All the particles floating around in your home’s air every day are an asthmatic’s worst enemy. One of the easiest ways to tackle them is to improve your Atlanta home’s indoor air quality. Start with keeping your heating and air system in top form with the pros from Estes Services to reduce asthma triggers.
Review these triggers, how to improve your indoor air quality and when you’re ready for a tune-up, give us a call. We also have several air quality products we install inside homeowners’ HVAC systems to help with allergies, asthma, COPD and other chronic conditions.
How Poor Indoor Air Quality Affects Asthma Triggers
Asthmatics and those with other respiratory illnesses have airways sensitive to certain airborne particles. When these irritating particulates are inhaled, airways swell, tighten and overproduce mucus. Many people start wheezing, coughing or developing congestion, itchy eyes or a runny nose.
Many things in indoor environments trigger asthma or respiratory illness symptoms and fall into one of two categories: irritants or allergens.
- Irritants include gases and small particles such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), tobacco smoke, household dust, chemical odors and fragrances that reach the lower regions of the respiratory tract and cause inflammation.
- Allergens are small, airborne particles that cause an immune-type reaction. Allergens found in indoor air are primarily biological materials such as pet dander, cockroach and other insect pest particles, pollen, bacteria and mold.
Ways to Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
Whether it’s HVAC maintenance or installing a new product, try these methods to boost your home’s comfort and indoor air quality as well as keep your loved ones breathing easy.
Perform Routine Heating and Air System Maintenance
One sure-fire way to improve your home’s indoor air quality is to keep up with regular professional HVAC maintenance appointments for your heating and air systems twice a year.
As part of this service call, a licensed technician clears built-up dirt and debris from your heating and air unit. Then, it delivers clean, healthy air as well as a controlled climate throughout your home.
Check and Replace Heating and Air Filters to Reduce Asthma and Allergens
When your heating and air system operates smoothly, frequently-changed air filters reduce asthma triggers in your indoor air. This lessens pollutants such as pollen, dust and dirt.
A dirty and clogged filter makes it easier for airborne contaminants to escape into your HVAC system. There they build up inside your ductwork. Achieve higher indoor air quality by checking your unit’s air filters monthly and changing them as needed.
Install Indoor Air Quality Products
If you want to go beyond new air filters and duct cleaning, try these to keep your air clean.
- Zoning systems allow you to create different sections, or zones, and control the comfort level in each individually. This is helpful if some areas of your home contain more asthma triggers than others.
- Dehumidifiers remove extra moisture from the indoor air. This is a great option to prevent indoor mold growth. It also takes some of the “cooling” burden from your air conditioner. With less humidity, the air feels cooler.
- Humidifiers control the amount of moisture in your home’s air. This inhibits respiratory illness triggers, such as dust, pollen and pet dander, which thrive in dry environments.
- UV lights treat the air by destroying bacteria, viruses, mold, odors and more. They also require one bulb change per year, making them a great low-maintenance option.
Trusted Estes Services for Heating and Air to Reduce Asthma Symptoms and to Breathe Easier
Improve your indoor air quality with HVAC equipment maintenance and IAQ products. Dehumidifiers, air cleaners and UV air purifiers are designed to keep your home’s air as clean as possible.
The pros at Estes Services ensure your heating and air system operates smoothly all year. We want to keep your Atlanta home healthy. Contact us for all your HVAC system maintenance, repair and replacement needs.
