Top 10 Heater Allergy Symptoms
A central heating system will keep your home warm and cozy all winter if it’s working properly. Even so, it can still have issues. Heater allergy symptoms that appear when your HVAC system is running mean dust, pollen, mold, pet dander, and other allergens (and possibly toxic compounds) are in your heating system, ductwork, and indoor air.
However, your symptoms may disappear when the heater is turned off or you leave your home. To help you recognize the signs of an issue, here are the top 10 heater allergy symptoms to look for.
- Aggravated Respiratory Illnesses: If you have asthma, severe allergies, or other respiratory issues, a contaminated heating system can worsen your symptoms. It can trigger asthma attacks that can last longer than usual.
- Sinus Infections: Contaminants from air ducts and indoor spaces enter your nasal passages every time you breathe. They can be drawn up into your sinuses and cause inflammation. Sinusitis can be painful and have a variety of effects unless it is properly treated.
- Sneezing: Sneezing is a way to get rid of irritants. In the case of heater allergy symptoms, it’s due to airborne particulates and is often accompanied by sinus congestion.
- Coughing: Particulates and allergens can make their way into your throat and cause dryness. When combined with the presence of irritants, this can cause a great deal of discomfort.
- Sore Throat: The dryness of the air can trigger a sore throat. The irritants in the air don’t help, and neither do bacteria that can remain suspended and cause infections when breathed in.
- Headaches: Sinus headaches and migraines can be triggered by clogged sinuses. The odor from dust, mold, or fungus can cause a headache as well. It’s also one of the symptoms that your furnace may be releasing carbon monoxide.
- Watery/Itchy Eyes: Dusty air can cause your eyes to feel itchy and become teary.
- Fatigue: Persistent exposure to allergens can often leave you feeling tired, fatigued, or sleepy. You may feel dizzy at times as well.
- Nausea/Vomiting: Tiny particles aren’t the only things your heater can release. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, include toxic chemicals that can make you feel sick.
- Skin Rashes: Various types of skin rashes can be caused by VOCs as well. Many VOCs evaporate at room temperature. However, some do so more slowly in colder temperatures, which is why dust may hold more allergens in the winter.
Why Winter Makes You More Vulnerable to Heater Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms don’t only occur because your heater is running. Dust also becomes harder to filter out. When it’s warmer, air tends to hold more moisture, making it easier for particles to stick together and fall to surfaces, where dust forms a coating. In colder, less humid air, dust particles tend to stay apart and remain in the air longer. Since they’re smaller, they can easily slip through air filters.
Meanwhile, breathing in dry air can make you more susceptible to allergies. That’s because mucus catches pollutants and protects your body against them. Dry mucus linings and sinuses don’t catch allergens, bacteria, and viruses as effectively. Heater allergy symptoms are your body’s reactions to this constant exposure. Infections can become more frequent as well.
NexGen Can Help Alleviate Your Heater Allergy Symptoms
NexGen installs and services high-quality HVAC equipment and also provides duct cleaning, air duct sealing, and insulation services to help reduce allergens and improve energy efficiency. We also offer comprehensive maintenance services as part of our X Protection Plan. It includes priority service, HVAC tune-ups, and discounts on indoor air quality products. Therefore, you can depend on our team to help protect your home, your comfort, and your health. To get started, call 833-729-9735 today.
