Is Your AC Helping With Your Allergy Symptoms?

Seasonal allergies are a burden for many, especially here in East TN. Air conditioners (ACs), when properly maintained, can noticeably reduce symptoms for allergy sufferers. Adding air filters to catch pollen, dust, and other irritants, can produce higher-quality indoor air. Air conditioners also act as humidity regulators, easing allergy symptoms. AA-Air Company is proud to help you here in the Metro Knoxville, TN area breathe easier.

How Does It Help?

As already mentioned, the air filters contained in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units stop harmful particles in their tracks and prevent them from circulating throughout your home or office. This greatly improves air quality and stops allergens from coming into contact with your lungs.

Air conditioners reduce the presence of allergens by balancing the humidity. When a building becomes humid, this opens the door to bacteria, mildew, and mold. If you are allergic to mold or dust mites, keeping the air dryer can help minimize your allergic responses. Balanced humidity means fewer instances of these allergens forming. But, if your allergies are pollen related, slightly higher humidity might help during high pollen season to keep those flying particulates tamped down. Consulting with the staff at AA-Air Co will provide you with professional guidance for making your indoor air quality the best for your unique situation.

What Happens If You Forget to Maintain Your Air Conditioner?

As beneficial as an air conditioner is for allergy sufferers, poor maintenance can lead to your symptoms being exacerbated. It’s not just about temperature, which does help with allergies.

Filters should be changed or cleaned regularly. A clogged filter will end up circulating high amounts of dust, pollen, and debris throughout your house.

Annual maintenance tune-ups and inspections are a must as well. Leaky refrigerant or liquid can create a damp space that becomes a haven for bacteria and mold, which is then circulated throughout the building.

What Should You Do to Protect Yourself From Allergens?

To protect yourself, you should:

• Schedule annual maintenance checkups to be sure your air conditioner is doing its full job of cooling, regulating humidity, filtering and moving cleaner air. You technician will check the operation of the unit and clean the outdoor coils to improve efficiency.

• Regularly change or clean your air filter. Ask your AA-Air Co maintenance technician about changing out your filter to a more efficient, thicker media filter with more surface area that doesn’t need to be changed as often, while still providing better capture of particles

• Check your ducts for any leaking or mold. Look for insulation gaps, discoloration, tears in soft ducts, or loose tape at connections and corners.

• Only run the air conditioner when all windows are closed. This keeps you from drawing in outdoor air and circulating it inside.

• Consider supplementing your air conditioner with an air purifier. There are many options available for improving air quality through UV lights, plasma, and in-duct purifying units.

• Think about purchasing a new system if yours is 10+ years old. The increased efficiency and cleanliness of a new unit can greatly reduce energy costs and make a tremendous difference in your quality of life during allergy season.

Let Us Help With Your Allergies

We at AA-Air Company hope you find this information helpful! Please call us at 865-689-5290 or request service online if you have any questions or would like to schedule a service appointment.