BETTER BREATHING

Reducing allergens with whole-house purification

By Jason Boyett

Last month was a bad one for allergy sufferers. September pestered local sinus passages with cold north winds and high pollen counts. Those are pretty typical, but the smoke from Colorado and California wildfires were a new phenomenon – and made allergies even worse. Spring gets most of the annual attention, but fall is ragweed season. Allergy sufferers had no way to escape it other than staying home.

But what if the air and dust inside your home also trigger allergies? Today’s homes are more energy-efficient than ever before, which means any air pollutants that get inside the house tend to stay inside the house. Everything from dust mites to pet dander can inflame asthma and worsen allergy problems. Without adequate filtration, they might just keep circulating through the air ducts.

Given the pandemic, most locals have become more aware of indoor air quality than ever before, and may have turned their attention lately to devices like humidifiers or in-room air purifiers to improve indoor conditions. With that in mind, we asked Dustin Burnam, a senior HVAC technician and the “comfort advisor” at Gary’s Heating and Air Conditioning, for a professional perspective on keeping indoor air clean.

Here are a few of his recommendations.

Avoid the expensive allergy air filters

Most homeowners understand the most basic level of filtration is keeping air filters clean. Manufacturers typically suggest replacing them every month or two. While residents with pets or allergies should follow that suggestion, others might be able to replace them every 90 days. In addition to frequency, the type of air filter is important. Burnam warns against using what he calls the expensive, “golly-gee-whiz” high-end filters – like those specifically designed by 3M to prevent allergies.

These heavily pleated, densely packed filters can cost $20 to $25 and promise to trap every microscopic particle of pollen or dust. But they can potentially cause more harm than good. “They have to make those allergen-protection filters so thick to catch those particles that they actually restrict air flow, which in essence will put stress on your blower motors or your compression outside,” Burnam says.

In the process of capturing more dust, the filters can slow down air intake. With too little air passing through, a heating and air conditioning system may try to compensate by drawing in air that’s not filtered – like the air surrounding the blower cabinet. That means potentially more allergens, plus enough mechanical strain to cause premature equipment failure.

Most HVAC professionals suggest a mid-range, $10 filter that captures dust and pollen particles without restricting airflow. But Burnam recommends going one step further: an air cleaner.

Call in the AirRanger

For customers concerned about reducing dust and allergens, Gary’s frequently recommends installing a product called the Clean Air Defense System AirRanger, which is an electronic air cleaner that installs in the standard filter rack of a traditional healing and cooling system. It takes the place of a regular filter. “It’s typically one of the most popular items we sell to cut down on dust and overall system maintenance costs,” Burnam says.

While traditional filters may capture 3 to 5% of the particles in the air, the AirRanger captures 97% of microscopic airborne particles. “This will reduce the smaller dirt and dust particles that flare up allergies, asthma problems, sinus problems and keep your heating and air system a lot cleaner,” says Burnam.

He gives an example of its use. “If you have a typical house with one 20-by-25 [inch] filter in the hallway, you take down that filter and put a 20-by-25 AirRanger in its place,” he says. The low-voltage AirRanger connects to electric terminals on a furnace’s control board, using the power supply to magnetize a media pad inside it. The activated-carbon media inside the frame is highly efficient at removing pollen, dust, odors and even cigarette smoke. It needs to be replaced every few months.

Larger houses with multiple filters should consider replacing around 75% of their filtration with an AirRanger, says Burnam, who has them in his own home. “My wife has really bad allergies and sinus problems that flare up different times of the year. These cut down on her sneezing and she doesn’t have to take as many products or medications to help,” he says.

While the initial investment may end up being a little more expensive than standard filters, the air cleaners are much more efficient at trapping particles than thick allergyreducing filters – without the potential maintenance issues. “When we open up an indoor unit at a home that uses an AirRanger, typically it’s a lot cleaner than one that runs with a standard filter,” says Burnam.

Add integrated humidification

Amarillo’s climate is famously dry – especially in the fall and winter – which can amplify the impact of allergens and unhealthy particulates. The human body does a pretty efficient job at natural filtration, using the moist surfaces of the nasal passages and lungs to catch potential contaminants. But when those tissues dry out, our bodies become much less-efficient filters. That’s why respiratory issues tend to spike in the winter months.

“A typical house in the wintertime around here is roughly 9 to 12% humidity,” Burnam says. That’s extremely dry. In fact, the average daytime relative humidity in the Mojave Desert can be at least 20%. The more a heating unit runs during cold weather, the drier a house will become. Research shows that respiratory illnesses like the flu spread more easily in dry air, which is why most hospital environments use humidity as a prevention strategy. That’s also why public health experts have warned of spiking COVID-19 cases during the winter.

