Better Breathing Tips from Gary’s Heating and Air Conditioning

Indoor air quality is not an insignificant problem. The air in the average home is often several times worse than the air outside. However, this past September was a whole new challenge when it came to poor air quality. September, the traditional start of autumn, is typically ragweed season here in Texas. Likewise, raging wildfires in Colorado and California sent smoke halfway across the country, and this also greatly affected our air quality. Allergy sufferers had no choice but to stay home, but even then many continued to struggle thanks to our energy-efficient systems keeping more and more of this dirty air inside our homes.

If you’re sick of the indoor air quality in your home suffering during these periods of poor air quality, then you’re far from alone. That’s why Amarillo Magazine came to us to ask for recommendations. We connected them with Dustin Burnam, or own comfort specialist here at Gary’s Heating and Air Conditioning, and he gave them several tips, which were published in this month’s issue. Here are three of them.

Avoid Expensive Allergy Air Filters

Most homeowners know that they have to change their air filter periodically (manufacturers often recommend every month or two, though you might need it more frequently if you have pets or other factors present). However, some manufacturers have certain types of air filters that are billed as “allergy-controlling” or “allergy-preventing” air filters. These are generally heavy, densely-packed filters that are pretty expensive to replace at $20 to $25 a pop.

Here’s the kicker: they don’t really do what they advertise that they’ll do, and they hurt your HVAC system in the process. They put extra strain on your HVAC blower fan and your compressor. That means potential premature equipment failure as well as little to no potential decrease in actual trapped allergens. Do yourself a favor and skip these air filters—there are better ways to handle airborne contaminants that don’t harm your HVAC system.

Add Integrated Humidification

Here in Amarillo, we’re notorious for our dry climate, particularly during the winter months. Dry weather tends to accentuate or elevate the impact that your allergies can have on your life. Our nasal cavities generally do a pretty good job of filtering out dust and debris, but dry air dries out these passageways, and thus they can’t do their job of filtering. That’s why your allergies always tend to be so much worse during these months.

Integrated humidifiers can help increase indoor humidity, which helps your body naturally fight back against these allergens. These systems are installed directly into your HVAC system, and can often be controlled directly with most modern smart thermostats. However, be careful what water you load into these systems—the hard water in Amarillo’s public water system can jam up air filters.

Call In the AirRanger

If you’re concerned about reducing dust and allergens in the air, we recommend the Clean Air Defense System AirRanger. This system is a whole-home air quality solution that works with your traditional heating and cooling system. It installs directly into your existing HVAC system’s filter rack, but does so much more than just what a typical filter can do. Traditional filters may only capture roughly three to five percent of what actually flows through them due to the size of the holes in these filters being too large. The AirRanger captures a whopping 97% of all microscopic airborne particles, including bacteria, mold spores, and even viruses.

The initial investment is higher than a standard filter, but the overall quality of life improvement and functionality is well worth it when you consider the health benefits. Not only will you breathe easier and freer, but your health will improve, your allergies will subside, and you will see a significant drop in asthma attacks and other problems.