How To Improve Home Air Quality In The Winter

In the winter, your home can become a veritable breeding ground for dust and other airborne contaminants, which can aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions. However, you don't have to suffer through until the summer months roll around. Instead, there are a number of things that you can do with your home's HVAC system to improve your winter air quality and increase your comfort levels within your home.

Change the Air Filter

The first and most obvious thing that you can do to improve your home's air quality is to change your furnace's air filter. A dirty air filter can allow dust and other contaminants to flow through your home's ductwork: it can also increase your energy bills and reduce the effectiveness of your furnace to heat your home. However, beyond simply replacing your air filter, you may want to consider upgrading: you may want to consider purchasing a HEPA (a high-efficiency air) filter to improve the filtration of your home's HVAC system. The higher the MERV rating on the filter, the better of a job it will do at removing airborne particulates from your air supply.

Get Your Ducts Cleaned

Any sort of prolonged usage with a clogged air filter, or even regular usage with a clean filter over an extended period of time, can leave your ducts swimming in dust and other small pieces of debris. This means that when your furnace kicks in, dust will be blown throughout your home, no matter how clean your filter is. You can remove this dust and improve the efficiency of your furnace by having an HVAC professional come in and clean your ducts. 

Install a Humidifier

In the winter, humidity levels tend to be fairly low. This leads to dry skin and chapped lips, which can be uncomfortable, but also lowers the overall air quality of your home and makes it feel colder. Installing a humidifier can help alleviate this uncomfortableness, while also improving your home's air quality. A whole-house humidifier will add moisture to the air flowing through your ducts, raising the humidity levels throughout your home, whereas a portable humidifier will simply provide moisture to the room it is installed in. In addition to adding moisture, both types of humidifiers pass air through their own individual air filter, providing a second layer of air purification beyond your furnace's filter. This can quickly improve both your home's comfort levels and air quality in the winter.

Contact an air conditioner repairs service for more information and assistance. 

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