How Your Furnace Can Trigger Your Allergies

Have you ever felt when you turn on your heating for the first time in the fall, you’re sniffling more frequently? While spring allergies often get a more severe reputation, fall allergies are still very typical and affect many. For some, fall allergies can be even worse than spring brisk temperatures impairing our immune systems and from starting up our heating. This may leave you wondering, can furnaces make allergies worse in Edmonton, or even cause them? 

While furnaces can’t create allergies, they can intensify them. How? During the summer months, dust, dander and other debris can collect in heating ducts. When the colder temps arrive and we turn our heat on for the first time, all those allergens are now circulated through the vents and travel through our houses. Luckily, there are things you can do to keep your furnace from aggravating your allergies. 

How to Keep Your Furnace from Affecting Your Allergies

1. Change Your HVAC Filter. Routinely replacing your filters is one of the best things you can complete to help your allergies at any time of the year. Fresh filters are better at catching the allergens in your house’s air, helping to keep you breathing easy. 

2. Clean Your Air Ducts. Not only do small particles gather in your HVAC filters, but in your vents as well. An air duct cleaning can help minimize allergy symptoms and help your HVAC system run more efficiently. When you call for an air duct cleaning, repair techs check and clean components such as your supply/return ducts and registers, grilles and diffusers. 

3. Keep Your Furnace in Good Working Order. Quality HVAC maintenance and routine tune-ups are another good way to both increase your house’s air quality and keep your furnace working as efficiently as possible. In advance of switching your heat on for the first time, it tends to help to have an HVAC mechanic perform a maintenance examination to confirm your filters and air ducts are clean and everything else is in working working order. 

Allergies and frequent illness can be discouraging, and it can be hard to discover what’s causing or worsening them. Here are some additional FAQs, including answers and tips that might help.  

Is Forced Air Detrimental for Allergies?

Allergy sufferers are often told that forced air heating could aggravate your allergies even more. Forced air systems can push allergens through the air, resulting in you breathing them in more often than if you used a radiant heating system. While it’s true forced air systems might make your allergies worse, that is only if you don’t take proper upkeep of your system. Other than the practices we included previously, you can also: 

• Dust and vacuum your residence often. If there aren’t dust, dander or mold spore particles to clog your air ducts, your air system can’t circulate them into the air, and you can’t inhale them. Some added cleaning suggestions are: 

• Make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter. 
• Dust in advance of vacuuming. 
• Clean your curtains routinely, as they are a frequent harbor of allergens. 

• Remember to clean behind and under furniture. 

• Check your house’s moisture levels. Higher humidity levels can also lead to worsening of allergies. Humidity enables mold growth and dust mites. Adding a dehumidifier to your HVAC system keeps moisture levels under control and your indoor air quality much healthier. 

H2: What is the Ideal Furnace Filter for Allergies? 

Most often, HEPA filters are the best if you or someone in your family struggles with allergies. HEPA filters are rated to take out 99.97 to 99.99% of particles, including dust, pollen and dirt. These filters have a MERV rating of 17-21, depending on the kind. This rating illustrates how well a filter can take pollutants from the air. Due to their high-efficiency filtration construction, HEPA filters are dense and can restrict airflow. It’s beneficial to touch base with Rob's Albertan Service Experts to confirm your heating and cooling system can work correctly with these high efficiency filters. 

Can Clogged Filters or Air Ducts Make Me Sick? 

Dirty filters can harbor particles and allow poor quality air to circulate. This also applies to dusty vents. If you inhale these particles it can produce sneezing, coughing or other asthma-related symptoms, depending on your sensitivity. 

It’s smart to switch out your HVAC filter after 30-60 days, but here are some signs you might need to more regularly: 

• It’s taking a longer amount of time for your system to cool or heat your house. 

• You come across more dust in your house. 
• Utility expenses are rising with no clear reason. 
• Your allergies are acting up. 
• Symptoms your air ducts need cleaning include: 
• The metal is sitting in dust. 

• Filthy supply and return vents. 
• Mold in your furnace, air conditioner, heat pump or air handler. 
• Dust flowing from your vents when your HVAC system is running. 
• Your house is often dusty, regardless of constant cleaning. 

Your health and comfort are our greatest priority at Rob's Albertan Service Experts. Whether it’s furnace repair now.