The HVAC Ventilation System's Role in Allergy and Asthma Symptom Prevention

Keep your home well ventilated. Have your ventilation system checked for clogs and leaks. Both can cause your system to work inefficiently; costing you money and possibly worsening allergy and asthma symptoms for sufferers.

Use air-conditioning to keep inside humidity at 50 percent or lower to slow the growth of dust mites and molds during warm weather months or in areas of high humidity. An inexpensive hygrometer will help you monitor humidity in your home.

Replace fiberglass filters with dust and allergy prevention electrostatic filters and clean them often. Add a UV Air Cleanser filter to your system. UV Air Cleansers have been used very successfully in hospitals for years and are now available for residential use. Indoor air pollution is often higher than outdoor air pollution because of the sun's natural air-cleaning UV rays. A UV Air Cleanser greatly reduces allergy and asthma triggers, but also cold, flu and other airborne viruses and bacteria.

For severe sufferers, a portable electrostatic or UV cleanser unit in the bedroom may be required. The portable units are efficient at cleaning air in their immediate vicinity, but are of limited use in large rooms. They have not been shown to be useful for persons with a dust mite allergy, since dust mite particles are not airborne.

Properly maintain heating and cooling systems by having them cleaned by a NADCA-certified company that uses HEPA Negative Air Flow technology. Have your HVAC system professionally cleaned at least once a year to keep it clear of molds and other microbes. Have the system cleaned twice a year if mold is a problem in your area and/or you have individuals with severe mold allergies in your home.