Improving Your Indoor Air Quality During Allergy Season

Is Allergy Season Getting You Down?

Allergy season can be a difficult time of year for many people, especially those who are particularly sensitive or suffer from allergies or asthma. Unfortunately, indoor air quality can often be worse than the air outdoors. But donandrsquo;t worry – there is hope! With the help of an HVAC professional, you can improve your indoor air quality and breathe easier this allergy season. Letandrsquo;s take a look at common springtime allergens and how you can get them out of your home.

Common Springtime Allergens

Springtime allergens include pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores and more. These irritants are often trapped in your homeandrsquo;s air due to closed windows and doors. They can also become locked in your ductwork if they arenandrsquo;t filtered out properly. Thatandrsquo;s why itandrsquo;s important to use a good filtration system to remove these particles from your home's air before they have a chance to make you sick.

Signs that your home's indoor air quality may be suffering include:

Presence of mold or mildew
Dust accumulation on surfaces
Strange odors
Excessive humidity levels
Allergy and asthma symptoms in occupants
Respiratory irritation, eye irritation, headaches and fatigue

In addition to general springtime allergens, California residents must also be mindful of the upcoming wildfire season. The smoke and particulates in the air can cause air quality issues inside and out. Even when fires are happening relatively far away, the smoke and particles can still be carried long distances by the wind, making it difficult to escape. In recent years in San Jose, this has been a problem, with air quality dropping to unhealthy levels throughout the wildfire season.

Easy Ways to Mitigate Allergen Buildup in Your Home

Combating spring pollutants doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Here are a few easy, budget-friendly options. First, open up your windows as much as possible when the weather allows and vacuum regularly to reduce the accumulation of dust and dirt. Though it may seem counterintuitive, opening your windows can also help reduce indoor pollen accumulation as it improves air circulation and flushes out old pollutant buildup and stale air.

Additionally, frequently washing soft furnishings, such as curtains, bedding, pillows and upholstered furniture, can help reduce indoor air pollutants. Similarly, covering your mattresses in a mattress protector (which you clean periodically) has also been shown to reduce allergens in your home as it stops the allergens from getting trapped in your mattress.

Finally, replace your HVAC system's air filters regularly. Changing air filters quarterly is enough for most homes, but for those who suffer from springtime allergies, changing the filters monthly may be best.

Utilize Our Professional Indoor Air Quality Services

While the previous DIY tips are great and go a long way in reducing the amount of pollen, dust, dirt and other allergens in your home, they wonandrsquo;t be enough for some people. If you or a family member has asthma or a respiratory condition or your home needs some extra help, professional air quality services may be your best option. But where to start?

HVAC professionals, like ours at Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Solar, can provide you with several services that will help improve indoor air quality. For example, air scrubbers utilize UV light and other technologies to purify the air as it passes through the system so that fewer allergens make their way into your home's air supply. Also, installing an upgraded filtration system will help filter out any remaining particles before they reach the ductwork and further reduce the number of allergens in your home's air supply.

Professional indoor air quality products and services that you may benefit from include:

In particular, we recommend looking at your ductwork if you are struggling with indoor air quality issues. Keep reading to learn more.

Duct Cleaning and Sealing

Did you know that the condition of your ductwork can have a significant impact on your home's air quality? In fact, having your ductwork professionally cleaned and sealed will help reduce the number of allergens in your home. This is especially important during allergy season, when people frequently keep their windows closed to keep pollen out. However, you may still have allergens trapped in your ductwork.

While duct cleaning will immediately remove years of buildup, having your ductwork sealed will further your indoor air quality goals by keeping the dust and allergens from getting back into your duct system. Duct sealing is a process that improves the energy efficiency and overall performance of your HVAC system and ensures that any indoor air quality systems installed in your system capture and clean more of your home's air.

Duct cleaning and sealing should be done every few years by an HVAC specialist (like ours at Valley) for maximum effectiveness.

Valley Welcomes Spring

Allergy season doesn't have to be miserable if you take a few steps toward improving your indoor air quality. Common springtime allergens like pollen, dust mites and pet dander can easily become trapped in your home's air supply unless you take measures to prevent it from happening. Valley's indoor air quality experts can provide you with services such as an upgraded filtration system, installing an air scrubber or just cleaning and sealing your existing ductwork so that fewer particles make their way into your living space this allergy season!

If you're looking for ways to improve indoor air quality this spring, contact us today - we'd love to help!