Allergies and Air Conditioning
If you have been experiencing a worsening of allergies or asthma after beginning to use your air conditioning system, you may want to consider beginning your annual air conditioning maintenance. Your ducts, filters and the unit itself may have built up dust and debris over the winter. Annual maintenance and regular filter changes are the best way to fight increased allergies indoors.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
The air inside your home can be more polluted than the air outside, especially if you rely on an air conditioning unit during the summer months. Since air cannot easily flow through homes, the pollution that you create, and that comes into your home naturally, tends to build up and remain inside the home. One of the simplest things that you can do to improve air quality is to change the filter in your air conditioning unit frequently, and use a HEPA filter.
The filter in your air conditioner is designed to capture dust, pollen, and other small particles from the air that circulates through the system. An excellent quality filter is the ideal tool to use when you need to reduce allergens in the air. A standard filter needs to be changed about once a month, but if you have severe allergies you may want to aim for bi-monthly filter changes to ensure good air quality.
Regular Maintenance
Regular air conditioning maintenance is also needed when allergies flare up during warmer weather. The interior of your air conditioning unit can harbor dust and mold. You may want to opt for a professional in heating and cooling to perform the maintenance, since the interior of your cooling unit can be sensitive. Annual cleaning is best, and is typically completed before using the air conditioner for the first time of the season.
Some homes also require cleaning of the air vents, where mold, mildew and dust can hide. Mold and mildew are particularly common in areas where there is a build up of moisture inside the vents. Mold is one of the most common home allergens, and can easily trigger asthma symptoms, as well.
Monthly Maintenance
Allergies caused by lowered indoor air quality can be remedied by checking your air conditioning filters often and maintaining a dust free environment. The air inside the area where your air conditioning unit is housed is very important to consider. The area around the central unit should be dust free and dry. A dehumidifier may be needed if you notice the area is too humid.
Along with monthly filter changes, you can also check for mold and mildew around the unit. Any noticeable mold will need to be cleaned immediately to eliminate the allergens in the area. With regular maintenance, you can easily improve you indoor air quality and reduce you allergy symptoms.
Peter Wendt is a writer and researcher living in Austin, Texas. He recommends you check out Austin TX Air Conditioning and you can learn more about air conditioning here.