The indoor air quality (IAQ) of your Arizona home can face a few challenges in the spring. During this time of year, pollen and weather changes in the desert introduce large amounts of allergens into the air. For family members with sensitive lungs or allergies, producing high quality air in your house is important – for both their health and comfort.
At Canyon State Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing, we aim to not only provide excellent workmanship and quality but all of our expertise. Since we’ve been in business for more than 30 years, we’ve pretty much seen it all.
At the end of the day, we want to help the Phoenix community improve home efficiency, extend the life of their equipment and save money. So, here are a few springtime IAQ tips for keeping the house as allergen-free as you can.
1. Change Your Filters
If you’re looking to immediately improve your IAQ then the first step would be to change out the filters for your HVAC system. These filters are often located inside of your home to provide vital air cleaning functionalities. Any air that travels through your climate control system goes through these filters first.
If the filter is clogged or old, chances are it won’t do a very good job filtering unwanted contaminants out of your air. This means allergens like pollen and pet fur can enter into your airstream and be distributed throughout your home, triggering allergies and causing discomfort. Every homeowner in Phoenix should already replace filters regularly throughout the year. But double checking them in April and May is one of the best things you can do.
In addition, you can improve efficiency even more by considering a higher MERV-rated filter during the spring. But make sure you sure consult with your user manual before buying. Some HVAC systems can’t handle super high rated filters, which can cause a restriction in airflow and compromised efficiency. If you’re looking for simple springtime IAQ tips, clean filters is a great start.
2. Wipe Down Your Vents.
Another great step towards preventing dust and pollen from circulating in your air is regularly wiping off your air vents. In Arizona, most of these are located higher up on your home’s walls, if not on the ceiling. This placement is great for effectively distributing air but can cause problems when dust, pet fur, or other allergens build up on them.
At the end of the day, it’s easy for any buildup to be circulated through your home. Especially since the desert air is dry and arid. This is why most springtime IAQ tips will involve dusting or cleaning. During particularly bad allergy cycles, like the spring, you’ll want to wipe your vents down at least once a week.
Doing so will ensure you’re doing everything you can to prevent any accumulated debris from floating around in the air of your house. If you choose to ignore this opportunity, then you can expect a decrease in the overall IAQ of your home.
3. Dust in High Places.
Aside from wiping vents and changing filters, it’s also important that you find time to dust the items in your home that are hard to reach. Even though the remainder of our home might be clean, dust and debri from high-up places will eventually fall. If you spend a lot of time cleaning your kitchen floors while ignoring the cabinets, then you might want to redirect your attention.
Most of us often forget about places like these because we don’t see the accumulated dirt. But out of sight, out of mind doesn’t apply to low air quality. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it won’t cause allergies. Places like the tops of shelves, entertainment centers or even refrigerators are common gathering points for dust and dander.
Dusting these areas on a semi-regular basis will prevent unnecessary buildup from affecting your IAQ. If you have kids, give them a shelf to clean off as a stewardship! A little dusting every week will be rewarding for the entire household.
4. Clean Your Fabrics.
Truth be told, fabric is one of the most frequent allergen traps. The woven fibers can capture and carry anything from pollen particles and pet dander to dust mites. Since pets often shed their winter coats during the spring, it’s common for their fur to get caught in most fabric items. This can be extremely difficult to remove – even if you shake out your sheets.
If you have pets – especially long haired ones – then one of our most important springtime IAQ tips is to thoroughly wash your fabrics. This should be done at least a few times during the spring. Committing to a full fabric and upholstery cleaning will go a long way.
Everything should be considered. Sheets, comforters, curtains, pillows, and upholstered furniture should all be washed or vacuumed regularly. This practice will significantly improve your property’s IAQ while reducing your allergy symptoms.
5. Add an Air Purifier
Air purification testing or the installation of a purifier can drastically enhance indoor air quality and reduce allergens. The cool thing about air purifier systems is that you don’t have to install them in the whole home if you don’t want to. There are a number of air purification technologies, consisting of filters, black lights, or ionizers. In a nutshell, air purifiers trap and remove everything ranging from pet fur and dander to bacteria.
For families that deal with allergies year-round, whole home options may be your best bet in keeping your home comfortable for everyone. For those of you with family members that have sensitive lungs and allergies, these are excellent additions that provide noticeable relief. We recommend placing them in the bedroom and common living areas if you decide to go with single room options over whole home systems.
Canyon State Heating and Cooling Division.
We take pride in our ability to help you improve your indoor air quality and keep your spring and summer comfortable. A healthier you typically leads to a happier you. Feel free to call us at 623-584-2850 to schedule a consultation with one of our certified HVAC technicians today.
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