Your HVAC systems are there to keep your home comfortable by helping to maintain your indoor air quality and temperatures. Manufacturers keep coming up with more products to ensure that your home is free of dust, dirt, and debris. Unfortunately, there are rising concerns that these same systems could be making those in the house sick.

In this article, we answer the question of whether the HVAC system in your Texas home can make you sick and what you can do to ensure that you are protected. Visit our website for more info.

How Can My HVAC System Make Me Sick?

Let’s start by saying that this article will only answer whether or not your HVAC system can make you sick, and also suggest preventive measures that can be taken; not to help you treat symptoms. So, you want to get in touch with your doctor if you feel sick.

With that said, we can begin by letting you know that your HVAC system can make you sick or worsen your illness. The main issue is that your heating and cooling system operates in a closed space. What this means is that the air that the system circulates and recirculates in your home is always the same. While this is happening, your home is also being infiltrated by skin molecules, pet dander, and dust from outside.

As these germs and allergens find their way into your home, rather than escaping to your home’s exterior, they are trapped by your HVAC system. This creates a huge amount of debris in your indoor air and can have adverse effects on your respiratory health.

What are the symptoms of air conditioning sickness?

There are a couple of things you may notice if your HVAC system is causing health problems for you and your family. The following are some of them:

• You notice that you feel better anytime you’re away from home
• It seems like your home is always dusty
• Your HVAC system oozes a stale or musty smell when it’s turned on.
• You feel inexplicably tired and sluggish when you are home.
• You or your loved ones frequently have a sore throat, headache, or runny nose.
• You notice that you are frequently wheezing, sneezing, or coughing.

If you can resonate with any of these signs, then the culprit may be your heating and cooling systems. These problems might be due to the presence of dust, dirt, bacteria, mold, and other pollutants that are spreading and circulating within your home whenever your HVAC system is running.

Those whose immune systems are compromised are more vulnerable to these health risks. The same goes for people who have allergies or are sensitive to mold.

How can you prevent these problems?

Manufacturers in the HVAC industry keep working hard to ensure that these issues are addressed. There are a couple of products that have been invented to help maintain your indoor air quality. Also, professional HVAC contractors keep devising means to make life easier for their clients. However, it is important that you play your part in ensuring your protection.

These are a couple of things you can do:

• Maintain your HVAC system regularly: It is important that you have your HVAC system frequently serviced by a professional technician. Professional maintenance may involve getting your system cleaned and removing all the gunk and dust that have accumulated in the system, and, by extension, your indoor air. 

• Frequent replacement of your air filter: There are many benefits to changing your air filter. Thankfully, the process is easy and quite affordable. Doing this will ensure that the quality of air maintained within your home becomes higher and the energy efficiency of your system is improved. Depending on your system and your home, you may need to replace your air filter just about once a month.

• Your ductwork should be inspected: if your ducts are not properly sealed, there will be a lot of waste in heating and cooling your home, thereby causing you to spend a lot on energy bills. So, ensure that you get a reputable HVAC expert to inspect your system and even the duct sealing.

• Installing an IAQ product: This might be necessary in extreme cases. So, you may want to consider air purifiers, humidity control tools, and air filtration systems. These can do much to help those that suffer from allergies and frequent colds. Before opting for one, however, make sure you confirm with a professional.

Conclusion

While an HVAC system in your Texas home can boost your home’s comfort, it can also cause health problems for you and your loved ones, especially when preventive maintenance and regular care are ignored. With the help of a professional HVAC contractor, a lot can be done to make your system safer for you and your indoor air quality will be improved. Check out Angie’s list of reputable HVAC companies in Texas.