How can Heaters Trigger Winter Allergies?

Allergies from pollen and grass in spring are common, but this doesn’t explain the fact that many people seem to experience allergy symptoms during the winters when we stay indoors. As a result of studies, It could be linked to the use of the heaters installed in your homes and offices.

While warm air itself can irritate the nasal lining, several other factors can trigger an allergy from the heater. Let’s have a look.

Causes of winter allergy from heaters

1. Dryness

Lack of moisture is a huge factor in triggering allergy symptoms during the winters. As you turn the furnace on, the warm air that circulates sucks away at the humidity in the room. This causes nasal congestion along with dryness and crusting, which tends to aggravate the symptoms. Burning wood, on the other hand, can worsen allergies. A good way to combat this problem would be to keep your nose moisturized, just as you apply extra moisture on your skins in winters. Saline nasal sprays can be of great help.

2. Poor quality of air

It’s important to upkeep heater maintenance and avoid allergies from the heater as the winter season arrives. Before you switch the heater on, make sure you have it cleaned and sanitized beforehand. The warm air that blows out of the furnace must not spew contaminants in the room, including insect parts, dust, and mold that have collected in the heating vents. When you inhale the polluted air, your allergies can be triggered or worsened. Seasonal allergy, characterized by persistent headaches and sneezing, can also be a result of uncleaned heater usage. Heater service from Quick Air can provide proper maintenance to avoid the worsening of your allergies.

3. Dusted air ducts

Besides being collected in the filters, dust can settle in the air ducts as well. This reinforces the fact that heater maintenance is extremely important throughout the year, especially before usage in winters. An HVAC technician has the necessary skills and tools to clean the air ducts properly, so you must not delay getting one. If you are allergic to dust, you may want to leave until after heater service takes place.

How to prevent allergies from the heater?

While most people find it easier to cope with spring allergies, fall allergy symptoms are far more difficult to treat. This is because the cooler temperatures that affect our immune systems mean  microorganisms can breed well. Coupled with infection from cold viruses, dust, debris, and airborne contaminants all worsen the allergic symptoms.

Several ways have been mentioned that may help you to prevent the allergy from the heater; that is, keeping up with the heater maintenance, scheduling proper heater service, and turning it on only when needed.  The following tips might help you more with the prevention of allergies.

1. Dust your residence regularly – if there are no dust particles in the air, they can’t be collected inside the air ducts
2. Ensure your vacuum has a HEPA filter
3. Clean your curtains frequently
4. Vacuum the place once you have dusted
5. Monitor house’s moisture levels

HVAC technicians from Quick Air recommend that keeping filters, air ducts, and furnaces regularly replaced and in good working conditions can reduce allergens, without undertaking extra cleaning measures.