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How Air Filtration Plays an Important Role in Allergy Defense

Posted by Ryan on Jul 20th 2016

How Filtration Plays an Important Role in Allergy Defense

Allergies - one of the things that we’ve all grown to hate. Whatever it is that might cause the incessant sneezing, runny noses, and other annoying symptoms that lead to you feeling like you’re ready to give up the ghost, your filtration system might prove to be your best line of defense…or your worst enemy. In the US alone there are an estimate 50 million people who suffer with some form of indoor or outdoor allergy. Outdoor allergies are unavoidable, but if you live in a house with air conditioning, there’s a lot you can do to help your allergy situation.

Indoor allergens don’t really care about what season it is. They spread around your home all through the year, regardless of whether it’s warm or cold outside. The best way to deal with these miniature hazards is to install a high-efficiency media filter (one with a MERV rating of 8, 11 or 13) in the air conditioning system or furnace. These filters can capture as much as 99.97% of particulate matter drifting around that are 0.3 microns in diameter or larger.

Indoor allergies tend to be triggered by a lot of things, and one of the most common is dust. Controlling dust can go a long way towards helping with your allergies. Remember when dusting to use a damp cloth so that you aren’t just spreading the dust around, but instead actually getting rid of it from where it settled. A furnace filter with a MERV 8, MERV 11, or MERV 13 filter installed can further help to limit the amount of allergy particles and dust floating around your home. The MERV filters ensure that the air that is recirculated to the outside returns cleaner than it went in. Additionally, keep those air vents and air returns clean. Changing your air filter in a three-month cycle helps to keep the air circulating in your home clean. One more thing to consider is servicing your heating and air conditioning units. Getting this done every six months will definitely help keep the allergens circulating in your home to a minimum. Servicing these units usually means cleaning out the dust and other particulates that have gathered on the inside of the unit. This increases the unit’s operating efficiency and makes it a lot more energy efficient.

If you are having problems with humidity in your home, it might be pertinent to use a hygrometer to measure the humidity. You want the humidity level below 55% for best results. If you live in a state where it is humid and sticky (like Florida), a dehumidifier might make it a lot more bearable indoors. In many cases, the problems that you’re having with allergens might be ramped up because of high humidity, making it harder for your body to deal with the allergens in the first place.

Indoor allergens are hard to deal with, even at the best of times. With proper planning and foresight you can manage to control how much those allergens affect you. Keep your filters clean, and you’ll always feel comfortable and at ease in your own home.