Spring is the time of year when, along with all the natural explosion of growth and color, there is a corresponding explosion of the pollen count in the air we all breathe. There isn’t much that can be done about curbing the forces of nature outside, but there are certainly some things that can be done within the home to minimize allergies and to mitigate the effects of airborne allergens. There are some steps you can take to help out your home’s ventilation system, and make it a little easier to keep indoor air quality manageable.

Reducing indoor pollen count

The first thing you can do to minimize allergies is also the most obvious – keep doors and windows tightly closed, and keep the pollen outside. Some material is bound to get inside anyway via doors opening or windows being propped open somewhere in the house, and in this case your first line of defense should be to keep a clean, fresh air filter in place on your filtration system. Check it regularly, clean it regularly, and when it gets beyond cleaning have it replaced.

When you do have to replace your air filter, consider replacing it with one that has a higher MERV value (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value), which refers to the rating system for effectiveness of air filters. The MERV rating for residential applications is typically between 1 and 10, but filters rated up to 16 or more have superior efficiency.

If your filtration system just isn’t doing the job, you may need to install a whole house air cleaner, which is a system that can remove up to 95% of all particles in your home’s air. Many times this kind of system is installed for the specific purpose of minimizing the impact of airborne allergens, especially in springtime.

Contact us

If you happen to be in the greater Cleveland metro area, please do stop in and talk with us about any home comfort questions you might have. You can also contact us through our website, and we’ll be glad to discuss any concerns you might have.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about minimizing allergies and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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