Take a deep breath. It feels nice, doesn’t it? We have our heating and cooling systems to thank for the indoor air quality we enjoy in our homes. We sometimes take those systems for granted and it can affect our physical health and the efficiency of our HVAC units.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 25% to 40% of the energy used for heating and cooling a home is wasted. This is due to the buildup of contaminants in our HVAC systems that goes ignored, causing them to work harder. Those contaminants don’t merely make the system work overtime, but they’re also a part of the air we’re breathing. There are easy ways to combat these problems and return to smoothly running HVAC units and breathing clean air.

Cleaning and Replacing Your Air Filters

Dust in your home is inevitable. It gets everywhere and comes from everywhere. Just because it’s difficult to see doesn’t mean it’s not affecting the efficiency of your heating and cooling system while potentially being harmful to your health. You can help solve this problem by cleaning your air filters every few months.

Additionally, when cleaning your air filters doesn’t cut it, replacing your filters regularly is important as well. New filters remove dust and debris buildup, making your HVAC system work better while eliminating the higher risk of polluted indoor air. Plus, it’s really easy.

Use Your Home To Your Advantage

Your heating and cooling systems don’t need to do all the legwork to keep your home at a certain level of comfort. Here are some ways that you can use common household items and strategies to keep your system running effectively and your home temperature regulated:

• Use fans and spatial airflow to maximize the work your HVAC system is doing, regardless of the season.
• Seal windows and doors tightly to keep the temperature regulated air in and the summer or winter air out.
• Open doors around the house to promote even airflow.
• Operate ceiling and floor fans to keep air circulating.

These are just a small number of simple things you can do to use your home appliances and systems as allies with your heating and cooling system. Also, remember that a dusty house leads to dusty airflow. Keep your filters cleaner by keeping your in-home dust to a minimum.

Hire Professional Maintenance

There are things you can do to boost the health of your heating and cooling systems, but some things are better left to professional HVAC companies. Know when to leave a job to them and don’t hesitate to call them when you’re unsure of something. With your vigilance and their professional know-how combined, the air in your house will be comfortable, efficiently distributed, and healthy to breathe.

It can be tough to pay attention to the air we breathe. It’s such an involuntary thing. Help your home and health by keeping tabs on your heating and cooling systems throughout the year. Knowing you’ve done that will always be a breath of fresh air.