How Your HVAC Contractor Can Keep Your Family Healthy

7 November 2018
 Categories: , Blog

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To keep the air quality in your home healthy for you and your family, contact a furnace services professional a couple times a year for routine maintenance and checkups. A faulty or dirty furnace not only has the potential for diminishing optimal air quality, it can also cause serious illness. Here are some ways your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor can help keep your furnace running smoothly while keeping your family healthy:

Changing Dirty Furnace Filters

Furnace filters can get dirty very quickly, especially if you have dogs, cats, or birds. Pet dander, fur, and feathers can get trapped inside the furnace filter, and then every time you turn on your heating unit, these substances can get blown into your living space through the vents.

Your furnace services professional can periodically check and change dirty filters so that the air that comes out of your ventilation system is cleaner. Dirty filters can cause respiratory problems and can worsen symptoms of allergies.

If you or a family member has pulmonary problems, an increase in coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness may develop as a result of dirty furnace filters. You can purchase new filters at your local hardware store or at any home improvement store for your furnace contractor to replace when he or she arrives at your home, or if you prefer, you can request that the contractor bring the filters with him or her, when you make your service appointment 

Checking Ductwork

Mold can multiply inside your ductwork, potentially contaminating your indoor air with illness-causing spores. Your furnace specialist can examine your heating and cooling ducts and clean them if signs of mold or other contaminants are present. Never attempt to clean your ventilation system ductwork on your own, because doing so may lead to an accident or injury.

If your roof has been leaking or if your home has flooded because of heavy rain or melting ice, mold is more likely to be lurking inside your ventilation system. If you breathe in mold spores you may be putting yourself at risk for developing fungal infections, eye irritation, gastrointestinal problems, and headaches. When making your furnace service appointment, let the person know that you suspect the presence of mold in your ductwork. This way, the technician can bring the necessary safety equipment needed to safely examine and clean the ventilation system. 

Make an appointment with a furnace services specialist for routine maintenance and periodic checkups of your ventilation system and heating and cooling units. By doing so, you can be assured that your systems will run smoothly so that you and your family can breathe clean air.