Air Conditioners & Allergies: What Homeowners Need to Know

If your seasonal allergies seem even worse than usual, your air conditioner might be the culprit. It’s not your air conditioning system itself that’s causing your allergies to worsen, of course—it’s the pollutants that are coming through the vents. If you don’t reach out to an air conditioning professional in the Seattle area so you can get routine cleaning and maintenance for your HVAC system, you could be in for a long allergy season. To learn more about the connection between common allergies and your air conditioner, keep reading. AC Room Temperature in Seattle

Allergens can be spread by air vents. Your HVAC vents circulate climate-controlled air throughout your home. Unfortunately, they can also circulate pollen, dust mites, mold spores, bacteria, viruses, and numerous other pollutants that can make you and your family sick. If you find yourself suffering from allergy symptoms on a consistent basis when you are at home, you should consider having your air vents inspected by a professional.

Indoor air can be more contaminated than outside air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency , we spend about 90 percent of our time inside. That means that the quality of indoor air makes a significant difference in how healthy we are. If contaminated air is circulating through your HVAC vents, you’ll spend a lot of time breathing it in—which can have a detrimental effect on your health. Cleaning your vents can help you ensure that the air you’re breathing is clean and safe.

Air filters can improve your air quality. Air filters serve to keep the contaminants that get into your vents out of your indoor air, so it’s important to check them from time to time and replace them when necessary. There are also many other devices that can help to reduce the number of pollutants in your air, including air purifiers and germicidal UV lamps. If you’re interested in learning how you can improve your indoor air quality, talk to an HVAC professional today.