Health Benefits of HVAC Maintenance
When HVAC professionals recommend an annual or semi-annual tune-up for your cooling and heating system, they usually stress the energy-efficiency and operational benefits of regular maintenance. However HVAC tune-ups in The Woodlands TX and elsewhere also deliver health benefits. A forced-air furnace and an air conditioner or heat pump that’s not clean and properly maintained can result in a variety of health problems, mostly related to poor indoor air quality.
Following are some components of a professional HVAC tune-up that will improve indoor air quality:
- A tune-up of any forced-air cooling or heating system will include an air filter inspection and if necessary changing or cleaning the filter.
A clogged or dirty air filter eventually will allow contaminants to bypass the filter and circulate in household air. These may include such contaminants, allergens and irritants as mold spores, pet dander, pollen, cloth fibers, dust mites, bacteria and viruses. A low-efficiency filter also will allow smaller contaminants to pass through. These particulates can trigger or exacerbate allergies and respiratory conditions in sensitive individuals.
- A furnace maintenance tune-up will include a close inspection of the ignition and burner system, as well as the heat exchanger and exhaust pipes and flue.
If your furnace isn’t igniting and burning fuel cleanly, and then exhausting combustion gases such as carbon monoxide safely from your home, your health and safety may be threatened.
- When tuning up a central air conditioner or heat pump, the technician should check the indoor evaporator coil to make sure it isn’t dirty with dust, grime or mold.
If the coil needs to be cleaned, that should be part added to your maintenance tune-up. The condensate collection pan and drain also should be checked for algae and mold. Any contaminants near where the fan is blowing across the indoor coil can end up circulating in household air.
A comprehensive HVAC tune-up should include a duct inspection as well. Dirty ducts can impair indoor air quality, as can leaky ducts that allow contaminated air into the home.
