Airflow, or circulation, is often overlooked when we think about comfort and the temperature of our home. It actually plays a pretty important role though; it reduces the accumulation of dust, helps keep the temperature even, and often affects humidity level. It can even play a vital role in reducing the number of germs and microbes in your home!
Many people don’t pay attention to airflow until they notice a “stuffy” feeling in a room or throughout their home. Here are 5 things you can do to improve airflow:
- Open those windows and turn on those fans. Create a cross breeze whenever possible by opening windows or even doors on opposite sides of the home. Ceiling fans can assist by inviting air in from all directions.
- Clean your house often. Seems like good advice regardless, but dirt and dust can wreak havoc on forced-air HVAC systems. If you keep up with vacuuming and dusting, you can help reduce the amount of debris that gathers on your HVAC’s filters and things will run more efficiently.
- Check your duct work. If your ducts have leaks in them, they could be making your home dustier than normal or even make you sick. You could also have reduced airflow and be losing about 10% of your air via leaks and cracks.
- Replace those HVAC filters regularly. Add them to your Fall and Spring cleaning lists. Clogged filters reduce airflow and make your system work harder in addition to making your home less comfortable and increasing your energy bills. It could also cause avoidable furnace repairs. Need to replace your filters – here are some tips on choosing the right ones.
- Schedule your routine maintenance every year. One of the most important ways to make sure you are getting good airflow from your forced air system is to have an annual tune-up – yes, every year. Your HVAC system requires proper care and cleaning so regular maintenance is a must.
These simple tips can help keep the air in your home moving as well as making you more comfortable. Airflow has always been important during the flu season when germs get trapped indoors, but it’s become important as well during the pandemic.
