Now that the seasons are turning once more, allergies are going to be of great concern to a great many people. There are many ways to assist allergy sufferers; among these, making certain that your HVAC system and the air filters are well maintained and properly cleaned. But how exactly can checking over these critical systems in your home help? And why should you really bother? Those systems can’t help that much, can they? For some people, a well-maintained air system in their home could even be the difference between life and death.
Some studies done by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) show that indoor levels of pollutants may be two to five times that of outdoor levels of pollutants. These same studies even suggested that indoor air pollution is one of the “top five environmental risks to the health of the public.” Failure to address contaminated indoor air can lead to health risks such as: cough, eye irritation, sneezing, asthma or asthmatic complications, “in rarer cases, life-threatening conditions such as Legionnaire’s disease, or carbon monoxide poisoning.” Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve the air quality in your home, ensuring you and your family stay healthy.
The easiest way to make a quick impact on your air quality is to make sure your filter is changed and clean. There are any number of contaminants that can make their way into your home, and of course, those that you bring in yourself, like tobacco, furniture cleaner, your gas stove, oil, different furnishings, etc. There are ways to clean your filter yourself, or you can always call a professional HVAC mechanic.
If you are really suffering, double check to make sure you don’t have other sources of allergies in your home. Be sure to clean up places that are most likely to build up dust, such as bookshelves, cabinets, throw pillows, lesser-travelled carpeted areas, and children’s soft toys. It’s also important to change linens frequently as well.
Modern air filtration systems for homes can measure things such as humidity and exact temperature. These are important factors to remember as too much humidity can help bacteria and fungus to grow, and too little humidity can also have detrimental effects on your health as “dry air can lead to dry skin, irritated sinuses and throat, and itchy eyes.”
As always, Duraflow is here to help. Feel free to comment below with any questions or concerns, or contact us - we would be happy to work with you.