How Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Allergies

August 03, 2017

While many people connect allergy symptoms with pollen, pollution and other irritants out of your home, your interior air quality can have a big impact on your symptoms. According to the EPA, “In the last few years, a growing body of scientific evidence has specified that the air inside homes and other buildings can be more critically polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people devote approximately 90 percent of their time inside. Thus, for many people, the threats to health may be bigger due to more exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.”

Our Lexington homes are polluted by outdoor allergens like pollen that make their way indoors, and by irritants like pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, chemicals from ordinary household products and more. So, what can you do about it? The answer is already in your home! It’s your HVAC system.

You should understand that your HVAC can be your best friend or your nemesis when it comes to controlling your allergies. A dirty system can foster and distribute allergens around your home, so the key is to keep your system operating well. Primarily, you have to keep your air filters clean. Place a reminder or mark it on your calendar to inspect them monthly and swap them out when you see that they’re fairly dirty. They’ll typically need to be replaced every two or three months, but this can differ significantly from house to home. You can get filters that span from the most straightforward level of filtering to hospital-grade HEPA filters. The experts at James Heating & A/C, Inc can help you decide which kind of filter will keep your home healthy and keep your HVAC running properly.

It’s also vital to have your system habitually maintained by a pro to keep your interior air quality where it should be. On top of checking that critical filter, your service technician will clean the internal workings of your system and guarantee that everything is running as it should. You can also ask your professional if a duct cleaning would be helpful.

When it comes to your internal air quality, you can trust the professionals at James Heating & A/C, Inc to take good care of you. In addition to helping you keep your HVAC system maintained, we can help you ensure you have the tools you need to combat poor indoor air quality and allergens—like humidifiers and whole home air purifiers. Just give us a call at 336-853-6070 to confirm that your home’s air is healthy and pure.