The scent of damp earth and chimney smoke bring a comforting atmosphere to the Indianapolis area’s chilly falls, but those same scents also pose problems for your indoor air quality. By making time for furnace maintenance, fireplace preparation, and other seasonal jobs, though, you can ensure your air stays clean.
Keep Allergens Away
Early fall, with its cool nights and warm days, is when ragweed pollen is most abundant. Later in the season, the damp weather is prime time for mushrooms and other fungi to release their allergy-triggering spores. If allergens like these give you trouble, your first step should be to upgrade your furnace air filter to one with a MERV of 10 to 12. While MERV 5 to 9 filters are fine for most people, if you have allergies, a higher-efficiency filter will benefit you by trapping more of the particles that set off your symptoms.
To further reduce your symptoms, set up a portable air cleaner in your bedroom. You spend most of your time at home in this room, so it’s where you need clean air the most. For clean air throughout your home, consider having a whole-house air cleaner installed.
Remember to schedule your annual professional furnace inspection for early in the fall to ensure the system is clean and won’t spread pollen and dust when you turn it on.
Stay Warm Safely
Crackling fires and cozy candlelight pose their own air quality issues. Before you light your first fire of the year, have your fireplace professionally inspected. Professional fireplace preparation ensures you won’t face dangerous issues such as a blocked chimney or poor smoke drafting.
Like natural gas appliances, fireplaces and candles also produce potentially lethal carbon monoxide gas and can present a fire hazard. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors so they’ll be ready to alert you to danger. Replace the batteries if you haven’t done so this year.
With good air filtration and cleaning, correct fireplace preparation, and attention to fire safety practices, you can create a healthy, comfortable home to enjoy all fall.
For more information about professional services to improve your home’s heating and filtration systems, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
