Three Ways To Reduce Allergens In Your Air Conditioning System

Your home's air conditioning system transports air throughout your home, which makes it the prime vehicle for the movement of allergens within your home. If you notice that your allergies have suddenly gotten worse within your home, or have begun to notice a greater quantity of dust and other small particles floating throughout the air, the issue probably lies with your air conditioner. Thankfully, there are three simple steps that you can take to reduce the amount of allergens in your air conditioning system and improve the overall air quality of your home.

Clogged Air Filters

Check to see if your air filter has become clogged. Each type of air conditioning air filter is different – some are washable, others are disposable, and the amount of time that they can go without being cleaned will depend on the model. However, as a general rule of thumb, you should clean or replace your air filter every thirty days to ensure that it does not become full. If it does, it will no longer filter any debris out of your air conditioning system, drastically increasing the amount of allergens in your home and placing more strain on your system.

Low Quality Air Filters

If your air filter is cleaned regularly, but you still notice large amounts of allergens moving throughout your home, your air filter may not be doing a good enough job due to quality restraints. You can invest in a high efficiency particulate air filter, otherwise known as a HEPA filter, which is more expensive than a regular air filter, but will filter out almost every allergen in your home.

Dirty Ducts

If you have a high quality filter that is properly maintained, but the air quality of your home still suffers, the issue is most likely with the duct work in your home. If condensation was somehow able to get inside your duct work, it opens up the possibility of mold growth, which can pose a serious health hazard if left untreated. Check your air vents to see if there is a musty smell coming from them when your air conditioner is turned on. If there is, you most likely have a mold problem in your duct work. You should contact a HVAC professional to clean out the duct work. In order to prevent this problem from occurring in the future, you should regularly have your duct work checked and cleaned by a professional, at least once a year.

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