You might not think much about the air quality inside your home. But a house filled with indoor air contaminants isn’t a comfortable place to be, especially if someone in your household has allergies or asthma. Here are a few easy HVAC service steps you can take to keep the air quality in your home in top shape. Some of them require the help of an HVAC repair service, but most of them can be easily done yourself.
Replace Your Air Filters on Time
Unless you’re constantly opening all your windows to circulate new airflow, the air in your home is constantly recycled throughout all your ducts. If your air filter isn’t in good working condition, your entire family will constantly breathe in dirty air over and over again. As if that wasn’t bad enough, letting your air filter go too long also risks doing permanent damage to your HVAC system over time.
That’s why you should replace your air filter every 30-60 days. If you’re not sure how often is best for your specific system, ask your HVAC service provider and they can let you know. Keeping your air filters clean will help keep your family healthier.
Get Your Air Ducts Cleaned
Your duct system is the way your air travels through your home, so if your duct system is dirty, your home’s air is dirty. That’s why we recommend hiring someone to clean your ducts every once in a while – the rule of thumb is 5-7 years. But if your house is dirtier or older than average, then more frequency might be needed.
If you’re not sure whether your home is due for a duct cleaning, it’s easy to find out. Just unscrew an air vent and peek inside with a flashlight. If you see a lot of dust buildup, it’s time for a cleaning.
Bring in Some Nature
One of the best things you can do for your home’s air quality actually has less to do with your HVAC system and more to do with your décor. Bringing in the right houseplants can drastically improve your home’s air quality. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which means they’re natural air filters – and they look great, too. For maximum air filtration power, look into aloe plants, English ivy, and rubber trees.
Keep Your Furnace Blower Turned On
One of the biggest things you can do for your air quality is actually super easy to do. Just switch your furnace blower on. This will keep the air constantly re-circulating throughout your home, ducts, and air intake. That means fresher air throughout your whole house – all without you having to do much about it.
Choose a UV Light Filter System
Make sure your furnace’s filter system has UV lights built in. UV lights kill mold spores and bacteria. Furnace systems with UV light filtration clean your air up to 90% better than those that don’t. The best part is that after it’s installed, you don’t have to do much to maintain it.
Maintaining quality air throughout your home is something you may not notice until it becomes a problem. But taking a few steps to make sure you have clean, quality air throughout your house will go a long way in protecting your family’s health – and their happiness.