While many people connect allergy symptoms with pollen, pollution and other irritants in the air outside your home, your internal air quality can have a big impact on your symptoms. According to the EPA, “In the last couple of years, a increasing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air in 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 spend approximately 90 percent of their time inside. So, for a lot of people, the risks to health may be larger due to more exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.”
Our Des Moines homes are polluted by outdoor allergens like pollen that find their way indoors, and by irritants like pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, chemicals from everyday 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 realize that your HVAC can be your supporter or your foe when it comes to controlling your allergies. A dirty system can foster and distribute allergens all over your home, so the key is to keep your system operating well. Above all, you must keep your air filters clean. Set a reminder or indicate it on your calendar to check them monthly and exchange them out when you see that they’re getting dirty. They’ll usually need to be exchanged every two or three months, but this can vary greatly from house to home. You can find filters that range from the most simple level of filtering to hospital-grade HEPA filters. The pros at Heartland Heating & Cooling can help you establish which kind of filter will keep your home healthy and keep your HVAC operating efficiently.
It’s also crucial to have your system habitually serviced by a professional to keep your indoor air quality where it should be. On top of examining that critical filter, your service specialist will clean the central workings of your system and ensure that everything is operating as it should. You can also ask your professional if a duct cleaning would be beneficial.
When it comes to your indoor air quality, you can trust the professionals at Heartland Heating & Cooling to take good care of you. In addition to helping you keep your HVAC system maintained, we can help you make sure 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 515-344-3579 to certify that your home’s air is healthy and pure.