HVAC and Health

There are many HVAC products and solutions designed to improve your health at home. These products aim to positively affect various aspects of your indoor air quality, which in turn play a role in your comfort and wellness. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, asthma, dry skin, or many other conditions, the quality of your home’s air can have a profound impact on your symptoms and enjoyment of everyday life.

Improving Respiratory Health

One of the first things many homeowners think about when considering the connection between indoor air quality and health is the effect of air quality on the lungs. It’s true that your HVAC system can be an important factor in the management of respiratory health by screening out particulate matter that aggravates allergy symptoms or asthma so you can breathe easier at home. Keeping your furnace and air conditioner clean by scheduling regular professional maintenance visits eliminates dust buildup inside these appliances, which can be transmitted through your home as heated or cooled air is blown through your ducts. Using a high-quality air filter and replacing it regularly can also reduce the number of airborne particles in your home that may contribute to allergy and asthma symptoms. In addition to minimizing pollen and dust in your indoor air, adjusting your home’s humidity level can also improve chronic allergies and asthma. Keeping humidity controlled by running your air conditioner or a dehumidifier during hot or damp weather can make your home less hospitable for mold and dust mites, which are common allergy and asthma triggers.

Improving Skin Health

The health of your skin is also tied into your environment in many ways. Extremely high humidity can promote excessive sweating, which may increase your risk for certain types of skin irritation or fungal infections. Reducing your indoor humidity with air conditioning is the best way to enjoy better skin health during warm weather. Conversely, extremely low humidity can also cause or exacerbate problems that range from nosebleeds and cracked or peeling skin to worsening psoriasis and other chronic skin conditions. During the winter, your furnace removes moisture from the already dry winter air to heat your home; integrating a whole-house humidifier into your HVAC system can replace lost humidity and help bring relief for many common skin conditions that are caused or worsened by low levels of moisture in the air. Additionally, those with eczema or atopic dermatitis often suffer from worsening symptoms when the temperature is too high or too low. Thus, using your furnace or air conditioner to maintain a comfortable environment inside your home throughout the year can help you find long-term relief from symptoms associated with excessive sweating or high and low relative humidity.

Your HVAC system plays an important part in helping you maintain good health throughout the year. Running your furnace when it is cold outside and your air conditioner when temperatures rise can improve your general comfort and energy levels while at home, as well as minimize the symptoms associated with many common skin and respiratory conditions. Please visit our website to find out more about how our HVAC experts can help you understand indoor air quality and energy efficiency in Columbus, or click through our blog for additional tips and advice.