In the winter, it’s common for indoor air quality to suffer from air pollutants like pet dander, pollen, and dust mites. While these contaminants won’t directly cause the flu, they can irritate your respiratory system and make you more susceptible to cold and flu symptoms.
Along with washing your hands and getting a flu shot, learning how to maintain your HVAC system throughout flu season can lower your chances of becoming sick. A properly maintained heating and cooling system keeps your indoor air fresher, helping you breathe easier and reducing exposure to viruses and germs.
At Lex Air Conditioning, we have built a reputation as the gold standard of white glove service in Carrollton, TX, and across the DFW Metroplex. Our team goes above and beyond to provide personalized care, timely responses, and thorough attention to detail. We handle everything from basic filter replacements to advanced air quality improvements for residents seeking a healthier, more comfortable home. Whether you’re looking for preventive maintenance, urgent repairs, or expert advice, we tailor each visit to suit your specific needs.
For more information on how your HVAC system can help during cold and flu season, call Lex Air at (972) 217-8955 or reach out online today. Our experienced technicians proudly serve Carrollton and the greater DFW area, offering everything from filter replacements to advanced solutions that boost air quality. With the proper care plan, you can keep your family healthy and enjoy cleaner, fresh air all winter.
Why HVAC Maintenance Is Crucial During Flu Season
Regular maintenance can help you avoid getting sick by boosting the overall indoor air quality in your home. Viruses may spread more easily during flu season through stagnant air and poor ventilation. An efficient HVAC system can help manage humidity levels, filter out airborne viruses, and maintain proper temperatures that stop germs from multiplying.
If you want to fight cold symptoms and keep your family healthy, now is the time to pay attention to how your heating and cooling system is functioning.
- Improved Indoor Air Quality: A clean HVAC system significantly boosts indoor air quality by tackling common air pollutants like pet dander, dust mites, and mold spores. Proper air filters and clear air ducts help reduce bacteria, viruses, and flu virus particles, allowing fresh air to cycle in and push out stagnant air. This balanced airflow lowers your risks for cold and flu by filtering out harmful particles and limiting poor indoor air quality, ultimately protecting your home and your immune system.
- Maintaining Optimal Humidity Levels: Humidity should not drop too low or climb too high in the winter. If your home has too much humidity, you may create an environment where bacteria and germs thrive. On the other hand, an overly dry atmosphere can lead to dry skin and irritation in the nasal passages, making you more prone to cold and flu. By keeping the humidity levels balanced—typically between 30% and 50%—you can maintain proper humidity levels that discourage the flu virus while fostering better indoor air quality, especially during flu season.
- Reducing the Spread of Airborne Germs: Clean air filters, well-maintained air ducts, and good circulation are powerful tools to keep airborne germs at bay. A clogged filter or neglected duct system can recirculate dust, pet dander, and other air pollutants, contributing to poor indoor air quality. By scheduling a maintenance check, you help your HVAC system operate more effectively, reducing the spread of bacteria, flu virus particles, and other irritants. This step supports your well-being while helping your family healthy all season long.
Essential HVAC Maintenance Tips for Flu Season
When it comes to how to maintain your HVAC system throughout flu season, a few key actions can make a noticeable difference in the air in your home. Regular upkeep of your heating and cooling components helps you improve indoor air quality while also extending the lifespan of your cooling system.
Below are several suggestions to follow as you aim for better indoor air and overall health.
Change Your Air Filters Regularly
When the temperatures drop, changing your air filters becomes crucial for winter comfort. Because your mucous membranes are drier this time of year, dust, pet dander, flu virus particles, and other viruses can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat, making you more susceptible to respiratory infections.
One of the simplest ways to maintain your HVAC system is knowing when to replace air filters, which is regularly. Dirty filters contribute to poor air flow, reduced HVAC system efficiency, and subpar air quality. By swapping your filter once a month or following manufacturer guidelines, you circulate cleaner, filtered air and lower your risk of getting sick during flu season.
