Springtime in Anaheim is a mixed blessing. For some, the wonder and beauty of the wildflowers swaying in the grassy, green fields is a soothing and reassuring symbol of renewal. For others, it signals the start of the spring allergy season and impending misery. While you can’t do anything to make sufferers more comfortable outdoors, you can improve the air quality in your home, improving your HVAC system’s efficiency.
Housecleaning
In the spring, residents and visitors may unknowingly carry dust and pollen into your home on their shoes or clothing. These contaminants will mingle with existing dust, pet hair, and other particulates and settle on your furniture and in the carpets. They’ll remain there until someone walks across the floor or sits on the furniture. Once that happens, they’re airborne and may end their journey in your respiratory system.
Homeowners must dust and vacuum the rooms before this pollution triggers asthma attacks. Brush your pets often and weatherstrip doors and windows to reduce the number of contaminants in your home. Don’t forget to clean the HVAC vent covers when you see dust collecting on the grill; a feather duster is the perfect brush for this chore. You’ll find that you’ll breathe easier, and your HVAC system will work more efficiently without the extra load from impurities clogging the air filters.
Any time there is a large quantity of impurities in the environment, there’s additional stress on the HVAC system. Particulates may slip through the filter and coat delicate components in dust or pollen. This contamination may interfere with their operations, causing the system to work harder to overcome the deficiencies. This extra work requires more energy, which increases your fuel bill. If the problem escalates, you should schedule a maintenance appointment with Avis Home Solutions, and our technician will thoroughly clean and lubricate the system’s interior.
So, save yourself some money and annoyance, and take extra care to keep your house clean during allergy season. Your wallet and allergy sufferers will thank you.
Air Filters
Air filters are an essential but often ignored component of an HVAC system. Their purpose is to trap particulate matter to prevent it from circulating through the system. How well they do their job relies on a couple of things.
First, you need to clean or change them when they get dirty. You may have to do this monthly if there’s a lot of dust and pollen in the air. Some filters are washable, but others are not.
Secondly, the industry rates filters according to the absorbency of their mesh. The fewer voids there are, the smaller the particulates it will catch. A low minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) will not filter as effectively as a higher-rated filter. Most residential HVAC systems support filters with a MERV 13 rating or below. Merv 13 through 16 are in general use in hospitals.
Ensure you read your owner manuals to confirm the maximum MERV rating suitable for your equipment. Tightly meshed filters with tiny pores limit the amount of airflow that can pass through. Most residential HVAC systems require a more porous filter to operate effectively. Insufficient airflow creates an uncomfortable home with hot and cold spots in the rooms.
Filters with ratings 16 to 20 are generally limited to large commercial systems for use in hospitals, nuclear power plants, and other sterile environments. Filters with smaller pores to trap contaminants are known as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. If you need the cleanest air possible in your home, purchase an air filter with a MERV 13 rating for your central HVAC system and invest in an additional air purification appliance that accepts HEPA filters or has another means of air purification.
Air Purification Systems
Two types of air purifiers can make your home even safer for residents suffering from allergies. One sits in the ductwork near the air conditioner air handler or the furnace. The other is a compact, portable unit ideal for extra contaminant protection while you sleep. Plug it in and enjoy a restful night without coughing or sneezing.
Whole-Home or In-Duct Air Purifiers
Whole-home purifiers work in one of two ways. They can destroy bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants by exposing them to ultraviolet light, or they employ an ionization technique that kills microbes as plasma travels through the ducts and out into the rooms. This second approach causes particles to clump and fall, reducing the chance of inhalation. Their enlarged size makes the filter more likely to trap them.
Call Avis Home Solutionsto discuss your options and compatibility issues with your existing HVAC system. One of our technicians may have to measure the diameter of your ducts to ensure a proper fit.
Portable Units
These units can travel with you, cleansing the air wherever you rest. Some models may use HEPA filters. Combining an HVAC system with a MERV 13-rated filter and a portable device using a HEPA filter should significantly reduce the occurrence of allergy attacks in the home.
Ductwork Maintenance
We recommend homeowners have their ductwork professionally cleaned every three to five years. However, if you are an allergy sufferer, you might want to schedule an appointment more often. Any dust, dirt, dander, or chemicals that pass through an air filter travel through the ducts. At that point, they either remain inside the ductwork or exit through the vents and into a room, and the cycle repeats. Cleaning the ducts will permanently remove many problematic contaminants from the home, keeping the air and HVAC system cleaner.
Humidity Control and Thermostats
Many individuals are allergic to mold and mildew, and spring rains may contribute to the problem. Most modern thermostats allow you to set your desired humidity level. You should keep it between 40-50%. Levels higher than 60% encourage the growth of mold and mildew.
To ensure the humidity control is working properly, request a technician to verify the accuracy. During the appointment, they can test the thermostat’s other functions and check the batteries and wiring. The thermostat is the control center for your HVAC system. The system may shut down if it fails, leaving you without conditioned air or filtering.
Invest in a stand-alone dehumidifier if portions of your home remain warm and damp. These inexpensive units extract gallons of water from humid air, preventing the growth of mold and mildew. Otherwise, spores might escape capture by the air filter, flow through the warm, humid ducts, settle down in that ideal environment, and increase.
Avis Home Solutions is Anaheim’s premier heating and air conditioning maintenance, repairs, and installation provider. We’ve been providing outstanding service to our neighbors since 1973. Our technicians work with all makes and models of HVAC systems and can provide air purification products to improve indoor air quality and the efficiency of your HVAC system. We also offer plumbing and water treatment services. Avis Home Solutions is a one-stop shop for many of your home’s essential systems.
Contact Avis Home Solutions today to schedule an appointment or request more information.
