Can Your Furnace Worsen Your Fall Allergies?

Have you ever noticed when you run your heat for the first time in the fall, you’re wheezing more frequently? While spring allergies usually get a more severe reputation, fall allergies are still very common and many people struggle with them. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring thanks to cooler temperatures impairing our immune systems and from cranking up our equipment. This can leave you considering, can furnaces make allergies worse in London, or even cause them?

While furnaces can’t create allergies, they sometimes aggravate them. How? During the warmer months, dust, dander and other debris can accumulate in heating ducts. When the colder temps start and we switch our furnaces on for the first time, all those allergens are now pushed out of the vents and travel throughout our homes. Luckily, there are things you can do to stop your furnace from worsening your allergies.

How to Keep Your Furnace from Triggering Your Allergies

1. Get a New HVAC Filter. Regularly replacing your filters is one of the best chores you can perform to minimize your allergies at any time of the year. Clean filters are better at snagging the allergens in your residence’s air, helping to keep you in better health.
2. Dust Your Air Ducts. Not only do pollutants collect in your HVAC filters, but in your ductwork as well. An air duct cleaning could help ease allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system work more efficiently. When you schedule an air duct cleaning, our experts inspect and clean components such as your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers.
3. Keep Your Furnace in Good Working Condition. Quality HVAC maintenance and regular service are another great way to both improve your house’s air quality and keep your heater performing as efficiently as possible. Before turning your heating on for the first time, it can help to have an HVAC tech run through a maintenance inspection to verify your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in great condition.

Allergies and continual illness can be annoying, and it can be hard to discover what’s causing or triggering them. Here are some additional FAQs, including answers and suggestions that can help.

Is Forced Air Harmful for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are usually told that forced air heating may affect your allergies even more. Forced air systems can carry allergens through the air, resulting in you breathing them in more regularly than if you used a radiant heating system. While it’s accurate forced air systems may make your allergies more severe, that is only if you avoid proper upkeep of your furnace. Other than the practices we included already, you can also:

• Dust and vacuum your home regularly. If there aren’t dust, dander or mold spore particles to collect in your air ducts, your air system can’t circulate them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some extra cleaning tips involve:
  • Ensure your vacuum has a HEPA filter.
  • Dust before vacuuming.
  • Clean your curtains routinely, as they are a frequent hiding place of allergens.
  • Make sure to clean behind and under furniture.
• Keep an Eye on your residence’s moisture levels. High humidity levels can also lead to worsening of allergies. Humidity causes mold growth and dust mites. Installing a dehumidifier with your HVAC system keeps moisture levels in check and your indoor air quality much healthier.

What is the Top Furnace Filter for Allergies?

In general, HEPA filters are a great fit if you or someone in your home suffers from allergies. HEPA filters are rated to filter 99.97 to 99.99% of particles, like dust, pollen and dirt. These filters have a MERV rating of 17-21, depending on the brand or filter material. This rating reveals how well a filter can remove pollutants from the air. Because of their high-efficiency filtration performance, HEPA filters are dense and can reduce airflow. It’s helpful to touch base with Roy Inch & Sons Home Services by Enercare to ensure your heating and cooling system can work properly with these high efficiency filters.

Can Dirty Filters or Air Ducts Make Me Sick?

Clogged filters can hold on to particles and allow poor quality air to recirculate. This also applies to dirty air ducts. If you inhale these particles it can produce sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related problems, depending on your sensitivity.

It’s beneficial to replace your HVAC filter every 30-60 days, but here are some indications you may need to more frequently:

• It’s taking a longer amount of time for your system to cool or heat your house.
• You discover more dust in your home.
• Energy expenses are rising with no clear reason.
• Your allergies are acting up.

Signs your air ducts require cleaning include:

• The metal is covered in dust.
• Filthy supply and return vents.
• Mold in your furnace, air conditioner, heat pump or air handler.
• Dust emitting from your vents when your HVAC system is starting.
• Your home is always dusty, in spite of constant cleaning.

Your health and comfort are our highest priority at Roy Inch & Sons Home Services by Enercare. Whether it’s furnace repair right away.