In recent years, climate change has led to an increase in the length and severity of yearly allergy seasons. On average, it has made allergy seasons up to three weeks longer. It has also supercharged the reproduction of allergen-producing plants. As a result, more homeowners here in Hanover, MA, are looking for ways to control allergens in their homes. If you’re one of them, the good news is that you can use your HVAC system to help you with that. Here is everything you need to know to maximize its beneficial effects.
Your HVAC and Allergens
In homes without pets, the vast majority of allergens enter from the outdoors. Ordinarily, that would make it possible to control their spread by keeping your interior doors closed. While that wouldn’t eliminate allergens completely, it could keep them confined to certain rooms. However, if you have a ducted HVAC system, it will spread allergens to every room that has a vent. The only thing stopping that from happening is the air filter installed in your HVAC system.
Unfortunately, your HVAC air filter isn’t designed to capture allergens. Its real job is to keep dust and dirt from getting into your HVAC’s fans and evaporator coil. The fact that it also keeps those substances out of your air is just a beneficial side effect.
MERV ratings let you know how efficient an air filter is at capturing pollutants of various sizes. While a standard HVAC filter will capture some allergens, it will let even more pass into your home’s air. On average, a filter with a MERV rating of 8 will allow 50% of allergens to pass through it. The average residential HVAC system has an air filter with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating between 8 and 10, while you need something between 10 and 14 to filter out allergens.
Ways to Boost Your HVAC’s Allergen Control Capacity
Fortunately, there are ways to improve your HVAC’s ability to control allergens in your home. Some involve simple changes to your HVAC maintenance routine, and others involve modifying your HVAC system itself. Here’s what you can do.
Clean Ducts and Registers More Frequently
One thing you can do to help your HVAC system control allergens in your home is to keep it as clean as possible. You can do this by cleaning your HVAC registers more often. To control allergens, you should vacuum your registers at least once a week during allergy season. This will prevent any buildup on them, which could spread into the air that household members breathe. You can even occasionally remove the register covers and vacuum as far into your HVAC ducts as you can reach.
Upgrade Your HVAC Air Filter
Another way you can boost your HVAC’s allergen control capabilities is to upgrade its air filter. Most HVAC systems can accommodate filters with MERV ratings as high as 13. That kind of filter should capture more than 90% of allergens passing through your HVAC. You can also increase the frequency with which you replace your HVAC air filter. On average, you will need a new HVAC filter after two or three months of use. During allergy season, however, you may want to replace yours monthly for best results.
Add a Whole-House Air Filtration System
Finally, you can upgrade your HVAC system to add a whole-house air filtration system. Such systems work to clean your home’s air using your existing ductwork. If you suffer from severe plant allergies, you can install a system that offers multistage filtration. Multiple filter types are available to capture a wide variety of allergens. If you’re more sensitive to allergens like mold and mildew, you can install a sanitization system that uses UV light. Its specific wavelengths kill mold and mildew in the air that passes through your heating and cooling system.
Your Local Indoor Air Quality Specialists
Since 2015, Efficiency Plumbing has offered affordable indoor air quality solutions. We can see to your home’s duct service needs, handle your HVAC air filter replacements, and more. Plus, we offer complete HVAC and plumbing services. To find out what it’s like to work with us, check out our long list of glowing reviews from local homeowners.
If you need indoor air quality solutions for your Hanover home, call Efficiency Plumbing, and we’ll do the rest!