How To Prevent Problems
Our local HVAC contractors in Portland recommend the following to help allergy-proof your heating and cooling system:
- Clean and service your air condition unit regularly.
- Change air filters every three months or based on the recommendation of your HVAC technician.
- Invest in high-quality air filters. Our sales team can recommend options for both home and office.
- Have your commercial and residential duct systems inspected and cleaned regularly.
- Have a NATE-Certified technician inspect and maintain your entire HVAC system annually.
- Replace your AC unit if it is older than a decade.
Final Thoughts: Is Air Conditioning Good For Allergies
A clean air conditioner can actually help prevent your allergies and improve the indoor air quality of your home. To improve your homes air quality, we recommend:
Changing your air conditioner filters at least once every six months, but ideally every three months Cleaning your ducted air conditioner vents Keeping your homes humidity levels between 30 and 50 per-cent to curb bacteria and mould growth Having your air conditioner checked for leaks at least once a year at your annual service Cleaning your air conditioner coils at least once a year Purchasing an air purifying indoor plant for your home
Bottom line: If your air conditioning system is well-maintained, it can contribute toward healthier air quality and even may help reduce your allergy symptoms.
For more healthy air conditioning advice and tips, get in touch for H& H Air Conditioning on 3276 1800 or 5477 1777 .
The Opposite Is True As Well Unfortunately
For all the benefits of an air conditioner in preventing your allergies from flaring up, the inverse can be true as well, when you have an outdated or poorly operational unit. Window units, for example, are far more likely to encourage mold, unlike their central system counterparts. Thats because many of these window units arent advanced enough to properly dispel the humidity thats drawn from your room. In these systems, the humidity is deposited on the cooling coils in the unit. The moisture, plus dust, can encourage mold-growing spores, which can then be redeposited into your home.
The best way to combat this, and seasonal allergies in general, is to work with an air conditioning specialist who can offer you the best solution for your specific needs. Discuss with your cooling expert your concerns about seasonal allergies, so that he can offer you an AC unit that will keep you breathing easy.
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Does An Ac Help With Allergies
Does an air conditioner help with allergies? In one word, yes. Actually two words, yes if. If you properly maintain the air conditioner. Air conditioners can help filter your homes air and control its humidity, which are both helps in the allergy world. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , its estimated there are now 50 million seasonal allergy sufferers in America, so any and all help is welcomed.
But properly maintaining your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is the difference between your air conditioner helping with those allergies and it aggravating them. Robben and Sons specializes in air conditioners. Contact us with any questions you may have or assistance you may need.
Too Much Dry Air Can Make The Problem Worse
It may come as a surprise to you that too little humidity can create symptoms resembling allergic reactions known as non-allergic rhinitis. The sneezing, coughing, and congestion caused by this condition cannot be alleviated through the use of common allergy treatments such as antihistamines.
Additionally, too little humidity in the air can cause your skin to dry out and become itchy or even lead to frequent nosebleeds. This is a common experience during winter months when the humidity levels are at their lowest. If you experience these symptoms during the warmer seasons, your air conditioner may be the cause.
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Maintenance Of Air Conditioners
Even a brand-new air conditioner with a high-rated air filter wont perform well if its not maintained regularly. While installing a top-quality filter is an excellent place to start, commercial HVAC experts recommend taking additional steps to make your air conditioner as allergen-free as possible.
- Cleaning out your ducts. Pollen, dust, mold spores and other airborne contaminants can build up in your ductwork system. Let an experienced technician clean out all the filth thats collected in your ducts at least every three to five years.
- Remove debris around the unit. Keep the area around your outdoor unit clean and free of dirt, vegetation and other debris. This will prevent the equipment from pulling in outdoor allergens and circulating them in your home.
- Change your filter. A fancy air filter is of no use if its clogged with nasty allergens. Check your filter once a month and replace it every 30-60 days. If you have pets running around the house, its best to change your filter every month.
Moe Plumbing Systems Is Looking Our For You
Here at Moe Plumbing Systems, the last thing we want is for our customers to have to deal with increased allergy symptoms. Our Los Angeles HVAC experts want you to be able to enjoy your air conditioning in peace this spring, without having to worry about sneezing or coughing. For AC service designed to rid your system of allergens and help you breathe a little easier over the next few months, give Moe Plumbing Services a call today.
We are available by phone at 396-8002, or you can contact us online to learn more about our range of HVAC and plumbing offers.
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How Does It Help
As previously mentioned, the air filters contained in HVAC units stop harmful particles in their tracks and prevent them from circulating throughout your home or office. This greatly improves air quality and stops allergens from coming into contact with your lungs.
