Welcome Spring!
It may be difficult to believe but it is officially spring! We are looking forward to the snow melting and the temperature warming up! Sadly, it is also time to start thinking about spring allergies!
If you’re sniffling and sneezing your way through allergy season, adding the right air filter to your HVAC system may help improve your home's air quality and ease your allergy symptoms. Deciding which filter to choose can be tricky. Here’s what Trane says you need to know before you go shopping.
Traditional Fiberglass Filters
These are the flat-panel filters that have been around for years. They don’t look fancy, but they’re affordable and won’t restrict airflow in your HVAC system as much as the others. However, they’re not great at trapping allergens. These filters will capture less than 10% of the pollutants in your home.
Pleated Fiberglass Filter
The pleated filters have a lot more surface area and will filter 45% of allergens in your home — including pollen, dust mites and pet dander. You can even get electrostatic filters made with electrically charged materials that are great at attracting particles.
High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters
These filters are so good that they remove up to 98% of pollutants in the air, but they’re also so thick that they require an extra fan to push air through the filter. That’s why HEPA filters have to be incorporated into a whole-house filtration system, like the Trane CleanEffects Air Cleaner. Filtration systems like this can trap particles down to .1 micron in size. While these filters have the highest cost, they also the biggest impact on improving allergy symptoms.
Finally, keep in mind that an air filter is just one part of your allergy battle plan. You’ll have a better chance of wiping out allergies if you use multiple tactics. Try adding some of these simple tips into your routine.
Keep pets off of furniture and out of bedrooms. If your pets are outside often, allergens will stick to their fur and they’ll bring those particles indoors with them.
Shower before you go to bed to remove any allergens that are on your hair and skin.
Wash clothing and linens with super hot water to banish dust mites.
Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. A fast way to reduce sniffle-inducing dust and allergens is to vacuum once a day.
Change your air filter once a month
Keep your windows closed and limit your time outdoors to reduce exposure to pollen and outdoor allergens.
Consider a whole-house filtration system for a more robust approach to stopping allergy attacks.
Every allergy sufferer and HVAC system is unique, so you’ll need to see how different filters affect your allergy symptoms and your heating and cooling system’s operation. A little trial and error will help you find the perfect filter for your home (and your nose).
For all your plumbing, furnace, and air conditioning needs give us a call at Service First Tradeworks Ltd. (250) 832-5558 or (250) 675-3668.
