Abbie Wade
Winter is almost here. If someone in your household suffers from allergies or asthma, now's the time to get your heater ready for action. A dirty heater can decrease the quality of the air inside your home and increase the severity of the allergy and asthma symptoms. Here are four steps you need to take to get your heating system ready for winter allergy and asthma symptoms.
1. Replace the Filters Once a Month
Under normal conditions, you should be able to replace your furnace filter about once every three months. However, if someone in your home suffers from asthma or allergies, you need to replace the filter more often. In fact, for maximum protection, you should change the filter once a month. If you experience excessive moisture during the winter, or you notice a moldy or musty odor in your home, it's a good idea to inspect your filter once a week and replace it as needed throughout the winter. For severe allergies or asthma, consider replacing your ordinary filters with upgraded HEPA filters.
2. Remove Soot From Combustion Chamber
When it comes to keeping the air clean during the winter, it's important that you have the soot removed from the combustion chamber. Soot builds up inside the combustion chamber each time the heater is operated. If the combustion chamber isn't cleaned out each year, the soot can reach hazardous levels. Not only does the soot lead to unhealthful air quality conditions, it also poses a fire risk. For maximum protection, you should have your technician clean the combustion chamber on an annual basis.
3. Clean the Blower and Blower Housing
If it's been more than a year since you had the blower and blower housing cleaned on your heater, it's time to have that taken care of, especially if someone in your house is being treated for allergies or asthma. Your HVAC technician will use a vacuum to remove all the dirt, dust, and debris from the blower and housing. They'll also inspect it to make sure that the housing is in good repair.
4. Install an Air Purifier
If you have an asthma or allergy sufferer in your home, you need to keep the air as clean as possible. That can be difficult to do during the winter when the heater needs to operate throughout the day. One way to keep the air clean is to install an air purifier. Installing an air purifier, changing the filter on your heater once a month, and having your heater serviced once a year will work in unison to keep the allergy and asthma symptoms under control this winter.
For more information, get in touch with a company that offers residential heating maintenance services.
Do you want a job that doesn't require a four-year degree, doesn't have you stuck in an office all day and allows you to use your special skills and training to help others? You might be interested in a career in heating. My name is Carly, and I have been a heating technician for more than 10 years. I am truly a lifesaver to people whose heat suddenly goes off in the middle of winter, and you can be one of those special people too. Read my blog to find out how to get the training you will need to fix and install heaters.