Is My HVAC System or Ductwork Making Me Sick?

Because modern technology has given us the tools we need to tell what’s going on in our air, home air quality has become a rising concern in the past few years. No longer are we content to deal with a home full of dust, dirt, and debris. However, keeping your home’s air clean can be a challenge, especially when you’re not sure what’s causing air pollution in your home.

If you’re concerned that your HVAC system or home ductwork is lowering the air quality in your house, or is even making you sick, then our professionals at Jack Lehr have the tools, knowledge, and know-how to bring you the answers you want.

Looking to keep your air clean, fresh, and healthy? Contact Jack Lehr Heating, Cooling, and Electric online to find out more!

How Can My HVAC System Make Me Sick?

We’d like to start by saying if you’re sick, you should get to a doctor first and foremost. Your HVAC system can play a big part in worsening allergies and, potentially, can spread germs in your home. But this conversation is designed to help you prevent issues—not treat them!

That said, yes, your HVAC can potentially worsen illness, or even cause it. The problem lies in that your HVAC system operates in a partial closed loop. That means it circulates and recirculates air in your home, but it’s always the same air. Meanwhile, pet dander, skin molecules, outdoor dust and pollen, and even more are all infiltrating. These allergens and germs come in, but they don’t really go out, meaning they start to collect in your HVAC system’s inner workings. This leads to massive amounts of gunk and junk in your air, which can do some fair bit of harm to your respiratory health.

What Can I Do to Combat IAQ Problems?

Thankfully quite a bit! Like we mentioned before, modern tech is working pretty hard to address these kinds of issues. There are many IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) products that can help a lot, and many services commonly offered by HVAC professionals can do their part as well. Consider doing these:

• Keep up with HVAC maintenance. Both on your end and by scheduling professional service routinely. Part of professional maintenance is a thorough cleaning of your system, helping to catch and remove a lot of the dust and gunk that can wind up in there (and consequently in your air).
• Change your air filter frequently. Changing your air filter is cheap, easy, and offers you a ton of advantages. Not only will this help keep air quality higher, it’ll also give you some energy-efficiency benefits, too. How often you need to change your filter depends on the system and your home, but usually once every month or two is sufficient.
• Schedule duct inspection. Improperly sealed ducts can end up costing you a lot in wasted heating and cooling, and it can also do a lot to hurt the air quality in your home. Contact a trusted team of HVAC expert to perform an inspection, and if necessary, duct sealing.
• For tough cases consider IAQ product installation. Humidity control tools, air purifiers, and high-class air filtration systems can be a blessing for those who suffer from frequent colds and allergies!

Air Quality Services & Solutions with Jack Lehr

At Jack Lehr we take your comfort and health very seriously. That’s why we’re proud to offer our Allentown clients the best in HVAC services and indoor air quality solutions. If you’re concerned about the part your HVAC system and ducts might be playing in your health contact us today!