This is the time of the year where we look to remain in the warm comfort our own homes provide. By the time it hits the middle of the winter season, your heating systems will have been operating at maximum effort for a long time. Simply by running your HVAC system like normal, your system and your air ducts will accumulate all kinds of dust and other debris that can end up getting sprung into the air. However, what you might not know is that other germs and airborne pathogens can also be found in your home’s air.
Are There Germs In Your Air Vents?
When either you or your family members enter your home do you find yourself having to sneeze? Do you immediately begin to cough or feel a scratch in your throat? Are you someone that experiences headaches often at home? If so, you might be dealing with issues associated with your air quality. One of the most common causes of these issues is mold build-up. All of the excess moisture build-ups can result in mold growth. A lot of people’s immune systems will react to mold exposure much as they would to other common allergens like pollen. However, what’s worse is there are types of mold that can be very dangerous and lead to even more severe health consequences. Likewise, there are people that are severely allergic to mold which can bring on an onslaught of potentially serious symptoms.
Is Your HVAC System Actually Spreading The Flu Virus?
The flu, like the common cold, is caused by a virus. These viruses are not typically able to live outside of a host body for longer than a couple of hours or so. Therefore, it makes your heating system a very unlikely place for the flu virus to be present. That being said, your heating system that doesn’t feature any sort of filtration or a system with old and non-functional filters will end up doing nothing to help limit the spread of viruses in your home.
Not only do you have to consider the threat of spreading viruses, but also bacteria. Having a dirty and clogged air conditioning, heating, and duct system can end up helping bacteria thrive and grow. A big example of this is something like Legionnaires’ disease. This is a type of pneumonia that can be deadly in certain instances. A lot of people that are directly exposed to the bacteria that cause this might not have symptoms present for a while and some of these symptoms can be confused for regular allergy symptoms. However, they can continue to develop into something far more serious. To adequately diagnose it, a medical exam needs to be performed and the only treatment is with powerful antibiotics.
Can You Clean And Sanitize Your Air Ducts?
If you have someone that is sick inside of your home and the illness is an airborne one, you want to do things to avoid spreading it. Your air ducts can end up being a free path for them to spread. To limit or even prevent this from occurring, you can purchase high-quality air filters and install them on your vents and replace them routinely. This will help to reduce the spread of viruses, germs, and bacteria which can help to clean the air throughout your home and create a much healthier environment.
You can call Stellrr Insulation for all of your home comfort needs within the Austin area.