Tackle Allergies with Your HVAC

Spring allergy season is in full swing. There’s a tissue box affixed to your hand, and every third word is a sneeze. There are allergens and contaminants everywhere — even in your own home! Fortunately, there are things you can do to eliminate them. Here are some ways you can alleviate allergies with your HVAC system.

Replace Filters Regularly

Your best defense against contaminants in your home is your HVAC filter. As air flows through the system, the filter captures things like dust, mold, and mildew, so that the air that circulates through your home is clean and breathable.

But over time, your filter gets clogged. When that happens, it can no longer protect you against those contaminants. It also reduces airflow, forcing your system to work harder to heat or cool your home and wasting energy in the process. Therefore, to keep your filter running in peak condition, check it every month, and replace it at least every three to six months. If the filter is white and translucent, it’s still good. If it’s dark and opaque from collecting dust, it’s ready to be replaced.

Keep Ducts and Vents Clean

You have a brand new air filter. It’s removed the contaminants from the air and is circulating it back into your living room. But then that clean air passes through a vent that’s covered in dust, and your home is full of allergens again. Dusting your home regularly can help your air filter last a lot longer. But start with dusting your vents and registers. Keeping them clean will help keep your allergies at bay.

If you really want to give your vents a good cleaning, unscrew each one and wash them with soap and water. Then while they’re off, you can clean the inside of your ducts as well. A professional duct cleaning probably isn’t necessary, but cleaning them yourself once a year with a vacuum or a long brush can help keep your home allergen free.

To learn more about keeping allergies at bay, contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions. We proudly serve all of Orlando’s HVAC needs.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).