Heat, Air Conditioning, and Covid-19: A Comprehensive FAQ

 

The last six months or so have been a harrowing time for people worldwide due to the prevalence of Covid-19. Our communities, near and far, are consistently and continually doing their best to keep the individuals within as safe as possible. That said: available information is constantly changing and being updated. While there’s a lot of information available about the virus, it can be overwhelming to attempt to synthesize that information into useful action.

At Welter Heating, we know we’re not public health experts. We are, however, experts when it comes to home heating, cooling, and air. 

In today’s post, we’re going to answer all of the most commonly asked questions regarding your home’s air conditioning and circulation in relation to the Covid-19 coronavirus. All of our information is coming directly from the World Health Organization’s official comments on the topic.

Can air conditioning or similar ventilation systems increase the risk of Covid-19 spread? 

The simple answer is no. Your home air conditioning unit won’t increase the likelihood of Covid-19 or any other virus spreading throughout your home. They won’t make anything more dangerous than it is at its baseline. That said, if the virus is present in the air within your home, it can be circulated.  

Can I use my air conditioning safely in the context of Covid-19?

Yes. Your HVAC systems, as long as they are well-maintained and have filters changed regularly, can actually reduce the spread of COVID-19 in indoor spaces. This is true as long as they’re not set on recirculation modes. You want your air exchangers to be pulling air from outside and cooling and circulating it within your home. You don’t want stale indoor air reused unless there is no other option. The more fresh air, the better.

I know this doesn’t have to do with HVAC, but what about fans?

Fans are a slightly more complex issue than built-in HVAC. This is because of the fact that they don’t contain the sort of filters your heating and air devices and ductwork do. The World Health Organization recommends only using fans if they’re small and intended for the use of a single person. Fans in public spaces or large pedestal fans at work or school do have an increased risk of transmission. Like it says on their website: “Air blowing from an infected person directly at another in closed spaces may increase the transmission of the virus from one person to another.” 

Just a reminder: we aren’t public health experts, so please make sure to follow guidelines set by both the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control in regards to cleaning to fight Covid. That said, if you’re interested in learning more about caring for your home’s HVAC and air conditioning units, we have plenty of resources available for your use.