Air Conditioning Unit Check: Better Indoor Air Quality
Posted in Air Quality, on June 30, 2017
A late spring this year means that the allergy season is still upon us. While we wait for warmer days to arrive, improving your indoor air quality this spring can have a significant affect on you and your family’s health and wellness. It may soon be time to turn on your air conditioning unit - but before you do, like mfany things around the home, some simple maintenance will help keep it running smoothly and improve your indoor air quality for the season.
There are a couple of things you can do to improve your indoor air quality during the warmer months. Doing a visual inspection, or having an inspector come in to look at your outdoor unit is a good place to start - indoor air quality starts with the outdoors, of course! Missing or damaged panels, leaks, or fallen debris can all affect the proper functioning of an air conditioning unit and cause negative effects on your indoor air quality or even cause it to break. If you’ve covered your unit, removing its winter blanket is an obvious next step - the cover may have trapped moisture during the winter months, which can have serious consequences once you switch it on to cool off your home. Indoor air quality starts with proper maintenance of your HVAC system, so remembering to inspect and uncover your air conditioning is key!
Your indoor air quality is also affected by the inner workings of your air conditioning unit. Having the filters inspected and changed can have a huge affect on the efficiency of your furnace as well as your indoor air quality. Your filters are collecting any pollens, dust, or other allergens entering your home from the outside. As these build up, they can cause your HVAC system to slow down; particles will also start making their way through the barrier and into your indoor air quality where they can cause allergic reactions. Regularly checking on your filters and making sure they are clean will have a huge affect on your indoor air quality.
Checking on the supply and return air grills and vents will also have a big affect on your indoor air quality. Dust and pet hair like to settle on these; removing any debris that has settled on your air grills will keep your indoor air quality free of any extra allergens. An uncleaned air conditioner will actually circulate more allergens in your indoor air quality and add to any reactions you may be having, so making sure it’s ready to go this spring will keep your indoor air quality at a high level for the summer season. Of course, the next step to indoor air quality is to turn your air conditioner on! If no cool air is coming out of your registers after the first few minutes, something might be wrong.
Having a qualified technician or indoor air quality specialist come and look at your home and air conditioning can help diagnose problems not visible to the naked eye. Gas leaks from refrigerants or mold growing from moisture-laden equipment can have a huge affect your indoor air quality while being relatively hard to spot. An indoor air quality specialist can help identify specific weaknesses with your air conditioning and HVAC system and suggest repairs and upgrades to keep your system running smoothly, and your indoor air quality at a high level all summer long.