How Indoor Air Filtration can help you survive Allergy Season
Atlanta Indoor Air Filtration
It is mid March and the pollen count for Atlanta is already in the moderate range. Current allergy contributors are Elm, Cedar, and Oak trees. What can you do to get some relief during this allergy season?
Here are recommendations to help you survive this allergy season in Atlanta. If you have an unusual amount of dust indoors, there are two things to consider. Leaking supply ducts actually turn your home into a vacuum cleaner for dust by causing a negative pressure every time your heating and cooling system cycles on. Your home should have a slight positive pressure. The best way to accomplish this is by adding an outside air duct. I know it sounds silly to seal your house up nice and tight and then bring in outside air but that is exactly what we recommend. When you duct in air from the outside it is introduced to your home by being mixed in with all the air passing through your HVAC system. It is cleaned by the filter and conditioned by the furnace or air conditioner. Then the air is distributed evenly throughout the complete space. Without a properly sized outside air duct your system brings in air from attics, crawl spaces and through dusty wall cavities. The dust drops out of the air on the way to the filter all over your furniture and floors, never reaching the filter and creating more work for you in dusting and vacuuming. A comfort consultant knows how to set up your ventilation the right way so its automatic and you don’t have to worry about it.
After you fix your home’s HVAC system, you should install a high efficiency air filter on your home’s heating and air conditioning system. Minimum efficiency report value (MERV) is the common indicator of air filter efficiency. Filters are assigned ratings from 1 to 16. Generally, the higher rating means the filter will perform better. The right type of filter can capture varying sizes of particles including mold, pollen, dust, dirt, pet dander, and bacteria.
Also, make sure the humidity levels in your home are controlled. If your moisture levels are too high over 60%, mold will be able to grow which will trigger intense allergy responses. You can control humidity levels by making sure your home’s air conditioning system is working at optimal levels. In extreme cases, separate dehumidifiers or crawl space sealing may be required.
Fourth, hire a licensed HVAC contractor to make sure your ductwork is clean. Particles can build up inside your home’s duct system. The particles can circulate and continue to cause allergy symptoms.
For your indoor air quality analysis, please call Empire Heating & Air Conditioning at 404-294-0900.
Empire has written several other articles about indoor air quality. Please click on the links below to read more details.