Top Tips for Better Indoor Air Quality During the Winter

Wintertime is an excellent time to relax indoors and spend time with family. But you must also stay aware of certain indoor allergens that can trigger uncomfortable symptoms.

Dust Mites

Dust mites, despite being incredibly small, are huge hazards for your health and comfort. They love living in warm, humid indoor environments. And with your heater running all winter, this gives them the perfect breeding environment. You may notice an increase in certain symptoms, including sneezing and congestion, when the dust mites accumulate in your carpet and bedding.

Pet Dander

Pets often spend more time indoors during the winter. This means there is more pet dander floating around the home. Breathing in pet dander may cause symptoms like sneezing or watery eyes. If you’re allergic to the proteins in the dander, it can irritate your skin and throat. The more the pet dander gathers and settles, the harder it is to remove it.

Indoor Mold Spores

If your home has poorly ventilated areas, there’s a higher risk of mold growth in those spots. And with winter weather often causing condensation on windows, the poorly ventilated spots become even more vulnerable to moisture buildup. When spending time in areas that have mold, you may experience coughing or headaches. You may also smell an odor resembling mustiness or mildew. If you don’t get mold problems remedied in a timely manner, the home’s structural integrity will become compromised. The mold can cover walls, floors, ceilings and furniture.

Cockroach Allergens

Nobody wants a home with cockroaches, but these pesky insects are a common problem in O’Fallon. They love making their way indoors during the winter as they seek warmth and moisture. They’ll leave behind droppings and shed skin as they crawl throughout the kitchen and living areas, which can trigger allergies. Droppings and debris from cockroaches can also make food surfaces unsanitary to use.

Wood Smoke Particles

Using wood fireplaces in the winter is a great way to reduce your heating costs. But you must be mindful of all the ash and soot that comes from the smoke. If you don’t have proper ventilation and drafting in place, all of the smoke will come back into the home. The smoke residue will cling to walls, furniture and other surfaces, creating a buildup that’s hard to clean. It may also cause you to cough and wheeze, especially when the smoke concentration is high.

Ways to Improve Winter Indoor Air Quality

Now that you understand the different allergens that sometimes cause problems during the winter, it’s time to take action. With the right preventative steps, you’ll find it much easier to keep your indoor air healthy and comfortable.

Use Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust Fans

Since excess moisture is such a big contributor to winter indoor allergen problems, it’s crucial to use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans. Every time you shower or run hot water in the bathroom, flip on the fan. In the kitchen, flip the fan on every time you cook, steam or boil water. Sucking out all of the moisture produced by the stovetop will make a big difference in reducing humidity. If you have a window in either of these rooms, consider opening it slightly to further improve airflow. Close it back once the steam clears. There will be a much smaller risk of mold growth in these spaces if you follow these tips.

Replace HVAC Filter Every 30 Days

The winter weather in O’Fallon frequently leads to households running their heaters around the clock. While this is fine for keeping the home warm, you must remember to regularly check the air filter. You don’t want the heater running with a clogged filter because it restricts airflow and makes the unit use way more energy. It also puts extra wear on the HVAC, which can lead to premature breakdowns and repairs. Even worse, it makes indoor allergen problems worse instead of better. Most filters need a replacement or cleaning once every four to six weeks during most of the year. But in the winter, it’s a good idea to check and change it every four weeks since the HVAC is running so much more often.

Install a Whole-Home Humidifier

When your home’s indoor air becomes too dry, it can worsen allergen problems by irritating your nose and throat. Unfortunately, running your heater makes the air even more dry since it pulls moisture out of the air as it heats. But there is a way to combat this issue; you can have us install a whole-home humidifier. This way, every time the humidity drops below a certain point, the humidifier will kick on to add moisture back into the air. It connects straight to the HVAC, so you don’t have to make manual adjustments. A balanced humidity level will not only ease allergy symptoms but also help protect your wood floors and furniture from warping and cracking.

Use a Whole-Home Air Purifier

We can also integrate a whole-home air purifier with your HVAC. This setup is an effective way to reduce pet dander, smoke residue and mold spores. And since it runs through your existing ductwork, it gives you whole-home coverage. This means you won’t have to mess with moving portable units from room to room just to clean the air.

Keep Your Pets Groomed

First, you may want to consider vacuuming or deep cleaning to remove all of the pet dander that’s already stuck in the carpet and furniture. Next, get all of your pets groomed at least once a month during the winter. This makes it easier to avoid allergy flare-ups because there won’t be as much loose dander.

Change Bedding Weekly

Your bed is a hot spot for dust mites because of the warmth and moisture your body gives off. They love living off the dead skin flakes you shed in the bed. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to ensure you don’t worsen the problem. Just keep the bedding changed at least once a week. If you want even more protection, consider shopping for sheets that are hypoallergenic. They make them in a number of fabrics and materials, including cotton, bamboo and microfiber.

Vacuum Multiple Times a Week

Do your best to create a weekly schedule that includes multiple days of vacuuming the floors and upholstery. The more you vacuum, the better. The goal is to suck up as much dust and pet dander as possible so they don’t trigger your allergies. They make vacuums with HEPA filters that trap tiny particles that regular filters can’t catch.

Book a Professional Heater Tune-Up

Always schedule a heater tune-up each year, ideally during early fall. The system will have its settings optimized to provide the most energy-efficient heating possible during the winter. We’ll wipe away dust and dirt so that each part can operate with better performance. Cleaning the parts reduces indoor allergens by preventing dust buildup from circulating through the home.

Improve Your Air Quality Today

Your home’s air quality matters. Hoff Heating & AC wants to help you create living spaces that have healthy air quality year-round. We offer HVAC tune-ups, air scrubbers, ventilation upgrades and more. Contact Hoff Heating & AC today to access expert HVAC service in O’Fallon.