Beware the Pollen Monster: HVAC Maintenance Tips for Springtime

March 19th was the official start of spring this year for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. While this is a great time of year to be a flower, it also probably going to inspire your sinuses to start acting up with bad allergic reactions.

Pollen Everywhere, Inside & Out

The worst part of spring is not really the pollen and other airborne allergens outside in nature. After all, this is where they belong. Instead, the big issue is when all of those allergens end up inside your home, lowering the indoor air quality of your house. For people living with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory complications, the drop in indoor air quality can be a serious concern. Thankfully, though, with a little bit of maintenance, tune-ups, or duct cleaning, you can protect your home’s HVAC system from the worst the Pollen Monster can do. It is our job and our passion to help you figure out which one of our many springtime services will work the best and do the most.

Spring Maintenance for Your HVAC System

Want to keep the springtime pollen out of your home? Let AUX Home Services of Birmingham offer a few of our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services that can be a big help. Your HVAC system springtime checklist should include at least:

• Air filter replacement: The air filter in your HVAC system is supposed to be changed about once every two months, depending on the surrounding environment and how often you run your heater or air conditioner. However, if you are like most other homeowners, then you probably haven’t changed it in a good year or more. Do yourself and your family a favor by starting off spring right by swapping in a new air filter. There are some heavy duty air filters that cost a little more but stand up much better to the Pollen Monster. We recommend making that investment.
• Duct cleaning: As the years go on, the dust, debris, and detritus that collects in your home’s vents and ducts naturally builds up. After about five years, the amount of dust in there can become so significant, it actually stirs up whenever you run your heater or AC unit, spreading contamination. Duct cleaning is a great way to freshen up your ducts, helping you breathe easy again.
• Duct sealing: Did you know that old air ducts can start looking less like ducts at all and more like cheese graters? Small holes, gaps, and cracks can form in the ducts, which lets air escape before it ever reaches the intended room. Not only does this problem mean you will not feel as cool or warm as you want, but it also means your energy bills are spiking as your system runs more frequently to achieve the a minimal result. Use duct sealing and insulating to plug those gaps.
• General cleaning: If a pollen cloud is noticeably invading your home, making your furniture yellow, then it is time to give some attention to your home’s outdoor HVAC unit. Grass, flowers, dirt, and debris right next to the outdoor unit will greatly affect the air quality your system pulls in and pushed out into your home. You should keep clear at least a two-foot area around all sides of the outdoor unit. Hearing strange noises from inside the machine? Be careful! It could be a little animal like a bird or rodent has made a springtime home in there. Call our HVAC techs to handle it.
• Thermostat improvements: The efficiency of your thermostat plays a large role in how well your HVAC system can fight off the worst springtime pollen storms have to offer. Think about upgrading your thermostat to a unit that can more accurately track the temperature in your home so it only runs when needed. Overuse will just keep pulling in pollen, or just keep kicking up dust in the vents.

Special Springtime HVAC Tune-Ups from AUX Home Services

Stop pesky, irritating, and downright frustrating pollen from entering home and causing hay fever havoc by getting AUX Home Services in Birmingham on the job. We are currently offering special springtime HVAC tune-up services to help improve your home’s indoor air quality and keep it healthy all year round. Taking only about an hour, our springtime HVAC tune-up includes:

• Inspection: We will check the condition of the indoor coil, condenser coil, bearings, electrical contacts and wiring, fan blades, capacitors, service valves, ductwork, and more.
• Calibration: We will calibrate the thermostat, blower motor, supply-return ports, compressor, and more.
• Cleaning: We will clean, flush, or treat the air filter, condensate drain, refrigerant, condenser coil, and more.

This awesome service, alongside duct cleaning for your entire home, helps you get the Pollen Monster under control, so you and your family can actually enjoy the sunny season. Call us at 205-979-0946to request your HVAC tune-up service. You can also contact us 24/7 for emergency services.