Humidity keeps the nasal passages moist, which can reduce a homeowner’s susceptibility to allergens, contaminants, bacteria and viruses. Many residents turn to inexpensive tabletop humidifiers during the winter. Unfortunately, those don’t always work as well as one might hope – especially in a larger home.

They might even be making things worse. “A lot of people will use humidifiers that service one particular room, but if you’re not using distilled water, those can have a negative effect on your heating and cooling system,” warns Burnam. Amarillo’s tap water is notoriously “hard” because it primarily comes from underground sources. The high mineral count isn’t bad for health but can be bad for air filters. When tap water is used for an in-room humidifier, the minerals in the water get distributed into the air. “I’ve gone to numerous calls where the filter gets clogged up because of the minerals in the air from the tap water,” he says. “It can actually cause a system to go into failure.”

A better solution is an integrated whole-house humidifier,

which HVAC technicians can install to humidify the air at the system level rather than room to room. While a cool-mist humidifier from Walgreen’s might release a gallon or two of moisture into the room every few hours, integrated systems connect directly to a home’s plumbing, distributing multiple gallons of moisture into the air as it travels through the ducts. “When we install these, we actually bring out a plumber and they tie it into the hot-water side of the hot water tank, so it’s got a continuous water stream going to it. You don’t have to do anything as far as filling it up. You just turn the unit on,” Burnam says. Control systems allow homeowners to set and maintain precise humidity levels in their homes. Burnam keeps his own house at 45% humidity year-round.

Best of all, the water doesn’t have to be distilled. A water panel on the unit captures any calcification but gets changed out yearly.

While these humidification systems can be expensive – a typical installation is more than $2,000 – residents can definitely feel the results.

Shine a light

A final potential line of defense against allergens comes in the form of ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light kills viruses, bacteria, molds and mildews and is frequently installed in institutional settings, including hospitals and water treatment facilities. UV lights are even becoming popular additions to restaurant kitchens as these businesses work to keep their public spaces as healthy as possible.

In an air conditioning unit, the refrigerant inside the evaporator coil creates a perpetually dark, wet and cold environment. This can provide a perfect breeding ground for molds and mildews. But molds and mildews don’t grow in the presence of ultraviolet light. Installing a UV light in the supply ductwork can dramatically reduce the potential for bacteria or mold spores to find their way into the air flow and inside the house.

“It shines up in that supply ductwork so any air that goes across it is basically neutralized,” says Burnam. “The one we offer has a really big ‘kill range,’ as we call it. That provides protection all the way through the actual supply ductwork that goes room to room within your house.”

A UV light unit is relatively easy to install and incredibly effective at breaking down any pathogens or organic material that may be circulating in the home. But it doesn’t have any impact on dust, so is best used in tandem with an air cleaner.

Most HVAC companies serving the Amarillo area offer these allergen-reducing solutions for homeowners and businesses.

Six Steps to Reduce Indoor Allergens

While installing whole-home purification and humidification systems can have a dramatic effect on allergies, a few smaller steps will also help keep your indoor environment tolerable.

Dampen your dusting. Multiple allergens are contained in dust particles. Brushing dust off a table with a feather duster or dry cloth simply moves it elsewhere – like onto the floor or carpet. Experts suggest using a damp microfiber cloth to trap the dust.

Dust beyond the tabletops. Ceiling fans and blinds trap plenty of dust but aren’t always as visible as a dusty tabletop. Don’t ignore these spaces.

Wash pillowcases frequently. Asthma, sneezing and other common allergies are often caused by dust mites, microscopic creatures which live in dust and eat human skin cells. They thrive in pillows and carpeting. In addition to frequent washing, consider containing your pillow in a specialized dust-mite-proof pillow cover. (Dust covers are also helpful on mattresses.)

Keep the windows closed. Warm daytime temperatures may be enticing in the fall, but open windows let in extra dust – especially when the wind is blowing. It may also help to remove your shoes while indoors.

Switch to wood floors. Wood planks trap less dust than carpet. For allergy sufferers, experts recommend wood or tile flooring instead of carpet. Mop your floors, and if you have area rugs, wash them frequently.

Vacuum better. Consider using a bagless vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, which is more effective in capturing pollen and other allergens. And don’t just focus on the floor, but also on upholstered furniture.

Here When You Need Us, Close to Home

Don’t put your health on hold! You can feel safe seeking emergency care from the Northwest ER at Town Square and the Northwest ER on Georgia.

Our medical teams offer quality, advanced care while focusing on the smaller details that help save lives, like strict hygiene protocol, proper hand washing and enhanced cleaning processes.

If you’re having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Northwest Emergency on Georgia

4121 S. Georgia St., Amarillo, TX 79110 (I-27 and Georgia)

Northwest Emergency at Town Square

8960 Hillside Rd., Amarillo, TX 79119 (Hillside and Soncy)

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