Dirty Furnace? It May Be Worsening Your Allergies

Furnaces are essential for keeping our homes warm, but when caked in filth, they can degrade indoor air quality and exacerbate allergies and breathing problems. Over time, dust, dirt, and allergens accumulate in furnaces and are dispersed throughout homes, sometimes causing health issues.

Discovering more about the relationship between dirty furnaces, allergies, and breathing can help homeowners take action to clean their air. Frequent furnace cleaning of the stove you use for heating is sensible for your and your family’s health.

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The Dirty Truth About Furnaces and Allergies

Furnaces extract air from the interior of a home, heat it, and then force it back through the ducts. When the stove is dirty, it picks up dust, pet dander, mold spores, and pollens. These allergens are captured in the furnace’s filters, coils, and ducts.

When you turn on the stove, it pushes these particles into the air you breathe. For those with allergies, this can lead to sneezing, itchy eyes, a runny nose, or skin irritation. People with asthma or respiratory issues might cough, wheeze, or have trouble breathing.

Impact on Breathing Health

Dirty furnaces not only spread the allergens, but also can release dangerous particles. Flying particles of dust and debris can degrade into microscopic particles that will get into your lungs. Mold or bacteria sometimes will develop in a wet furnace component and give off spores or toxins.

Health professionals say inhaling such pollutants over time can lead to or exacerbate respiratory problems, particularly in children, older people, or people with chronic conditions.

Bad indoor air quality from a filthy heater can also result in tiredness, migraines, and even catching a cold more often.

How to Know If Furnace Cleaning is Necessary

Homeowners can also look for signs that their heater adversely affects the air. He says that if you see more dust on furniture, feel worsening allergy symptoms, or sniff when the furnace runs, it’s probably dirtier.

Other indicators are uneven heating, higher energy bills, or a furnace that cycles on and off too much. These let us know dirt is blocking the machine, making it less productive and free of dangerous contaminants. Scheduling Furnace Cleaning can overcome these problems and improve air quality.

Steps to Keep Your Furnace Clean

Routine maintenance can decrease the health hazards of a soiled furnace. Change and/or clean the furnace filter every one to three months based on use and filter type. Look at the owner’s manual to see what filter size and type the manufacturer recommends.

These simple furnace maintenance tips will keep the dust out of the system and prolong its life. Prevent blocking vents or ducts by furniture or rugs to allow for good air inflow.

Every year, schedule one complete live cleaning of a Furnace with the help of a professional Cleaner. Specialized tools are used to clean the furnace and the ducts’ dust, debris, and mold.

More Tips for Better Indoor Air Quality

Aside from furnace upkeep, there are a few other things that could help make your indoor air quality a little better. Run a quality air purifier with a HEPA filter to help catch allergens.

Close windows in high-pollen seasons to help keep allergens from entering your house. With a dusty home and pet dander, wash bedding and vacuum carpets regularly. These habits and a clean furnace make your living space much healthier.

Protect Your Health

A grimy furnace can cause allergies and breathing issues, though not with regular care. Replace filters and use a vacuum cleaner to dust and vacuum around the system, and have maintenance by a professional service technician.

Keep the furnace clean, and you’ll reduce allergens, enjoy higher air quality, and help your family breathe easier. Then, for long-term trouble, consult an expert to ensure your furnace can help create a healthier home.