Spring in East Texas Means More Than Just Blooms
It’s almost springtime in beautiful East Texas. There are few places in the nation more beautiful than East Texas in the midst of spring’s full bloom. All types of flowers and trees blossom. People come from miles around to walk the Azalea Trail and hike in the piney woods.
However, with the blooms, comes pollen. Those with allergies know, pollen season can be rough. But did you know pollen can also impact your air conditioner?
The spring and summer season are the times when your HVAC system is working the hardest to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. The warm months mean dust and pollen in the air, which means your air conditioning may need extra attention to keep it working at optimum levels.
How Pollen Affects AC Performance
How do you know when pollen is impacting your air conditioner?
One of the most obvious ways to tell if your air conditioner isn’t working properly is by paying attention to how efficiently it seems to be working. Pollen impacts your AC by clogging important components such as the filters and accruing on the coils, which makes the unit run less efficiently. If not attended to, it will get worse and worse and cause major problems with your AC.
If you notice that your system isn’t running as it should you may also notice things like you’re spending more on utility bills and your home isn’t getting cooled properly. If this is the case, it’s important you call an AC repair company and have them do HVAC system maintenance to diagnose and fix the problem.
Indoor Air Quality and Allergies
Have you noticed that the air quality in your home isn’t what it should be? Are you and other members of your household suddenly coughing and sneezing more than you usually do during the spring and summer season? If this is the case, it could be because pollen is impacting your air conditioner and thereby more allergens are entering your home and impacting your sinuses.
Poor air quality can cause serious problems, especially for individuals with severe allergies or respiratory problems. Having an AC system check and cleaning before pollen season begins means you’re starting ahead of the game with a clean HVAC unit that’s ready to take on what the warm months bring.
Why AC Coils Are Vulnerable to Pollen
There are multiple components to your air conditioner. One of these are the coils. The coils are a crucial part of the unit that helps generate the cool air necessary to keep your home comfortable during Texas’ warm months. The AC coils are often where pollen ends up in your HVAC system.
As pollen accrues on the coils, it decreases your HVAC system’s ability to run as it should. If your unit is working harder than it should, that could impact multiple factors, including causing an increase in your electric bills and triggering damage to your AC. If left unattended for a prolonged period, it could even cause you to need a new air conditioner.
Preventing Pollen Buildup in Your HVAC System
How to prevent pollen from building up in your HVAC system and negatively impacting your AC?
One of the most important ways you can prevent pollen from adversely affecting your air conditioner and the comfort of your home is by scheduling regular and seasonal maintenance with a local AC and heating company.
Professional HVAC businesses in East Texas like ETR make regular maintenance simple by offering incentives such as the option of signing up for their professional HVAC maintenance program, which will help you not miss your seasonal HVAC checkup and cleaning.
At least twice a year it’s important to have professional HVAC technicians inspect and clean the unit with state-of-the-art products and diagnostic equipment. Regular maintenance not only helps save you money on air conditioner repair. It also helps extend the life of your furnace and air conditioner so you won’t need a new one as quickly.
During the inspection the HVAC technician will do everything from clean the ducts and other potential problem areas where pollen and dust gather, to change your air conditioner filter, to inspect all components of your HVAC system to ensure everything is clean and working as it should.
The Role of Air Filters in Controlling Pollen
Filters are a key tool in the fight against pollen entering your home. They’re a critical component to helping protect your home’s air quality, which is important on many levels, especially for those with chronic respiratory issues.
A properly working filter stops and traps pollen and other allergens, making your home’s air less polluted. However, a clogged filter can cause a lot of issues. Make sure to change your filter or have a professional do so on a regular basis and more often during peak pollen months.
Don’t Forget Your Outdoor Unit
When was the last time you cleaned your outdoor unit? It’s important to keep the area around your outdoor AC unit clear of trees, sticks, leaves, shrubs, and other debris that might cause your system to become clogged and not work properly.
While East Texas in the springtime is a nature-lovers dream, it can be tough for people with allergies. Pollen can greatly impact your AC unit if left unchecked.
Schedule your spring HVAC maintenance today and keep your home as allergen-free as possible.
