HVAC Maintenance: Your Secret Weapon Against Poor Air Quality

May 1, 2024 | Elevated Comfort | Indoor Air Quality

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TL;DR: Indoor air quality is crucial for health, but often overlooked. Regular HVAC maintenance is essential for filtering out pollutants and improving air quality in your home. Maintenance prevents pollutant buildup, maintains low humidity, and ensures efficient operation of your HVAC system. Tasks include regular filter changes, duct cleaning, and professional inspections. Recognize signs of air quality issues and seek professional help when needed. Elevated Comfort in Santa Rosa, California offers comprehensive HVAC maintenance services to keep your indoor air clean and fresh.

You probably know that fresh, clean air has many health benefits and improves a person’s well-being. Outdoor air quality is a concern for many, but even the air inside your home might not be as clean as you think.

There are many indoor air pollutants, from the fumes of dinner preparations to the chemicals in your favorite cleaning supplies. Statistics reveal that around 3.8 million people die each year due to complications related to poor indoor air quality. This fact alone highlights the need for every household to take indoor air quality seriously.

But, there’s a silver lining for the 72% of California homeowners equipped with air conditioning systems. You can use these systems to maintain a healthier indoor environment and improve air quality.

This article will focus on regular HVAC maintenance, your secret weapon against poor air quality. Let’s see how keeping your system in good repair helps filter out pollutants and improves the air you and your family breathe.

The Connection Between HVAC Systems and Air Quality

Few people think about the air they breathe inside the home, except when a space becomes stuffy, or they need to spray some air freshener. Even fewer connect the state of their HVAC to the cleanliness of the air. This system doesn’t just keep rooms warm in winter and cool in summer; it also filters out the pollutants from the air.

But if the HVAC isn’t in good working order, it can worsen indoor air quality instead of improving it. Your home might also harbor mold spores, pollen, bacteria, and even viruses, which can hitch a ride on your HVAC system and spread throughout your living spaces.

Then, there are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from paints, cleaners, and building materials. These pollutants can adversely affect your health, from irritating your eyes and throat to triggering allergies and asthma.

How Regular HVAC Maintenance Improves Air Quality

By trapping airborne particles and stopping their spread, your HVAC system keeps the air you breathe clean and healthy. Beyond keeping your AC in perfect working condition, regular maintenance offers additional benefits that directly impact the air quality in your home.

Preventing Pollutant Buildup

The HVAC filtration system can capture even the finest airborne particles, preventing them from lowering your home’s air quality. Without proper AC upkeep, common pollutants can accumulate, turning your home into an uncomfortable and unhealthy space. Let’s break down these pollutants:

Dust and dust mites – Around 20 million Americans have dust allergies, which highlights the importance of reducing dust levels in your home cannot. Regular HVAC checks and filter changes can significantly lower the dust present, offering relief to those sensitive to these allergens.
Pollen—By keeping your HVAC system well-maintained, you minimize the amount of pollen, keeping the indoor air breathable and comfortable.
Mold spores—Spores can be a serious risk to your health when inhaled. An HVAC system with clean filtration will eliminate mold spores from indoor air, keeping the home safe from mold-related issues.
Pet dander – These particles can cause reactions ranging from minor irritations to severe allergies. Regular maintenance of your HVAC system helps reduce the presence of pet dander, creating an allergy-free environment.
Bacteria and viruses—Bacteria thrive in unclean environments and can spread through an improperly maintained AC system. Regular HVAC maintenance can reduce the chances of these harmful pathogens circulating in your home.

Maintaining Low Humidity

Your AC also controls the humidity levels in the home. By keeping humidity low, it prevents the growth and spread of mold and bacteria, which thrive in moist environments. This aspect of HVAC maintenance preserves air quality and protects your home’s structural integrity and your health.

Ensuring Efficient Operation

When the AC system runs smoothly, it filters air more effectively, removing pollutants and allergens from the air you breathe. On the other hand, neglecting maintenance leads to higher energy costs and poor air filtration, as a strained system cannot perform its duties effectively. Regular checkups and cleanings keep the HVAC system functioning at its best, providing high-quality and clean air.

HVAC Maintenance Tasks for Better Air Quality

Your air conditioning system requires regular attention to help you breathe easier and keep your living space free from air pollutants. It needs consistent maintenance and cleaning to continue performing its essential tasks effectively. This maintenance ensures the air in your home remains clean. So, what does this upkeep involve?

Regular Filter Changes

The fastest way to improve indoor air quality is to swap out the HVAC filters regularly. The frequency of these changes depends on how much you use your system and the type of filter it uses. If you don’t have pets, it is recommended to change your filter every 90 days, and if you do, every 60 days.

If you or someone in your household has allergies, consider replacing your filter every 20-45 days for better air quality. Filters come in various types, ranging from fibreglass filters, which are budget-friendly but less effective at trapping small particles, to HEPA filters, which are pricier but excel at capturing even the tiniest pollutants.

Duct Cleaning and Inspection

Keeping the ducts clean prevents the circulation of dust, mold, and other unwanted guests in your air. Signals that your ducts need a cleanup include:

Dust buildup around the vent areas
Unusual odor when the HVAC system is running
Unexplained increase in respiratory issues among household members

An annual inspection and cleaning by a professional can help keep these issues at bay, keeping your air as pure as possible.

Professional HVAC Inspection and Maintenance

Scheduling professional HVAC maintenance at least once a year is key. A specialized technician will check refrigerant levels to ensure your system cools as efficiently as possible. They’ll also inspect electrical connections, safeguarding against potential hazards and ensuring your system runs smoothly.

More importantly, they will inspect the filters, ducts, and vents of your AC system, and clean them out if necessary. They will also test for proper airflow, vital for maintaining good air quality.

Recognizing When to Call a Professional

When your home starts feeling stuffy, or you notice an unusual increase in dust and allergens, these are clear signs your system is struggling to filter the air. Don’t wait until your allergies are unbearable or your energy bills skyrocket because your unit is working overtime.

These symptoms point toward air quality issues that only a seasoned technician can accurately diagnose and remedy. Delaying maintenance risks your comfort and strains your HVAC system, potentially leading to more severe problems that are harder and more expensive to fix.

Choosing the right professional is key to getting your system back on track without hassle. Look for certified technicians with a solid record of handling air quality and HVAC maintenance.

A reputable professional will offer transparent pricing and explain the necessary repairs in a way you can understand. A quick response to these warning signs and selecting a qualified technician are your best bets for maintaining a healthy, comfortable home environment.

Breathe Easy in Santa Rosa, California

A well-maintained HVAC system filters out all the nasty stuff from the air, leaving you with nothing but clean, fresh breaths. Keeping your system prevents breakdowns and protects your health. Dust, pollen, and other irritants don’t stand a chance with a system that’s up to date.

Fresh air is a necessity, and having HVAC maintenance as your secret weapon against poor air quality will certainly pay off in the ling run. Here at Elevated Comfort in Santa Rosa, California we can help you maintain every aspect of your AC needs. Our technicians can inspect whatever system you have, and clean it thoroughly, eliminating all unwanted particles.

With our services, never hesitate to take a deep breath in your home. Call us today!