Why Your Furnace May Be Causing Indoor Allergies

Why Your Furnace May Be Causing Indoor Allergies

Why Your Furnace May Be Causing Indoor Allergies 150 150 Lewis Comfort Control

With a few months to go before the height of spring allergy season in Nashville, it can be irritating to find you are experiencing allergies now. There are several things that can trigger indoor allergies in the winter, but one of the most common causes is dust particles in your furnace.

The average home in Nashville contains hundreds of dust and mold particles. Generally, the numbers are too small to cause a problem, but a buildup can trigger sneezing, sore throats, and other allergy symptoms. If this dust gets into your HVAC system, every time you run the furnace could trigger your allergies.

How to Prevent Allergies from Forced Air

If you have been experiencing allergies even when trees and grasses are not growing, checking your furnace is a good first step. Other signs like less efficient heating, higher heating bills, more dust around your home, and seeing dust or mold in your vents can indicate a dust problem since not everyone will have allergies.

To reduce allergies caused by your furnace and limit dust in your home, you can:

  • Replace Your Air Filter – An HVAC filter catches dust in the air to prevent it from blowing around your home. These filters should be replaced regularly for optimal performance. The recommended time for replacement is every 90 days, but you may want to replace them more often if your allergies are bad.
  • Schedule a Duct Cleaning – Lewis Comfort Control can clean the interior of your air ducts to get rid of any dust, mold, and other allergens that may build up there. This means fewer particles will enter the air the next time you turn your furnace on.
  • Clean Your Home Regularly – Dust elsewhere in your home can get caught up in your heating and cooling system. You should dust and vacuum regularly to reduce the overall amount of particles in your home.
  • Reduce Indoor Humidity Levels – A more humid atmosphere makes it easier for mold and dust to collect, increasing your risk of allergies. If humidity is high in your Nashville home, Lewis Comfort Control can install a dehumidifier to bring levels down.
  • Keep Your Furnace Maintained – Scheduled maintenance on your furnace – usually in the fall before you turn it on for the first time – will make sure everything is in working order and there is no way for excessive dust to get into the system.

For the best results, these steps should be performed by a licensed HVAC contractor in Nashville. Lewis Comfort Control offers air duct cleaning, furnace maintenance, humidity control, and other services to keep your heating system clean, efficient, and free of harmful dust. Call us to learn more and get a quote.