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As spring warms into summer, it’s the perfect time to refresh more than just your landscaping and wardrobes. It’s also a great opportunity to focus on your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ) in Lakeside, MT. Warmer weather often means more time spent indoors with windows closed to keep the heat out, so ensuring your indoor air is clean and healthy is critical. Here are a few important ways to prepare your home’s IAQ for the months ahead.
1. Clean Your Air Ducts
Your air ducts are the highways that transport heated or cooled air throughout your home—but they can also harbor dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and other allergens. Over time, these contaminants can accumulate and circulate back into your living spaces whenever your HVAC system runs.
Spring is an ideal time to schedule a professional duct cleaning. A thorough cleaning removes built-up debris, improves airflow, and helps ensure that your family breathes easier. Clean ducts can also enhance your HVAC system’s efficiency, which may lead to lower energy bills during the peak cooling season.
2. Upgrade Your HVAC Filters
Air filters are your HVAC system’s first line of defense against airborne pollutants. However, not all filters are created equal. Basic filters mainly protect the HVAC equipment from dust buildup, but higher-quality filters—such as those rated MERV 13 or higher—are designed to capture much smaller particles, including pollen, mold spores, and even some bacteria and viruses.
Replacing your standard filter with a high-efficiency one can significantly improve your home’s air quality. Just remember to check your system’s specifications and consult an HVAC professional if you’re unsure which filter your system can handle. And no matter what type you use, replace or clean filters regularly—ideally every one to three months, depending on usage and filter type.
3. Improve Ventilation with a Heat or Energy Recovery Ventilator
Modern homes are built to be energy-efficient, which often means they are tightly sealed against outdoor air. While that’s great for keeping conditioned air inside, it can trap indoor pollutants if proper ventilation isn’t in place.
Adding a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) can make a huge difference. These systems bring in fresh outdoor air while exhausting stale indoor air, all without significantly impacting your heating or cooling load. An HRV is particularly useful in cooler climates where humidity isn’t a major concern, while an ERV manages both heat and moisture, making it ideal for more humid regions.
By introducing a steady supply of fresh, filtered air into your home, HRVs and ERVs help dilute pollutants, control humidity, and create a healthier indoor environment year-round.
Breathe Easier This Summer
Spring cleaning shouldn’t stop with dusting shelves and vacuuming rugs. By paying attention to your home’s indoor air quality now, you’ll enjoy fresher, cleaner air all summer long—and you’ll help your HVAC system perform more efficiently when you need it most.
Ready to breathe easier? Talk to an IAQ expert from our team of HVAC professionals. We can help with scheduling a duct cleaning, upgrading your filters, or installing a ventilation system. A few smart steps this spring can make your home a healthier, more comfortable place for you and your family all summer—and all year—long.
For all of your HVAC needs, contact Bill’s Superheat, Inc. today! Here to Save the Day!