Welcome to Sarasota winter! Finally!

You’ve probably noticed your allergies recently, as the weather jumps between 45 degrees and a heat index in the mid-80s, between 24 hours of rain and total dryness. And if you’ve turned your heater on, you’ve probably really noticed them.

There are a lot of ways your HVAC can help or hurt your allergies. Whether filtering or failing to filter the air, distributing clean air throughout your house or stirring up dust, eliminating mold growth or making your home a mold-growing utopia.

If your allergies are getting worse inside than they are outside, your HVAC system might be to blame. Here are some things to look out for.

Dry Air Leads to Itchy Noses

Sarasota HVAC systems are designed to dry out air. In an area with such intense humidity, they have to be able to dehumidify in order to prevent mold and mildew growth.

But in Sarasota, when the weather dries out, it can throw all of us out of whack—even (or especially) if your HVAC is working perfectly.

For one thing, dry air causes other things to dry out, too. Dust and dust mites, spores and anything else that usually sticks to moist surfaces is now drying out and going airborne.

If these things are already inside your home, then you’ll need your HVAC circulation to pick them up through the intakes and catch them in the filter. So if your HVAC is in great condition, with a new, effective filter, it might take a day or two of running your heater before you notice a difference in the dust.

(Also keep in mind that dry air will dry out the membranes in your nose and throat, too, creating discomfort that comes with the season.)

Old Filters and Dirty Ducts Make Allergens Worse

Of course, if your filter isn’t working, then all that dust is just going to keep cycling through your house. And you’ll be suffering with it all winter long—unless you change your filter, or have a professional change it for you.

Worse still, if your ducts are filthy , then turning on your heater is just kicking up a storm of allergens right inside your house.

There’s no solution for dirty ducts other than professional HVAC company AC duct cleaning.

Malfunctioning Sarasota AC Unit Grows Winter Mold Like a Greenhouse

But the worst AC scenario in Sarasota’s mild winter is an HVAC unit that hasn’t been dehumidifying properly , or one that leaks and introduces moisture into your house.

When you turn on your heater to a moist environment, then you might as well be fertilizing the mold and mildew in your home. This isn’t just bad for allergens; it can be a potentially serious danger for respiratory distress and other health hazards.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues this winter, then call the AC professionals who have been serving Sarasota and Bradenton for more than 40 years.