If you suffer from allergies or live with someone who does, pay close attention. Allergies are caused by your living environment. While you may not have a pet, particles and debris from house dust become a source of allergens. Here’s where air filters play a vital role in your living environment and what to do about it. Not many persons place too much focus on their air filters but take a second to think.
When was the last time you replaced your air filter?
If you are like most, you are probably scratching your head. Air filters are the last thing on one’s mind when doing deep-cleaning in a household. Yet, regularly changing air filters is important if you or someone in your home suffers from allergies or asthma. If you wish to improve your health and those around you, read ahead.
What are air filters?
Air filters are simply just that. It’s a device that filters the air, separating particles of dust from the air you breathe. They are made from a spun fibreglass material, cloth, or pleated paper that will look like a cardboard box.
The reason they are so crucial is that they trap various contaminants and pollutants such as dust, dirt, pollen, hair, bacteria, and other particles harmful to your overall health. Air filters are responsible for removing those harmful contaminants through the process of filtration.
How To Prevent Allergies
First on the list is using the appropriate air filter. The average HVAC filters will not serve you well if allergies are a problem you wish to tackle. These filters will only work to protect against dust, but not the particles that induce your allergies. Despite replacing such a filter, you’ll find the allergies keep coming back because the real conflict lies in the type of filter being purchased.
Equally as important as having the right filter, you will need to:
- Replace the filter more frequently (at least once every other month or depending on the area you reside in)
- Have your equipment cleaned (at least once a year)
- Have regular inspections
News like this may catch you off guard. Do not worry because an HVAC technician will help you through maintaining and replacing air filters. They can also aid in determining what is the best replacement schedule, factoring in your location and equipment.
Other Effects Of Dirty Air Filters
Besides being a headache for asthmatic and allergic people, having a dirty air filter will cause the HVAC system’s blower fan to work harder. Working harder means drawing more energy, which translates to higher bills. Moreover, if it’s a challenge to move the air to a different section in your living space, the temperature sensors might turn off. That places more tension on the fan motor and causes another expense.
There you have it.
The cleaner your air filter, the cheaper it will be to sustain your HVAC system while improving your health.