The temperatures in Northwest Arkansas can be in the 70s or higher for much of the year, so most homeowners are running their air-conditioning systems regularly. However, if you or your loved ones suffer from allergies, that can mean an exacerbation of symptoms because contaminants get into your indoor air, and are hard to remove.
You can minimize the irritation or allergy symptoms by ensuring that your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system is maintained properly year-round. In fact, try these three HVAC maintenance tips to help you fend off indoor allergies:
- Change your filters regularly. A regular filter change ensures that you’re removing contaminants from your airflow. Checking your filter monthly, and changing it as often, or at least every eight weeks, also ensures proper airflow through your ductwork. Minimizing the effort that your HVAC system has to expend to push air through clogged filters decreases energy consumption and leads to savings on your utility bills.
- Seal leaky ducts. Any loss in treated air translates directly into money lost from your wallet. If ducts are leaking, you’re probably paying to cool and dehumidify areas of your home other than the living space. Worse, though, is that contaminants can be drawn into your indoor air through these breaches.
- Keep up with preventive maintenance. Your HVAC system can benefit from an annual service just as your vehicles do. A tune-up optimizes the performance of the entire system, and minimizes the risk of allergic reaction to system contamination. For instance, the hot and humid conditions inside some A/C components can encourage the growth of mold. Mold spores transmitted to your living space will aggravate allergies.
The installation of a high-efficiency particulate arrestor — usually called a HEPA filter — can stop more than 99 percent of all airborne contamination. Asthmatics and allergy sufferers, the elderly and young children often benefit most, but we’re all better off breathing air that doesn’t contain spores, microbes and particles of dead dust mites. HEPA filters even remove the molecules we interpret as smells, like the odor of tobacco smoke.
At Paschal Heat, Air, Geothermal & Generators, we’ve been serving the Northwest Arkansas region for more than 40 years. We conduct service calls seven days a week, at your convenience. Contact us today to schedule an HVAC maintenance call, or a consultation to determine if an upgrade to a HEPA filter would be right for you and your loved ones.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Paschal Heating, Air & Geothermal services Northwest Arkansas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
479.900.0784
