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Indoor Air Quality Solutions for Allergy Season

While the weather in Camp Verde, AZ, can be beautiful, allergy season can be brutal for many people. Almost 20 million Americans deal with seasonal allergies on a yearly basis. This issue can result in annoying symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, and even rashes. Spending more time indoors during springtime can be an option, but your indoor air quality may not be up to par. There are different indoor air quality solutions you can use to improve your indoor air quality and avoid seasonal allergy symptoms.

The Issue With Indoor Air Quality

Your HVAC system is designed to provide conditioned air throughout your home. In the springtime, you may be switching between your air conditioning system and furnace, based on higher temperatures during the day and lower ones at night. There are various particulates that can compromise the quality of your indoor air regardless of whether you’re heating or cooling your home. This includes things like dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and volatile organic compounds. If you are consistently exposed to these irritants, it can lead to an increase in allergy and respiratory issues. While your HVAC system is equipped with a filter that will trap many of these particles, not everything is removed. Achieving optimal air purification is ideal and can be accomplished in a few different ways. Many homeowners invest in stand-alone purifiers that can be moved and run whenever needed. However, these units don’t address large enough square footage to really make a substantial difference throughout the home. There are other air filtration options available.

Upgrading Your Filtration

The filter that is used by your air conditioning system and furnace can trap particles that are as small as 0.3 microns. This is small, but there are still things that can pass through. This includes particulates as well as odors and pathogens. Upgraded options include:

Extended Media Filters

This is a filter that has a series of materials stacked together to create a much denser filter. When used in your HVAC system, you will be able to trap far more particles than when using a traditional filter. These filters generally cost a little more, but they last for longer periods of time. You may only have to replace your extended media filter once every six months or even once per year.

Activated Carbon

Filters that utilize activated carbon are effective at removing odors and volatile organic compounds from your indoor air. They’re ideal if you live with someone who is a smoker or if you’ve recently built your home and are dealing with off-gassing building materials. You’ll notice a much fresher-smelling home when using a product with carbon. These filters are available for furnace units as well as air purification units.

HEPA Filters

HEPA filters are common and do a nice job at removing particles that are less than 0.3 microns in size. However, a strong blower motor is needed to pass air through a HEPA filter. This is something you may want to keep in mind if you’re going to be replacing your furnace or air conditioner soon and are considering indoor air quality.

MERV Ratings

Just make sure that you’re using a filter that is rated for your system. If you use a filter that is too dense, this will restrict the flow of air that is passing through your air conditioning system and furnace. This can put a lot of strain on your system, which will lead to more frequent repairs or a shorter system lifespan. The MERV, or minimum efficiency reporting value, rating system refers to the effectiveness of a filter. The higher the MERV rating, the more particulates it will be able to filter. However, a very high-MERV-rated filter may be a bad idea. Follow the recommendations of a knowledgeable HVAC professional to ensure optimal filtration while protecting the integrity of your heating and cooling equipment.

Air Purification Units

If you are concerned that your HVAC system isn’t filtering out enough particles on its own, you may want to consider investing in a whole-house air purification unit. This equipment is installed in your HVAC system so that all the air circulating through your home runs through it before passing back into your home. This is a much more convenient and effective option for boosting your home’s indoor air quality without having to drag around stand-alone units and maintain them frequently. It works whether you’re cooling or heating your home.

Electronic Filtration

As part of many whole-house air purification systems, electronic filtration allows air to pass through a unit while electrically charging the particles using a high-voltage current. Once these particles pass over oppositely charged plates, they will be trapped. They won’t be able to circulate back into your indoor air. This is a very effective method of air purification when your furnace filters aren’t doing a good enough job. Maintenance is also easy with this filtration option. You don’t have to purchase expensive filters every few months. Rather, you’ll simply remove the plates and clean them routinely. They get put right back into the unit rather than being discarded. This is also a very environmentally friendly option.

UV Filtration

UV filtration is a great way to remove bacteria and other pathogens from the air that you’re breathing inside your home. If you’re already dealing with seasonal allergies, your sensitive sinuses may be more susceptible to infection or irritation. UV light is used to destroy bacteria, viruses, and more in your indoor air. This is usually a type of filtration that is used along with other filter-based options.

Addressing Home Humidity

The moisture level inside a home should be roughly around 40 to 55 percent. This is the optimal level that will promote comfortable indoor air quality while reducing your risk of mold growth caused by high humidity. Alternately, humidity that is too low can also cause problems with increased allergies. Your sinuses can become very irritated when you’re breathing in dry air all the time. A whole-house humidifier or dehumidifier can be used to control your indoor humidity levels. The type of unit you use may vary based on the time of year. For springtime allergies, you may even be switching between the two depending on how warm or cool it is outside. Many homeowners opt for both a humidifier and dehumidifier installed in their HVAC system. You can easily switch between the two as needed, as well as set the desired level of moisture for your indoor air. If you’re running your air conditioning during the spring, you may find that unit helps decrease humidity a bit as well. Considering different indoor air quality solutions for your Camp Verde home is an excellent way to promote healthy and comfortable air throughout your home. If you’re someone who suffers from springtime allergies, now is the perfect time to contact Goettl’s High Desert Mechanical for more information. We can perform an indoor air quality assessment to determine what your issues are.

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