Chicago Furnace Facts
Your Forced Air Furnace’s Role in Your Allergies
A forced air furnace heats up air and then blows the heated through your heating vents and out into the rooms. Along with the warm air comes dust and tiny pollen particles that have accumulated in your ducts throughout the allergy season.
At first, allergy sufferers may look forward to the winter season as a relief from their allergies and cold symptoms that have occurred during the rest of the year. While cooler air may reduce the production of pollen, we spent much of winter indoors which has been capturing the dust and pollen and storing it inside the walls of your home. Once your Chicago Furnace comes on, it thoroughly spreads the dust, dander and other irritants throughout your home and into your lungs. Since freezing in the winter is not an option, how can you turn the bad air into pure clean air instead?
Humidity
During the summer months, your air conditioner works hard to reduce the humidity in your home and remove water from the air. During the winter, your furnace is forcing dry air throughout your home which can lead to difficulty in breathing and dry, cracked skin. If you have too much humidity in your home, that can lead to mold growth and mildew formation which is a severe health hazard for everyone. If you have a humidifier attached to your furnace that can regulate the amount of moisture that gets put back into the air at the proper levels.
Dirty Furnace Filters
A dirty furnace filter collects dust and fuel film. Over time they become clogged, resulting in driving up your heating costs because the furnace has to work harder to get the warm air through the system. Holes in the filters allow dust and pollen particles to be circulated as well directly into your lungs. It also puts a lot of unnecessary stress on your HVAC system, just like clogged arteries put a lot of stress on your heart. Your furnace wears out sooner and breaks down more frequently. All of that could have been prevented with a $10 furnace filter. Your filters should be replaced monthly.
Alternative types of Furnaces
Any type of forced air heating system is going be more likely to spread dust and pollen during the heating months of winter. Radiant heating transfers heat energy instead of air. For example, a heated floor creates radiant heat in the room which rises up to warm the whole room without moving the air around. Electrical heating also solves the dust problem for those people who suffer greatly from allergies. However, your heating costs could be much higher.
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