Air Conditioning–Triggered Allergies Are Nothing to Sneeze At

A central air conditioner (AC) can be a godsend or a nightmare for allergy sufferers.

When it’s clean and well maintained, it improves indoor air quality (IAQ), controls humidity, and keeps you refreshingly cool in your Michigan home.

When it falls into disrepair or has a dirty filter and moldy coils, an air conditioner can circulate allergens through the air you breathe and trigger sniffles, wheezing, and other allergy symptoms.

Our experts at Great Dane Heating and Air Conditioning want to help your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment deliver top-notch performance and comfort. We know what it takes for your air conditioner to enhance your health, not detract from it.

Maintain Your Air Conditioner

The first step in controlling indoor pollutants that trigger allergies is a thorough cooling system inspection and cleaning.  

Our Great Dane Heating and Air Conditioning professionals will clean and check connections, coils, blower components, refrigerant, drain lines, drain pan, fuses, and your thermostat during a maintenance visit to your Clinton Township home. 

Condensation is a normal part of the air conditioning process. It forms on coils, drips into a drain pan, and runs through the condensate line into a sink or other plumbing drain. If clogged or dirty parts become too moist, they may encourage the growth of bacteria and mold, which end up in the air you breathe. 

A dirty air conditioner and filter can contribute to poor indoor air quality by releasing pet dander, dust, dust mites, and other pollutants into the air. You can help improve your indoor air quality by changing your HVAC filter when it is dirty.

How Air Conditioning Helps

Air conditioning can filter out particulate matter, such as dust and pollen, and keep it from circulating through your Clinton Township home. Use a filter with a higher MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating. It will be more efficient at blocking pollutants. 

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) says, “The typical 1-inch (thick) filter in most systems can be replaced with a filter up to MERV 13,” but it cautions that a higher rating can impact HVAC performance. 

Air conditioning also lowers the humidity level in your home. Bacteria, mold, and mildew are more likely to thrive in moist conditions rather than dry air. 

Controlling Allergies

Your allergist likely advises you to keep windows and doors shut if you are allergic to pollen, mold, and other seasonal outdoor allergens. At the same time, you may be allergic to contaminants inside your Clinton Township home as well.

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA), eight out of 10 people in the United States are exposed to dust mites. Six out of 10 are exposed to cat or dog dander.

You can reduce allergens inside your Michigan home. In addition to maintaining your air conditioner and filter, try these tips for improving indoor air quality:

• Vacuum once or twice weekly. 
• Dust regularly, including air vent registers and returns.
• Remove debris from around the outside of your indoor and outdoor air conditioning units. 
• Replace carpeting with bare floors and drapes with blinds or shades.
• Keep pets out of your bedroom and off upholstered furniture.
• Wash bedding and stuffed toys in water 130° Fahrenheit. 
• Consider replacing your air conditioner if it is older than 10 years. 
• Consider an air purifier for your Clinton Township home. 

Ready to replace your aging air conditioner? Our experts at Great Dane Heating and Air Conditioning can suggest a high-efficiency cooling system that will cut energy costs and help relieve allergies. 

We also offer many products to improve indoor air quality, including humidifiers, dehumidifiers, high-efficiency filters, germicidal ultraviolet (UV) lights, and air purifiers. 

Let Us Keep Allergens at Bay

Don’t allow a dirty air conditioner in your Clinton Township, MI, home to trigger your allergies. Schedule a maintenance visit with us at Great Dane Heating and Air Conditioning. Call us at 586-790-2604 or request service online.