With winter around the bend comes all the extreme weather conditions it brings. Snow, rain, ice, hail, sleet, and more are here — and they spell doom for your HVAC system. And not only that, but you also have to worry about the cold and flu season that comes about. Here are some steps you can take to achieve healthy household indoor air quality this winter.
Replace Your Air Filter
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again! One of the most important things you can do to achieve healthy household indoor air quality this winter (or any time of the year, really), is by replacing your air filter.
Your air filter serves as the gatekeeper between your healthy household indoor air quality and irritants such as dust, dirt, bacteria, and more. Ideally, air filters should be replaced every 3 months, or if they show signs of wear and tear. Homeowners can replace them, but they should be replaced by a professional for best results.
Clean Your Air Ducts for Healthy Household Indoor Air Quality
Another important aspect you need to tend to this winter is cleaning your air ducts. Air ducts are a part of your heating system, which means that they can collect dust, mold spores and other allergens over time if they aren’t cleaned regularly. The solution? Cleaning your air ducts occasionally can help remove these pollutants from your home’s indoor environment. This is particularly important to do ahead of winter, as the cold weather provides an inopportune time to clean said air ducts.
Air duct cleaning isn’t something most people think about until their heating or cooling system starts to malfunction — and unfortunately for us all, it needs to be done. Moreover, your air ducts can be a breeding ground for Legionella — which can lead to Legionnaires’ disease. In fact, in November 2022, five people were found dead from Legionella — the worst outbreak New York City has seen since 2015, according to NBC New York,
Furnace Maintenance
Maintaining healthy household indoor air quality doesn’t stop there. You’ll also need to maintain your furnace. On top of replacing your air filter, here are some other items you’ll need to check off your furnace maintenance checklist:
- Clean the burners, flame sensor, and humidifier
- Ensure electrical wiring integrity
- Inspect CO detectors and heat exchanger
- Check the blower motor and other parts of your heating system that are accessible to you
Be sure not to disturb any wires, controls or electrical components when you’re checking out these parts of your furnace, though. You should also check that there aren’t any leaks in your system by looking for water stains on walls or ceilings near where it is installed, or even on higher floors if it’s leaking heat into those areas.
Clean Your Home
This one goes without saying, but making sure you clean your home is of utmost importance when it comes to achieving healthy household indoor air quality. Given that dust and other airborne bacteria can make their way throughout an unkempt home, these can cause incredible disturbances in your indoor air quality.
You should be regularly vacuuming your carpet, upholstery and flooring, but consider also washing the windows, mirrors and floors. If you have pets in the house or children who play inside with toys often, you may need to wash bedding that has been exposed to pet hair or other allergens.
Make sure to clean your kitchen cabinets, too. Remove any dust from appliances and wipe down counters with disinfectant wipes. In bathrooms, wash your tiles periodically throughout winter months; especially in prior months during humid weather when mold loves to grow on them!
Achieving Healthy Household Indoor Air Quality with XTRAIRE
At XTRAIRE, we work to serve our Long Island community by providing healthy household indoor air quality for all. Here, we stand for loyalty, honesty, compassion, and care. Our trained technicians are ready, willing, and able to service all your HVAC needs. That’s the Ace Guarantee!
To learn more about how you can attain healthy indoor air quality this winter, please visit our website and contact us today!