3 Ways To Make Your HVAC System More Asthma-Friendly
An HVAC system is an integral part of any modern home. The same furnace and air conditioner that maintain a comfortable temperature in your home could be triggering asthma symptoms for you or a loved one.
The quality of the air inside your home can have a major impact on anyone suffering from respiratory illnesses. Asthma symptoms are often triggered by exposure to allergens or other airborne contaminants.
The air circulated throughout your home by your HVAC system can be a major source of allergen exposure. Here are three things that you can do to help improve air quality in your home and reduce the intensity of asthma symptoms for your family members over time.
1. Install a HEPA Filter
All modern furnaces and air conditioners are fitted with air filters. These filters are responsible for removing contaminants from the air that is pulled into your furnace or AC unit from the outside environment.
Traditional air filters are made of porous materials like cotton or polyester. The percentage of contaminants that can be removed by an air filter depends on the porosity of the filtration material.
Allergen particles are often too small to be filtered out by traditional air filters. A HEPA filter is made from thin fibers of glass and activated carbon materials. These materials are capable of trapping miniscule particles that may be suspended in the air that passes through them.
Installing HEPA filters in your home's HVAC system will help to minimize allergen exposure and provide relief from asthma symptoms.
2. Add UV Lights
Another simple way to make your HVAC system more asthma-friendly is to add UV lights. UV lights can be added to the interior of your furnace or AC unit, inside a heat pump, or within your air ducts.
UV lights are capable of killing many different types of contaminants that can cause problems for those with respiratory issues. Some of these contaminants include bacteria, mold, mildew, and a range of allergens.
The installation of a UV light within your HVAC system can kill off any potential allergens before they enter your home or your lungs.
As an added bonus, UV lights can prevent contaminants from accumulating along the interior surfaces of your HVAC components. This will help to ensure that your HVAC system continues to run as efficiently as possible.
3. Install a Humidifier
The air that is pushed through your home's HVAC system can be extremely dry. This dry air can exacerbate asthma symptoms.
One way to combat the effects of dry air on an asthma sufferer is to install a whole-home humidifier system. These types of systems are connected directly to your home's HVAC system.
A flow-through humidifier can be attached to the cold-air return on your furnace. The humidifier is then connected to the hot-air supply through a specialized duct.
A portion of the air that is heated inside your furnace is diverted into the humidifier through this specialized duct. As the air passes over an evaporator pad covered with water, it picks up some moisture molecules. The moistened air then joins the rest of the heated air and is pushed through your home's air ducts.
Maintaining the right humidity levels in your home can help prevent an asthma attack and help your family find relief from their respiratory ailments.
While you need to have a functional HVAC system installed in your home, you don't want this system to become a source of concern for family members with asthma. Adding a humidifier, UV lights, and a HEPA filter to your existing HVAC system can help minimize asthma symptoms.
Contact Haining Home Services to learn more about making your HVAC system more asthma-friendly.
