To get good sleep where you wake up feeling refreshed, you should move through the four stages of sleep during the course of the night. NREM is the deepest sleep we experience. This is when every part of your body is fully resting. Some people don’t fall into this sleep stage easily, especially if they are not comfortable. If your home is too warm or too cold, this can prevent you from falling asleep and staying asleep. You can utilize your HVAC system to promote the most comfortable sleep environment possible. You will then wake up feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to start your day.
Ensuring Optimal Indoor Conditions
We’ve mentioned the importance of using routine HVAC inspections and maintenance to keep your heating and cooling equipment functioning properly. There are several key components of this process that will ensure you can rely on your HVAC system throughout the year.
Spotting Issues Early
When our team inspects your heating and cooling equipment, we try to find problems that are relatively small at that point in time. These issues may not be presenting themselves to you by way of odd noises, abnormal smells, or inefficiencies. If we make repairs early on, this will prevent larger issues from occurring later. The goal is to prevent a catastrophic shutdown of your HVAC system.
Changing Your Filter Regularly
You should make sure that you’re replacing your furnace or AC filter once every 30 to 90 days. Check the recommendation from your manufacturer for more precise information. If you leave a clogged filter in your HVAC system, this can compromise the efficiency and effectiveness of your heating and cooling equipment. It can also lead to more frequent repair needs and a shortened equipment life span. A clean filter will also help promote healthy indoor air quality. We’ve already discussed how important this is for your mental health and overall well-being.
Routine Service
There are a lot of different moving parts inside of your HVAC system. In addition to inspecting them, we lubricate items, tighten loose connections, and clean components. This protects your equipment and often boosts efficiency.
Reducing Energy Bills
High energy bills monthly can cause a homeowner a lot of stress. This can greatly affect your mental health. Routine maintenance can decrease energy bills by boosting the overall efficiency of your system. We can also use this process to reduce the need for repairs, which can add up quickly over time. If we determine that parts of your HVAC system are out of date, we may recommend that you invest in a new furnace or air conditioning unit. This can boost efficiency over a longer period.
If you would like to schedule a routine inspection or maintenance for your HVAC system, reach out to our team here at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing. We offer a variety of other services, including heating and cooling installation and repair. Our plumbing services include pipe repair, unclogging drains, sump pump service, the installation of water treatment equipment, and more. We also offer duct services, indoor air quality assessments, energy audits, insulation upgrades, etc.
Contact us at J&W Heating and Air + Plumbing today to schedule an appointment anywhere in the Jacksonville area.
