Indoor Air Quality Tips for North Carolina Homes

North Carolina is beautiful — but it's tough on your lungs. Between the legendary pollen seasons, high humidity, and all the time we spend indoors with sealed windows and AC running, indoor air quality (IAQ) is a real concern for homeowners in Garner, Raleigh, and the Triangle area.

The EPA estimates that indoor air can be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Here's what you can do about it.

Why NC Homes Have IAQ Challenges

Pollen

Every spring, the Triangle gets blanketed in yellow-green pine pollen. It infiltrates homes through every crack, and your HVAC system circulates it throughout. If anyone in your house has allergies, you know exactly how miserable this can be.

Humidity

North Carolina's humidity typically runs 60–80% outdoors during summer. Indoor humidity above 50% promotes mold growth, dust mites, and that musty smell. Your AC handles some dehumidification, but it's often not enough — especially in older homes or oversized systems that short-cycle.

Sealed Homes

Modern energy-efficient homes are great for utility bills but can trap pollutants inside. Without proper ventilation, cooking fumes, cleaning chemicals, pet dander, and off-gassing from furniture accumulate.

7 Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

1. Upgrade Your Air Filter

The standard 1-inch fiberglass filter that came with your system does almost nothing for air quality — it's designed to protect the equipment, not your lungs. Upgrade to a MERV 11–13 pleated filter, which captures pollen, dust mites, mold spores, and pet dander. Change it every 60–90 days (more often during peak pollen season).

Important: Don't go higher than MERV 13 without checking with your HVAC technician. Filters that are too restrictive can reduce airflow and stress your system.

2. Control Humidity

Keep indoor humidity between 30–50%. A whole-home dehumidifier integrated with your HVAC system is the most effective solution for NC's muggy summers. Signs your humidity is too high: condensation on windows, musty odors, and visible mold in bathrooms or closets.

3. Consider UV Light Treatment

UV-C germicidal lights installed inside your HVAC system kill mold, bacteria, and viruses as air passes through. They're especially effective on the evaporator coil, which is a common breeding ground for mold in humid climates like ours. Our indoor air quality services include UV light installation.

4. Clean Your Ductwork

Over time, ductwork accumulates dust, pollen, pet hair, and even mold. If you've never had your ducts cleaned (or it's been more than 5 years), it's worth having them inspected. Duct cleaning is especially important after renovation work, which generates enormous amounts of dust.

5. Seal Duct Leaks

Leaky ducts in attics and crawlspaces don't just waste energy — they pull in unfiltered, unconditioned air from those spaces. That air often contains insulation fibers, dust, moisture, and whatever else lives in your attic. Sealing ducts improves both efficiency and air quality.

6. Ventilate Properly

Run bathroom exhaust fans during and after showers (15–20 minutes). Use range hoods when cooking. If your home is very tightly sealed, consider an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) that brings in fresh outdoor air while recovering the energy from conditioned indoor air.

7. Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance

A professional tune-up includes cleaning the evaporator coil, checking the condensate drain (clogged drains = water damage + mold), and verifying proper airflow. These directly impact air quality. Our maintenance plans make this easy and affordable.

When to Call a Professional

Consider professional IAQ assessment if you experience:

• Persistent allergy or asthma symptoms that improve when you leave the house
• Musty or stale odors that won't go away
• Visible mold growth anywhere in the home
• Excessive dust despite regular cleaning
• Condensation on windows or walls
• Family members with unexplained headaches or respiratory issues

Frost Fire Indoor Air Quality Services

At Frost Fire Heating & Cooling, we offer comprehensive indoor air quality solutions including air filtration upgrades, UV light systems, whole-home dehumidifiers, duct cleaning and sealing, and smart thermostat installation for better humidity control.

We serve Garner, Raleigh, Durham, Clayton, and the entire Triangle area — at the same price on Sundays.