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Updated: August 23, 2024
Spring has arrived, bringing blooming flowers and warmer days, and for many, it also marks the beginning of allergy season. What many people do not know is that their central air conditioning can actually aggravate their allergies.
Here’s why: Typically, air conditioning units operate in closed environments and recycle the air to keep a home cool and comfortable. This recirculation of air can also recirculate pollen, dust, and other air contaminants, which creates a tough environment for people who suffer from allergies.
Some of the most common contaminants found in indoor air include:
- Fibers from synthetic carpets and furniture fabrics
- Pet dander and dust mites
- Pollen
- Radon gas
- Formaldehyde and other chemicals used in building materials
- Volatile compounds found in insecticides, pesticides, cleaning, and personal care products
- Irritants from smoking and wood-burning fireplaces
- Gasses from cooking appliances and water heaters
Luckily, there are many ways to reduce the allergen content in your home.
Tips for reducing home allergens
Below are our 7 best tips for reducing allergens inside your home:
Choose the right air filter and change it regularly
Air filters are designed to catch airborne contaminants as the AC system pulls indoor air back into the system to be cooled and recirculated. If the filter is dirty, it will continue to recirculate dirty air.
A good air filter is your main defense against poor indoor air quality. All air filters are assigned a minimum efficiency reporting value, also known as a MERV rating. This rating indicates the filter’s ability to remove various size particles from the air.
We recommend that allergy sufferers look for a filter with a MERV rating of at least 8. These filters will collect microscopic particles as small as three microns, which will go a long way toward reducing indoor allergens.
Electrostatic filters are also good choices for allergy sufferers. Electrostatic filters attract airborne contaminants using an electric charge. The filters can be cleaned using regular tap water and reused.
High-efficiency particulate air filters, also known as HEPA filters, are another option. These filters are made of thin glass fibers and can effectively remove up to 99.97 percent of contaminants and allergens.
Regardless of which filter you choose, be sure to check it monthly and replace it every 3 months (or sooner) if it looks dirty.
Close your windows
It may be hard on those nice sunny days, but keeping your windows closed reduces the chance that pollen and other allergens can make their way into your home and furniture.
Try to minimize fan usage as well. Fans stir up dirt and allergens that have already settled and send them back into the air, allowing the air conditioner to recirculate them.
How To Test Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
Why testing the air quality in your house is important, and how to do it yourself.
Keep your house and household items clean
A clean home is an important factor in air cleanliness. It’s especially crucial to dust regularly and wash things like bedding and towels that can harbor allergens. Pets can also be a source of allergens in the home, so make sure to bathe your household pets frequently.
Even people who are conscientious about dusting once a week tend to forget to dust their air return vents and registers. If these areas are dusty, your entire house will be dusty since the air circulated by your HVAC system passes through these vents and registers.
The vents and registers should be the first things you dust in each room. It is best to use a damp cloth to keep from kicking up the particles and worsening your allergy symptoms.
Be on the lookout for mold
Mold loves a moist, humid environment and can aggravate symptoms of allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. In extreme cases, it can lead to serious illness or even death.
Keeping your home’s humidity level between 30 and 50% not only makes your house feel more comfortable, but it also inhibits the growth of mold and dust mites. The most convenient way to do this is with a whole-house humidifier that operates using your existing ductwork to keep your home at a constant humidity level.
Even with these precautions, you should still inspect the damp or humid portions of your HVAC system every couple of weeks for signs of mold. These areas include the drip pan and drain, air handler, evaporator coils, and ducts.
While you may be able to handle small mold spots on your own, you should leave significant problems to a professional mold remediation service.
Check your outdoor unit
Check to make sure the AC unit on the outside of your home is clean. Debris such as leaves, dirt, dust, and other particles can accumulate around your outdoor unit, and if not removed, this debris can be drawn into the system.
Once inside, these particles can circulate through your home, contributing to poor indoor air quality and triggering allergy symptoms, so preventing them from entering in the first place is always the best option.
Consider an air purifier
While they can be a bit pricey, air purifiers are often worth the cost if other methods of controlling allergens in your home aren’t enough. These devices are designed to remove airborne particles, such as dust, pollen, pet dander, and even some bacteria, providing a cleaner and healthier indoor environment.
There are different types of air purifiers to suit your needs, from single-room models that target specific areas, like bedrooms or living rooms, to whole-house air purifiers that integrate with your HVAC unit to purify the air throughout your entire home.
Many purifiers use HEPA filters, which are highly effective at trapping tiny particles that can trigger allergies. By continuously filtering the air, an air purifier can significantly reduce the allergen load in your home, making it a valuable addition, especially for those with respiratory sensitivities.
Have your air ducts professionally cleaned
A professional cleaning job can go a long way in the spring. HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) technicians will be able to clean air ducts, inspect the unit for leaks, and eliminate any existing allergens so your newly circulated air will be much healthier.
