Unless you live in a warm climate all year round, your indoor air gets stagnant during the winter months. You cannot open your doors and windows to clear things out, so by the time spring comes, the cool-weather stuffiness is overbearing. If anyone in your family got sick, you have germs floating around in the air as well. Get rid of that stale winter air and welcome the beauty of spring into your home.
Open Up
One of the most exciting things about seeing the season’s first thaw is warmer weather is on its way. You and your family have had enough of being cooped up indoors, and you cannot wait to get outside and – you guessed it – into fresh air. One of the reasons why people are sick more in the winter than the summer is because you are limited to the ventilation inside your home. When you cannot refresh the indoor air without outdoor air, germs and allergens infiltrate the space.
Part of preparing for warmer weather is airing out your home. So, if you wake up to a beautiful, sunny day, open up. Let the indoor air out and the outdoor air in. In fact, you can even take fans and place them in your windows backward so they are blowing the stuffy air inside the house outside. If you have seasonal allergies, you might find yourself sneezing due to spring pollens, but at least you are getting all of Old Man Winter’s stuffiness out.
Prepare for Warmer Weather
Once you’ve aired the house out, it’s time to get your home’s HVAC system ready for the warmer months. Sure, you’ll leave everything open during springtime, but when the mercury rises in summer, you’ll want to close up once again and turn on the air conditioner. If you are struggling with seasonal allergies, don’t assume that you’ll breathe easier with the AC on. Unless you get prepared for warmer months ahead, you might find yourself even more miserable.
Your first plan of attack is to change all of the air filters around your house and in your HVAC unit. Make certain you change these filters per the manufacturer’s recommendations to get the best air filtration your system provides. It might be worth suffering through spring so you can come out of winter hibernation and have fun in the sun, but there’s no point in flipping on the AC once the weather gets too hot only to circulate dust, pollen, and other irritants.
The next preparation phase is to have your HVAC unit checked. You should plan to do this twice a year: in the spring and in the fall. Call a professional to conduct a full system check. He will clean your air conditioner condenser, ensure your coolant levels are optimal, check all working parts for wear and tear, and test the unit and thermostat to make certain you’ll walk into a refreshing home from the hot outdoors all summer long.
When you enlist professional help, he will also clean your air ducts and vents to ensure you are not inhaling dangerous mold and mildew. Once you air out the house and the HVAC maintenance is complete, you’ll be ready to enjoy warmer months in your cool indoors.
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