Upgrade to High-Efficiency Filters
High-efficiency filters, including those with higher MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) ratings, can trap smaller particles like bacteria, viruses, and dust mites more effectively. MERV typically ranges from 1 to 16, with higher numbers corresponding to finer filtration. In many homes, a MERV rating between 8 and 13 is enough to improve indoor air, but you can talk to experienced technicians at Lex Air for personalized advice.
Some homeowners upgrade to HEPA filters if they want to remove an even larger percentage of harmful particles. Enhancing your air filters in this way provides a direct route to keeping your home’s air cleaner and safer.
Clean Air Ducts
Clogged air ducts and poor ventilation directly affect your indoor air quality. Since air ducts are key parts of your HVAC system, they can harbor germs if not maintained regularly. Schedule annual maintenance to have your ducts cleaned to clear out dust and debris. It helps improve the air quality inside your home, as dirty ductwork can lead to poor air quality, lingering odors, and higher energy costs.
Removing trapped air pollutants also boosts airflow, assisting your system in running more efficiently. Most experts recommend a professional duct cleaning every few years or whenever you suspect blockages in your HVAC unit.
Maintain Proper Humidity Levels
Most people dread humidity in the summer, but when it’s cold outside, maintaining the right level of humidity in your home is important to discourage flu virus growth. When humidity levels are too high, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria and viruses to multiply in the air inside, which can cause a runny nose, itchy eyes, and chronic sore throat. Not having enough moisture in the air also creates a host of problems, such as a dry cough and dry mucous membranes.
A whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier can be an excellent addition if you discover too much humidity or dryness. Maintaining consistent humidity control also helps your nasal passages function properly, which is a key factor in maintaining a healthy home and defending against the flu and other seasonal illnesses.
Install an Air Purification Device
Air purifier and air scrubber installation is another great way to target airborne viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants that ordinary air filters might not catch. Reducing these pathogens can significantly improve indoor air quality and help everyone in your home breathe easier. Some systems rely on UV light to destroy flu virus particles, while others use ionization to break down pollutants or advanced filtration to trap ultrafine particles.
- UV Purifiers: Utilize ultraviolet light to neutralize bacteria and flu virus particles.
- Ionic Purifiers: Employ charged ions to attract and remove air pollutants from circulation.
- HEPA-Based Purifiers: Feature-dense filters that capture microscopic allergens, viruses, and dust.
For an additional layer of protection, consider energy recovery ventilator installation, which can help bring in outdoor air and exhaust stale indoor air, diluting lingering pathogens and further reducing the spread of germs.
Schedule Regular HVAC Tune-Ups
A routine tune-up from the experienced technicians at Lex Air keeps your HVAC system operating at peak performance. These visits generally include a maintenance check of key parts in both your heating and cooling equipment. A technician may inspect your fan mode settings, thermostat, and overall system performance to confirm everything is running correctly.
By staying on top of your heating and air conditioning tune-ups, you save on energy costs, avoid unexpected breakdowns, and provide your family with fresh air and good indoor air quality all throughout the flu season.
At Lex Air Conditioning and Heating, our Cool Club members benefit from priority scheduling, making it easy to stay on top of essential HVAC service visits. Enrolling in our HVAC maintenance plan today means you’ll never miss your annual tune-ups and can enjoy worry-free comfort all year long.
Schedule Your Carrollton HVAC Maintenance with Lex Air Conditioning and Heating Today
Regardless of the season, routine HVAC maintenance plays a critical role in keeping your family healthy, especially during flu season. Regularly changing air filters, cleaning air ducts, and controlling humidity help prevent poor indoor air quality that can leave you more susceptible to cold and flu. Keeping dust, pet dander, and moisture in check is one way to protect your well-being and enhance your home’s indoor air quality.
Lex Air proudly serves Carrollton and the DFW metroplex by offering heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services, from a thorough maintenance check to installing air purifiers or an energy recovery ventilator for fresh air. Our experienced technicians strive to improve indoor air and keep you comfortable through the winter and beyond.
Call (972) 217-8955 or send a message online to schedule an appointment and learn how our HVAC system solutions can help you avoid feeling sick from viruses and support a healthier home environment. You can also check out the Lex Air Conditioning and Heating blog for more information and inside tips.
