You know what “HVAC” stands for – heating and air conditioning. However, it is easy to take the ventilation portion of the system for granted. Without it, though, your home doesn’t have the ability to circulate cool or warm air – at all.

The fact is, having a home that is well ventilated is crucial for an important reason – the health of your family. If your home is older, it may have vents that are practically useless, which means you are putting your own health and the health of your family at risk each day.

Not only will this wind up wasting your money and energy, but if you vent cool air from the air conditioner straight into the basement, attic, or outside your home, it may also create an environment susceptible to dust mites, bacteria, allergens, mold, and other pollutants. This results in you having to pay a fortune in unnecessary utility costs, and destroying the quality inside your home. If you have smokers or pets in your home, then the problems are only going to get worse.

If you live in a home that is older, or if you aren’t sure about the design of your HVAC system, here are some facts you need to keep in mind:

  • Air conditioning and heating repair professionals state that having proper attic ventilation can reduce your energy costs by up to 12 percent.
  • If an HVAC system is not installed properly, it can increase your energy costs by up to 30 percent.
  • Even though you are supposed to change the AC filters every three months, there are many homeowners that don’t do this.
  • A couch in your home may contain as many as 10,000 dust mites.

During the cooler months of the year, many homeowners leave the windows and doors shut and sealed tightly. If you don’t have a well-maintained and efficient ventilation system, your home’s air quality may become worse and worse. This can result in your asthma, allergies, and even quality of life being reduced.

There is a good chance you aren’t going to notice a problem. After all, most homes with low air quality get there over time. If you live in an older home and often forget to change the filters in your HVAC system, or if you are worried about the quality of your home’s air, then you need to consider upgrading your HVAC system.

If you are unsure of how to get started, it is a good idea to consult with a professional. There are many homeowners who are not investing in electric air filters, which ionize the air and attract contaminants to a metal plate that has an opposing charge. When you combine this with the use of humidifiers and a properly designed duct system, you can easily restore the air quality of your home.