While many people connect allergy symptoms with pollen, pollution and other irritants out of your home, your interior air quality can have a large impact on your symptoms. According to the EPA, “In the last several years, a rising body of scientific evidence has specified that the air within homes and other buildings can be more dangerously polluted than the outdoor air in even the biggest and most industrialized cities. Other research says that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time within a home or building. So, for many people, the dangers to health may be bigger due to more contact with air pollution indoors than outdoors.”
Our the Bay Area homes are contaminated with outdoor allergens like pollen that find their way in out homes, 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 understand that your HVAC can be your ally or your worst enemy when it comes to handling your allergies. A dirty system can foster and circulate allergens around your home, so the answer is to keep your system functioning properly. Primarily, you need to keep your air filters clean. Establish a reminder or indicate it on your calendar to check them monthly and exchange them out when you see that they’re fairly dirty. They’ll usually need to be changed every two or three months, but this can differ considerably from house to home. You can buy filters that range from the most straightforward level of filtering to hospital-grade HEPA filters. The experts at Contra Costa Heating & AC can help you establish which kind of filter will keep your home nourishing and keep your HVAC operating properly.
It’s also vital to have your system regularly checked by a pro to keep your interior air quality where it should be. As well as inspecting that critical filter, your service expert will clean the internal workings of your system and ensure that everything is running as it should. You can also ask your technician if a duct cleaning would be beneficial.
When it comes to your internal air quality, you can rely on the professionals at Contra Costa Heating & AC to take good care of you. Besides helping you keep your HVAC system maintained, we can help you know that you have the tools you need to fight poor indoor air quality and allergens—like humidifiers and whole home air purifiers. Just give us a call at 510-343-9841 to confirm that your home’s air is healthy and clean.