In the late summer and early fall seasons here in the Northeast, the air is inundated with grass and weed pollen spores, bringing about miserable allergy symptoms for many people. If you’re suffering, you’ll do just about anything to get relief. Like pay a fortune to your neighbor’s kid to do your yard work for you. (We know one guy who wears a surgical mask 24 hours a day.)
If you own a business or are in charge of building maintenance, this problem can cause you major headaches (in addition to the sniffles, sneezes and coughs). The prevalence of air conditioning allergy symptoms can seriously disrupt worker productivity. Employees are staying home sick and taking time off to visit the doctor. Also, blowing your nose 100 times a day takes considerable time away from your job! The problem can even turn deadly for people with chronic conditions such as COPD, asthma and diabetes.
If you’re running a restaurant or retail store, all that sneezing and wheezing can even drive customers away. Listening to a waiter or another customer gasping for breath doesn’t do much for people’s appetites, and may even make patrons concerned about the cleanliness of your establishment. And who wants to shop in a store that exacerbates air conditioning allergy symptoms? Your customers will be going elsewhere faster than you can say “bless you.”
So how can you fight Mother Nature and help you and your building’s occupants stay healthy and comfortable this season?
Give Mother Nature the ol’ one-two punch
Here’s an allergy-fighting strategy that can make a serious difference in the air conditioning allergy symptoms experienced by your building’s occupants: have your HVAC system maintained.
Sound too simple? It is simple, actually. It only has two steps. And it’s not even very expensive. Especially when you consider the money you’re losing from lost business and reduced productivity.
1. Install HEPA filters.
Some people mistakenly believe that the typical filters in their air conditioners and ventilation systems protect them from allergens in the air. The truth is, these filters are designed only to keep large dirt and debris particles from damaging the equipment, not to protect your lungs. To remove outdoor allergens from your building’s air handling equipment, you need high-energy particulate air filters, more commonly known as HEPA filters.
The most effective HEPA filters trap more than 99% of pollen, dust and smoke. Ask your NYC HVAC service provider to install HEPA filters with a MERV rating of 10 or above, which are most effective at blocking tiny pollen particles. For HEPA filters to be effective, they need to be changed at least every other month, or sometimes more often if your building is located in an area with very high pollen counts.
2. Have your HVAC system thoroughly cleaned.
It’s time to have your air conditioning and heating equipment thoroughly cleaned–especially if you haven’t done this in a while. This includes the ductwork, where dust, pollen, moisture and other allergens in the air accumulate over time.
Dirty cooling coils, fan motors and blades, drain pans and other parts can cause contaminants and moisture to enter the ducts. As your air handling systems circulate air throughout your building, they are also circulating contaminants including pollen and even mold spores. Regular cleaning of your equipment and air ducts by experienced professionals can greatly improve the air quality in your building and help reduce air conditioning allergy symptoms.
BONUS: Cleaning and tuning up your HVAC system also prevents breakdowns and increases the life span of your system. It also increases the efficiency of your equipment, saving energy and reducing your utility bills.
The following situations call for immediate action:
- You’ve decently completed a renovation, which releases VOCs and other toxins into the air, and may necessitate changes to your ventilation layout.
- You have water leaks or visible mold, which can lead to serious illness including Sick Building Syndrome.
- You’ve never cleaned your ductwork!
In these cases, don’t delay another day. You could have a serious air quality issue that’s hurting your building occupants and your bottom line. All you have to do is call in an experienced HVAC professional, who will get out the big guns and show those outdoor allergens who’s boss.
See, isn’t that simple? Easier than taking broccoli from a baby. Take that, Mother Nature!
If you’ve been neglecting taking care of your HVAC system, you may be surprised to learn that in addition to causing air conditioning allergy symptoms, poor maintenance could be seriously affecting your bottom line. Learn more about what your HVAC system is really costing you by downloading a copy of our free guide to Calculating the Hidden Costs of Poor HVAC Maintenance.
