Help Your AC System Combat Allergies and Enhance Comfort

Most people in Matthews, NC, only think of their home’s air conditioner as a tool to keep them cool. However, your AC system has a significant effect on other aspects of your indoor environment. Here’s how you can use your AC system to combat allergies and enhance comfort:

Replace Air Filters Frequently

One way you can use your air conditioner to fight allergies is to change your air filter regularly. Your AC system’s air filter does a decent job of trapping dust and dirt that would otherwise circulate in the air. However, there’s a limit to how much dirt it can hold.

The average filter should last approximately three months before it needs replacement. So, by replacing your filter on time, you’re helping your AC system to improve your indoor air quality. Plus, you’ll also improve your home’s airflow, increasing your comfort in the process.

Schedule AC System Maintenance Regularly

You should schedule regular AC maintenance visits if you want your air conditioner to combat allergies and keep you comfortable. It’s a good idea to have at least one maintenance visit per year, ideally before the cooling season. This will ensure that your AC is clean, running well and operating efficiently.

Also, a yearly maintenance visit provides a chance for a professional HVAC service technician to spot problems early. That gives you the chance to make repairs and prevent AC breakdowns when you need your system most. After all, your air conditioner can’t keep you comfortable when it’s not running.

Upgrade Your AC Air Filter

Most standard AC air filters won’t capture common allergens like pet dander and pollen. There are replacement filters that can trap those things. To fight allergies, you might consider upgrading your AC’s air filter.

To do this, you must first understand minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV ratings. This is a rating system that describes the performance of a given AC air filter. In general, the higher the MERV rating, the smaller the particles the filter will remove from your air.

A standard AC air filter typically has a MERV rating between 1 and 8. While those filters trap some allergens, a higher-rated filter would do much better. To control most allergens, you should look for a filter with a MERV rating between 11 and 13.

It’s inadvisable to purchase a filter for your AC system with a higher MERV rating than 13. Otherwise, it may restrict airflow too much and affect your AC system’s operation.

Keep Your Vents and Ducts Clean

You should make an effort to keep your ducts and vents clean to fight allergies and improve your comfort. Doing this will keep more dust, dirt and allergens out of your home’s air. It will also help your air filter to work as efficiently as possible. In general, dust your home’s vents at least once per week to keep them clean.

Use Your AC System to Control Humidity

Although you may not know it, the humidity level in your home can affect your allergies and comfort. Humid air is harder to breathe, which could exacerbate the effects of your seasonal allergies. Plus, humid air makes you feel hotter, so it plays a big role in your indoor comfort.

On humid days, you should use your home’s AC system to reduce the indoor humidity level. You can use an inexpensive hygrometer to measure your indoor humidity. Ideally, you’ll want to run your air conditioner long enough to keep the humidity between 30% and 50%. Supplement your air conditioner with a dehumidifier for even easier dehumidification.

As you can see, your AC system has a big role to play in controlling your allergies and keeping you comfortable. However, it can only do its best if you keep it in top shape and give it the professional attention it needs. Call us at AirWorks Cooling & Heating, LLC for all of your AC maintenance needs today!

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