Effective Ways to Stop Your Furnace from Causing Allergies

It may not occur to people often, but their furnace can be a major cause of allergic reactions. As allergens collect in your furnace throughout the year, they start to start spreading throughout the home once you turn it on.

You may usually find that this happens when you’re in most need of heating, as piled-up dust and pollen from previous seasons will start coming into contact with you as the furnace circulates warm air across the property. Make sure you follow these helpful furnace maintenance tips, so you don’t have to deal with allergies when you need to warm up.

Keep Your Filters Clean

Your filters trap dust, dirt, and other debris. This, will eventually collect and get stuck over time. If you leave it be, then your furnace will just be constantly circulating these materials. It will significantly decrease the air quality and breathability of your home in general.

You’d essentially be creating a toll point for allergens to collect together and then spread out. Medical professionals advocate for the usage of HEPA filters since they can get more participles than disposable variations. That said, either one of these needs to be checked on regularly.

If you’re using a disposable filter, make sure to change them out once they’ve gotten some build-up. In general, you’ll want to replace it every month if you have multiple pets or if a household member has allergies. For permanent filters, make sure you clean them out regularly so that they don’t get grimy.

Clear Out Your Air Ducts

Dust and debris also collect in your air ducts, so you need to have these cleaned out every few months. Since these ducts snake all throughout your home, you may need a technician to do this. It’s best to have anyone prone to allergic reactions out of the home during this time as the cleaning process will temporarily bring out tons of dust into common areas.

Make sure to have the place dusted and sanitized after your air duct cleaning. This just ensures there isn’t any leftover debris on your flooring and furniture.

Conduct Routine Maintenance 

While the previous two steps need only be done every so often, you still need to have regular maintenance for your heating system. Make sure the blower is positioned properly, check the vents, keep flammable objects far from the furnace, and lower your property’s overall load.

This extends the lifespan of your furnace and just stands as a good check to make sure there are no dust bunnies circulating. 

A more in-depth routine maintenance check should also be done by a technician seasonally. They can check your furnace’s performance and see to any issues that may have cropped up over the past months.

Install a Humidifier

Finally, you’ll want to install a humidifier. Though this is more of a modification, it can greatly help reduce allergies that are being caused by your furnace. Even if you keep it well maintained and clean, the air it circulates can still be dry and irritating for both your eyes and throat.

A humidifier combats dry air and allows you to maintain a sensible level of humidity across your property.

Closing

It’s a good measure to follow these steps even if you’re not prone to allergies because they make sure your furnace is in tip-top condition. If you don’t keep your HVAC system well-maintained, you may end up in need of furnace repair or even worse. Set a schedule to conduct these cleaning procedures a few times a year for good measure.

Legacy specializes in HVAC systems and related products for optimal performance. Reach out to us now whether you need cleaning, installation, or air conditioning and furnace replacement in Edmonton.