How a Bad Furnace Can Affect Your Allergies

Central heating systems force air into your living space to keep you warm and comfortable all fall and winter long. This is great, until your home’s heater begins triggering your allergy symptoms. Heaters lower the humidity in your home, but if it drops too much, your nasal passages can become irritated and allergy symptoms can get worse. When this happens, you can use a humidifier, call an HVAC technician for an evaluation, try a few DIY fixes or all the above.

It’s time to start breathing better in your own home! Let’s take a look at how a bad furnace in Fair Oaks, CA can upset your allergies and what you can do about it.

Replace the filter

Replacing your air filter regularly is important, especially if you suffer from cold season allergies. If you have a split heating/cooling system, then it’s likely there’s a shared air filter in front of the intake. Change the air filter once a month or every three to four months, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation, or clean a reusable air filter frequently. While you’re changing the filter, vacuum out the intake opening and all around the grill cover to remove dust and other unhealthy particles.

Some models of furnaces have their own filter. This filter is attached to the heating unit itself, so it may or may not be very easily accessible to homeowners. If your furnace is in a manageable area, check the filter. If not, schedule a seasonal furnace tune-up and the technician will check and change it for you.

Clean the air ducts

Your air filter can only catch so much dust and other particles. The small amount of stuff that makes it through the filter will either settle in the ductwork or get circulated throughout your house, which can trigger allergies in some people. Since your vacuum can’t reach far back into the ducts, it’s not a bad idea to have your ductwork professionally cleaned out every so often. Make sure to dust and vacuum your house after duct cleaning.

Try a humidifier

Furnaces are good at warming up indoor air, but tend to dry it out as well. As a result, allergy sufferers may experience throat irritation, dry eyes and other allergy symptoms. With a humidifier in use, there’s a good chance your home will remain at a more bearable humidity level and your allergy symptoms will ease up. Note that most homes are most comfortable at 35 to 50 percent humidity. Stay hydrated when using your furnace or heating system, and drink water whenever your eyes or throat feel dry.

Regular maintenance

Performing regular maintenance on your home’s heating system ensures your furnace will work efficiently and will help improve your indoor air quality. Not to mention that keeping your heating system well maintained will help allergy sufferers living in or visiting your home breathe better.

If you believe you’re experiencing allergies from furnace use in Fair Oaks, CA, contact the team at Cassel Air Conditioning and Heating Service. We are here to help—don’t hesitate to call us anytime!

Categorised in: Furnace Repair

This post was written by Writer