Reduce Winter Allergy Symptoms with Air Duct Cleaning
Did you know that Americans spend about 90% of their lives indoors? Now that the weather is turning colder, this is certainly true. And with the arrival of colder weather, most Hoosiers have turned on our homes’ forced-air heating systems to keep warm.
But did you notice after you cranked on your heating system that you started coughing, sneezing or wheezing? If so, you may suffer from asthma or allergies symptoms. And your forced-air heating system could be the culprit.
Over time, dust and other debris can build up in your home’s air ducts. So when you turned on your forced-air heating system, these contaminants were blown out of your air ducts along with the warm air. Some common indoor allergens that may be floating in your home’s air include dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, plant pollen, and insect particles. These contaminants can aggravate any allergy, asthma or other breathing problems you may have.
Common asthma symptoms include:
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
Common indoor winter allergy symptoms are:
- Coughing
- Itchy nose and itchy or watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
However, there are some things you can do to help prevent or minimize your asthma and allergy symptoms, including:
- Thoroughly clean all carpets, drapes and fabric-covered furniture to remove dust mites.
- Use a dehumidifier to keep your home’s humidity below 50% to control dust mites and mold.
- Install high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in your forced-air system to help remove 70% to 90% of solid contaminants in the air. Periodically clean or replace these filters.
- Have your air ducts cleaned by the professionals at T.J.’s Chimney Service in Greenfield, IN. Duct cleaning will remove dust, pet dander and other debris clogging your air ducts. Our specialists can clean and deodorize all of the registers, vents and cold air returns in your home in about 2 to 3 hours.
While the Environmental Protection Agency says there’s not enough evidence to support the claim that duct cleaning can actually prevent health problems like asthma or allergies, the EPA does recommend that you have your home’s air ducts cleaned if:
- Substantial visible mold is growing inside your ducts or on other parts of your heating and cooling system.
- Your home’s ducts are infested with rodents or insects
- Your ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris. Or you notice particles are actually being released into your home from your supply registers.
Therefore, contact the air duct cleaning specialists at T.J.’s Chimney Service today to schedule your air duct cleaning appointment. Afterwards you’ll notice considerably less allergens floating in your home’s air, and hopefully, you’ll experience fewer asthma or allergy symptoms this winter.