How Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Allergies

August 03, 2017

While many people correlate allergy symptoms with pollen, pollution and other irritants out of 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 growing body of scientific evidence has indicated 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 spend approximately 90 percent of their time inside. So, for a lot of people, the dangers to health may be bigger due to more exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.”

Our Laurel homes are full of outdoor allergens like pollen that force their way inside, and by irritants like pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, chemicals from everyday household cleaners and more. So, what can you do about it? The solution is already in your home! It’s your HVAC system.

You should understand that your HVAC can be your supporter or your foe when it comes to managing your allergies. A dirty system can harbor and distribute allergens around your home, so the answer is to keep your system well maintained. Above all, you need to keep your air filters clean. Place a reminder or set it on your calendar to inspect them monthly and change them out when you see that they’re becoming dirty. They’ll usually need to be changed every two or three months, but this can fluctuate significantly from household to house. You can buy filters that range from the most simple level of filtering to hospital-grade HEPA filters. The pros at H&C Heating and Cooling can help you determine which kind of filter will keep your home healthy and keep your HVAC running properly.

It’s also vital to have your system habitually checked by a professional to keep your inside air quality where it should be. On top of inspecting that critical filter, your service specialist will clean the central workings of your system and guarantee that everything is operating as it should. You can also ask your professional if a duct cleaning would be helpful.

When it comes to your indoor air quality, you can rely on the professionals at H&C Heating and Cooling to take good care of you. On top of helping you keep your HVAC system operating, we can help you know that you have the tools you need to take on poor indoor air quality and allergens—like humidifiers and whole home air purifiers. Just give us a call at 301-960-3247 to confirm that your home’s air is healthy and pure.