Dangers of Contaminants in your HVAC System
Your HVAC system is a complex network of moving and stationary parts, all working together to heat and cool your home. This system is equipped with a filter that must be changed regularly. This filter works to stop dust, dirt and other impurities from entering your system from the outside and being blown into your offices or the rooms of your home.
And while it’s useful to have, a filter isn’t much defense against viruses, mold spores, bacteria, pollen and living organisms. All these microscopic invaders pass right though the filter, enter the ducts and eventually end up in your lungs.
Continually breathing such contaminants often makes people sick, and their symptoms may last for weeks or months. Common symptoms include coughing, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, headaches, lethargy and more. The bacteria and viruses in an HVAC system can also cause other, more serious illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia and even the deadly hantavirus.