Can Your Furnace Cause Winter Allergies?

If you suffer from allergies, you may think the coming of winter means a few months reprieve from a constant runny nose and itchy eyes…but does it? Or is there a hidden allergy trigger that pops up when winter rolls around? 

If the winter hasn’t been as kind to your allergies as you hoped, you might be wondering why. The reason might exist in your HVAC system. Your furnace is a dusty generator of dry and irritating heat that can intensify allergy symptoms.

If your furnace is causing your allergies to act up, you might be in for a rough winter. Luckily, we have some effective tips to help you reduce the number of allergens that might be coming from your furnace. 

Can Heaters Cause a Stuffy Nose?

Your nose is full of sensitive membranes that can become inflamed from the dry heat furnaces produce. The heat knocks your nose into overdrive, which causes it to become stuffy and irritated. 

Heaters can also push out all of the collected debris that has settled in the vents through the spring and summer months as they kick on for winter. All of the dust get pushed out of your ducts with the heat. Oftentimes, that same debris goes right into your sensitive nose.

Between dry furnace heat, winter air inflaming your nasal passages, and an onslaught of dust being pushed out into your home, it’s no wonder your heater can cause allergy symptoms!

Do Furnace Filters Help with Allergies?

If you’re tired of being allergic to your heater, one solution is a HEPA furnace filter. HEPA furnace filters can remove around 99% of allergens from the furnace system before they can enter your ducts or reach your eyes, nose, and throat. 

These filters are great for relieving allergy symptoms caused by your heating system. Top-quality filters work to remove things like:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Pet dander
  • Dead skin 
  • Insects 
  • Mold

Installing a HEPA furnace filter in your heating system is a great way to catch these allergens before they reach your body. 

What Can I Do to Keep My Furnace from Causing Allergies?

As all allergy sufferers know, there are always actions you can take to help decrease the number of allergens in your home. 

When it comes to preventing furnace allergies, some easy steps you can take are:

  • Scheduling regular HVAC maintenance from a trusted service
  • Cleaning or replacing filters regularly
  • Adding a humidifier or dehumidifier to your HVAC system
  • Scheduling annual air duct cleanings from a trusted HVAC service
  • Daily vacuuming and dusting to prevent buildup from entering your HVAC system

Maintaining and cleaning your home’s heating system is the key to keeping it free of allergy-causing dust and debris. With help from an experienced HVAC technician, you can avoid a winter filled with allergy symptoms caused by your furnace.

Worried About the Furnace Causing Allergies? How Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers Can Help

If you have a new furnace, you might be confused why it is still causing you to have allergy symptoms. If the furnace didn’t have time to build up all that dust, why are you feeling so sniffly? The reason could be in your home’s humidity levels.

The winter air is often dry, and if your home is completely devoid of humidity, it might be inflaming your nose and throat, therefore causing allergy-like symptoms.

On the other hand, if your home is too humid in the winter, it can create the perfect conditions for mold and fungus to thrive, which will also trigger allergic responses. 

Talk to an HVAC expert about adding a humidifier or dehumidifier to your HVAC system to help get the perfect humidity balance in your home and eliminate humidity-related allergic reactions.

Call the Team at Premier HVAC

We understand the struggles you face when winter rolls around. Winter is the one season that allergy sufferers are supposed to feel at peace in their bodies. Yet, if you don’t have a clean and well-maintained HVAC system, you won’t get to enjoy the pollen-free season.

At Premier HVAC, we help rid your home allergens by getting right to the source. We are happy to come out, take a look at your furnace, and provide a maintenance quote. Our experts will clean your air ducts, replace your filters, perform HVAC maintenance, and more in order to clear the air and create an allergen-free home.

Don’t get stuck in a home filled with allergens this winter. Give us a call and we’ll come out to help!