How to Fight Allergies During the Fall and Winter Months

If you suffer from environmental allergies, especially during the fall and winter, you probably look forward to the first freeze to kill the outdoor allergens that have been making you miserable for the past several months. While cold weather can mean a decline in environmental allergies, coming indoors for the fall and winter can cause a host of other issues for allergy sufferers. 

Closing up your home and starting your furnace can actually cause allergies to get even worse during the fall and winter. Proper maintenance of your HVAC system is crucial to help keep allergies at bay and improve your indoor air quality.  Here are a few things to consider:

• Check air filters – Heated air from a forced air system that runs through dirty air filters will blow dust and dirt all over your home. Check and replace your air filters regularly.
• Dirty ducts – Even if you have a fresh and clean air filter, the dust particles that are blowing around your home could come from a dirty air ducts.
• Preventative maintenance – If your HVAC system is running well it can more efficiently filter out unwanted allergens.
• Air quality products – Air quality enhancements can go far to ensure that your system is working at peak performance. Consider adding on an air filtration system to help reduce allergens and allow you to breathe easier.

AccuClean™ Whole-Home Air Filtration System

Blue Flame Heating and Cooling, in Spokane, Washington, is proud to offer their customers the AccuClean™ Whole-Home Air Filtration System. Regular use of this system in conjunction with a properly maintained HVAC system can result in up to 99.98% cleaner air.  Some of the other benefits include:

• Reliability – After thorough testing, AccuClean™ was shown to outperform similar systems.
• Efficiency – Creates filtered air with efficient operation and consistent airflow.
• Comfort -  Infuses your home for comfortable cleaned air in every room.
• Reduced dust – Enjoy 50 percent less dust than without AccuClean system.
• Quiet – Silent operation for a quiet indoor environment.
• Warranty -  10-year registered limited warranty on functional parts.

Are you looking for a solution to your nagging allergies during the fall and winter months? An air filtration system might be the answer to your problems. To determine if this is the right option for you, contact the experts at Blue Flame. They have over two decades of experience in HVAC and air quality systems. 

Springtime and Indoor Allergens

Almost everyone is happy when spring comes around, but there is one unfortunate drawback to the warmer weather... allergies. Seasonal allergies affect as many as 50 million Americans, making springtime a less pleasant time of year than it really should be. Although, there's not much you can do about seasonal outdoor allergens like pollen in the air; there are solutions for indoor air pollution - an arguably bigger problem for allergy sufferers.

Since indoor air pollution levels are two to five times higher than outdoor air pollution levels and we spend a good deal of our time indoors, the air quality we breathe indoors should be of the utmost importance. Regular maintenance of your HVAC system can improve indoor air quality and reduce allergens throughout the home.

• Replace filters. Use high-quality filters or permanent HEPA filters, which remove more than 90% of microscopic particles, drastically reducing indoor allergens. For replaceable filters, consider changing them every three months. For permanent HEPA filters, clean them or have them cleaned regularly.
• Keep your HVAC unit clean. Check your outdoor AC unit and indoor unit to make sure they are free of dust and debris. If you r unit is left dusty or dirty, that debris will be sucked into the HVAC system and circulated throughout your home. Keeping your units clean will reduce allergens. 
• Check for mold. Mold is one of the most dangerous indoor pollutants that can be in your home. You should be checking your air ducts, drip pan and drain, evaporator coils, and air handler every few weeks to make sure there is no mold growth. Mold spores cause allergies and in some cases if left unchecked, they cause serious illness and even death.
• Dust regularly. When dusting your home, you should dust your air registers and return vents first. If your registers and vents are dusty, then they will circulate dust to the rest of your home. And cleaning them with a damp cloth instead of a feather-duster will pick up the dust rather than just redistributing it elsewhere.
• Schedule HVAC maintenance. Spring is a great time to schedule an HVAC maintenance appointment. Regular professional maintenance is important to keep your system healthy and free of dust and blockage.

If you're due for new filters or maintenance on your HVAC system, choose Blue Flame Heating & Air Conditioning LLC! We know the importance of indoor air quality for you and your family. We also recommend the Air Scrubber Plus purification system for your home. Air Scrubber Plus offers the only environmental technology that is proven to actually reduce contaminants in the air and surfaces of the home. The difference in air quality is noticeable; the air is fresher and the surfaces are cleaner, with an up to 99% reduction in contaminants on surfaces like kitchen sinks, keyboards, and doorknobs. Dust, allergens, mildew and odor-causing bacteria are proven to be significantly reduced from the indoor environment with Air Scrubber Plus, which is available through Blue Flame Heating & Air Conditioning LLC! With our help, allergy sufferers will be able to breathe easier this spring.