Another way air conditioners reduce the presence of allergens is by balancing the humidity. When a building becomes humid, this opens the door to bacteria, mildew, and mold. Balanced humidity means fewer instances of these allergens forming.
Upgrade Your Air Conditioning When You Need To
Sometimes the answer is simple you may need to upgrade your air conditioning unit altogether. A timeframe that you should go off of is upgrading your system about every 10 years. While that timeframe may not always be correct, it is an estimate to work with and a good number to go off of.
Here are 9 benefits of a new AC unit.
There are certain signs that you can also look out for that will indicate if you need to replace your air conditioning. The first of which is somewhat obvious to notice and that is if your air conditioning is blowing out warm air. If your air conditioner is failing to cool down your house like it is made to do, it is probably time to replace it, or at least have an HVAC professional come look at it.
The next sign is if your unit is not blowing out much air. You may notice this if you stand close to the unit and dont feel much coming out, or the circulation of cool air around the room is poor. This can be an indication of multiple issues, so definitely reach out to a professional to get the situation checked out.
Some sensory indicators of a failing AC unit include loud noises coming from inside, as well as bad smells. Loud noises can be an indication of parts failing within the machine, which can lead to more problems down the road. Bad smells are a sign of either burnt-out electronics or a build-up of mold within the machine, which as mentioned before, can be problematic.
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What Is Air Conditioning Sickness And Do Air Conditioners Actually Cause Allergies
If you cant stand being in an air-conditioned room for too long, youre not alone. Its not uncommon to experience sore throats, a stuffy nose or a runny nose. Respiratory issues such as difficulty breathing or shortness of breath may also occur when in prolonged contact with an air conditioning system.
Some people call this air conditioning sickness, although this is a misnomer. Air conditioners do not cause disease and the cold air they produce is not harmful on its own.
In some cases, setting your air conditioner too cold may cause tiredness, headaches, and related symptoms. This is because low temperatures can cause your arteries to restrict, leading to decreased blood flow, heat loss from the body, and increased susceptibility to illness. On hot summer days, keeping your cooler around 25 degrees will reduce electricity bills and avoid these symptoms.
Most of the time, people who have air conditioner sickness are actually experiencing allergy symptoms, or they are reacting to irritants that are in the air. Lets look a little bit into how this occurs and what you can do to combat central air conditioning allergic reactions.
First Steps Homeowners Can Do To Reduce Allergens
Reducing allergies inside your home is all about removing allergens. There are three ways to do this. You can stop new allergens from getting in, you can manually clean and remove allergen-bearing items, and you can run your HVAC with a fresh high-quality filter.
Start by stopping new allergens from getting in. Add new caulk around your windows and new weatherstripping around the openings of doors and windows. Find and seal any cracks in your home. Improve on sealed insulation for your attic and garage. Not only will this make your home more temperature-efficient, it also blocks new allergens and helps the HVAC create suction to filter all the air inside.
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Keep Openings To The Outdoors Closed
Keeping all of your doors and windows closed when your air conditioner is running is very important. Believe it or not, it is very common for people to leave openings to the outdoors while their air conditioner is running.
Keeping all of your doors and windows closed when your air conditioner is running is very important.
Not only will sealing off any airways improve the efficiency of your air conditioning, but it will also help you in your fight against allergies. Particles in the air can come through these openings and avoid the filter in your air conditioning, which basically defeats the purpose of using it in the first place. Keep everything sealed off from the outdoors to keep electricity bills down, and improve your air quality.
While it is still important to get some fresh air, you should avoid having your windows open with any air conditioning system running. If you do want fresh air for a change, be sure to shut everything off before cracking open your windows or doors.
Using English Ivy As Air Purifier
English Ivy can be a green way to clean the air inside and outside your home. The study made by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology showed that English Ivy will reduce airborne mold.
This article will give you some more info about the research.
That been said, it is still important to remember that plant leaves and berries can be poisonous when ingested. Extra important to keep in mind if you have small kids or animals who love to eat plants.
The other downside with that plant is that when it starts to grow it will thrive. First, you might think that this is a good thing but wait, English Ivy is a plant that will steal all the sunlight from the other plants it will cover, and soon its the only one left.
It loves to use trees to climb up by wrapping itself around them. It might look really magical and nice but the truth be told the trees do not like it, it limits the amount of sun and nutrients that reach the trees foliage and in the end, the tree can die.
English Ivy is not effective enough to replace an air purifier, but it will help with indoor air quality. So why not use it as an extra boost.
I have it in my bathroom. I keep it on the top shelf so it gets some sunlight and is not bothering anyone.
