Without proper maintenance of your HVAC system, many problems can arise. While most of these issues result in HVAC inefficiency or a higher utility bill, there are others that can be a great deal more serious. One of these is Legionnaires’ disease. This disease, which is an atypical pneumonia, is a potentially lethal ailment caused by a water-borne bacteria. To be sure you are never exposed to this disease in your Charlottesville, Virginia, home it is important to remain vigilant about properly maintaining your HVAC system. Here’s how you do it.

How It Enters Indoor Air

It is estimated there are between 8,000 and 18,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the United States each year, and most of them are the result of poor HVAC care. The bacteria that causes the disease breed only in wet conditions. For a person to become exposed, the bacteria enter the system, vaporizes, and then move throughout air ducts. When the system turns on, the bacteria are then inhaled as water vapor.

Precautionary Measures

Most homes don’t typically have an issue with the problem, and central humidifiers have never been tied to Legionnaires’ disease. Nevertheless, the best way to prevent an outbreak is to identify any sources of water near fresh-air intakes. This includes water from evaporators, condensers, water coolers, and anything else that contains moisture.

Regular Maintenance Equals Good Results

The only surefire way to prevent Legionnaires’ disease in your home is to maintain a clean HVAC system. To do this, you should keep a routine maintenance schedule, as well as have your ducts and HVAC system checked annually. This keeps any extra moisture out of your ductwork, and thus halts the bacteria from forming in the first place.

Because Legionnaires’ disease is a direct result of improper HVAC maintenance, it’s more important than ever to make sure you take care of your system. For a thorough cleaning, expert advice, and professional treatment, call the pros at W.E. Brown today at (434) 295-1177.

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