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The Filtration Needs Of Your Household
Each home needs a unique level of filtration for everyone to be safe and comfortable. Someone with an autoimmune disorder, for example, will benefit from a home that is better sealed with a higher MERV grade of filter in the system. Those who are sensitive to air contaminants may also require additional filtration like ionization and UV air scrubbers.
Ways Your Hvac Unit Can Alleviate Allergies
- 4 Ways Your HVAC Unit Can Alleviate Allergies
Allergies trigger when small agitating particles hit your airways. Maybe its yellow pine pollen or sage brush that blows through once a year. Perhaps its pet dander youre allergic to or mold spores in the air. Most of us notice that allergies are less problematic indoors, because there are fewer allergens. Its not just that the doors and windows keep out extra pollen. Staying indoors can alleviate your allergies because of how HVAC systems work.
A well-maintained HVAC unit can reduce allergies inside any home or business. It does this by removing allergens from the air, lowering the density of allergens that could trigger an allergic attack. A well-sealed building combined with an efficient and filtration-designed HVAC can almost completely remove allergens from the indoor air drastically increasing measurable air quality.
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How Does Air Conditioning Help With Allergies
Spring brings comfortable weather, beautiful flowers, and unfortunately, lots of pollen. Over 19 million American adults and 5 million children suffer from seasonal allergies according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Besides loading up on tissues and allergy pills, you can also improve your allergies with the help of your air conditioning unit. Parkers Heating and Air Conditioning wants to help you and your family breathe easier year-round, especially during allergy season. There are simple steps you can take to ensure that your HVAC system is maintaining your clean air quality.
Air Conditioning Filtration
Your air conditioning unit has an air filter that is designed to capture particles and allergens, so they are not allowed to circulate through your home or business. When your air conditioning filter is not functioning properly, particles and allergens can get into your lungs and cause irritation. This is especially problematic for children, elderly people, people with respiratory conditions, and allergy sufferers. An air filter should be changed at least every three months, and possibly even monthly, if you have allergy sufferers in your home or office. An old, dirty, or clogged air filter cannot capture particles properly, so your air quality will suffer. Also, a clogged air filter can cause your HVAC unit to work harder to function properly, which could lead to premature failure.
Air Conditioning Humidity
Air Conditioning Allergy Health Tips
How Does An Air Conditioner Help With Allergies
Before tackling how does air conditioning help with allergies when the sufferer is an active boater and wants to avoid attacks and flare-ups on the water, it is important to understand how an air conditioner for allergy sufferers can be helpful in general. The secret to the positive relationship between air conditioning and allergies is linked to one of the most important parts of an AC unit its filter.
When working properly, an air conditioners filter will serve as a way for irritants such as dust or pollen to be filtered out of the air in circulation. These pollutants will be swept away from the opportunity of irritating the sufferer. This benefit is boosted thanks to the ability of an air conditioning unit to regulate humidity in the space that it is serving, effectively eliminating spaces where these allergy-causing irritants can be formed.
While youre at your home, filters and regulated humidity are easy ways to reduce the possibility of episodes and flare-ups. What happens if you have a marine air conditioner and are using it on a boat? Will it have a similar effect on the environment and reduce the possibility of irritation?
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Tip #: Control Humidity Levels
Research shows that 40%-50% relative humidity is best for reducing dust mites and other allergens. This is because a lot of pollen, pet dander and bacteria in the air thrive in higher humidity levels. Make sure your air conditioner is set at the right humidity levels in your home.
In general, the less humid your home is the better, as harmful bacteria require humidity to flourish.
Allergens In Air Conditioning Systems
Common allergy-inducing air contaminants that can be found in air conditioning systems are:
- Pollen. If you often experience seasonal allergies, its crucial for you to avoid breathing in pollen as much as possible. Pollen is a fine powder produced by flowers, trees and grasses, and can come into your home through open windows and doors during the spring and summer. If the air filter of your air conditioner isnt working properly, small pollen particles can be distributed into other rooms and become trapped in the carpeting and furniture.
- Dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic, insect-like pests that can trigger severe allergic reactions and asthma symptoms in residents. You can find dust mites in pillows, blankets, curtains, carpeting and other fabrics in the room.
- Pet dander. If you have a furry friend or two living in your home, youre likely familiar with pet dander. Its composed of microscopic flecks of skin shed by animals with fur and feathers. This can cause adverse reactions in people who are specifically allergic to proteins found in the saliva, urine and feces of dogs, cats and other pets.
- Mold. Toxins released by mold and mildew can cause seasonal allergies to flare up like nothing else. A fungus that thrives in damp, humid environments, mold grows where theres a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in windows, pipes, air conditioners and heating systems. It can also be found in dust, carpet, upholstery and fabric.
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