Why Does Pollution Get Worse During the Winter in the Phoenix Area?

Poor air quality, both indoors and outdoors, can be detrimental to both your physical and mental health. Air particles can irritate your lungs, skin, eyes, and nose, and can also cause mental fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. Some people are more affected by poor air quality than others. 1 in 10 children in Arizona has asthma, and poor air quality can exacerbate many symptoms for these children.

While there's nothing you can do about the outdoor air, there are different ways to clean and filter the air inside. You can implement various strategies at different times, as the air quality in Phoenix worsens at different times during the year. In this article, we will explore the following topics:

It's not just your imagination. Air quality in Phoenix is worse during the winter. But why does air pollution get worse during winter in Phoenix?

According to AZ Central, there's a reason for this and it's all because of the temperature. Air pollution in Phoenix worsens during winter due to the combination of stagnant air, temperature inversions, and increased wood burning for heating.

Colder and drier air during winter also exacerbates air pollution by trapping more pollutants. During the summer and many other parts of the year, the temperature is warm enough that the air gradually rises throughout the day. This allows pollution to gradually disperse into a larger area. In the winter, however, the air is too cold and unable to warm up enough to dissipate.

Just because the air quality outside is poor, it doesn't mean that you can't find refuge in your home. There are many different strategies that you can implement to improve indoor air quality.

The simplest thing you can do is to increase the dusting and vacuuming you do. If you're using a feather duster, bring it as low to the ground as possible. The lower, the better, as you want to avoid spreading the dust into the air. Make sure that you also clean the vacuum regularly as well to ensure that it has optimal power.

Most HVAC companies recommend changing the air filters once every 90 days. You should replace the filters even more frequently if there are a lot of particulates in the air. This is a good time to consider whether your filters are efficient. High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters tend to be the most effective. They can remove at least 99.7% of all airborne particles that are 0.3 microns in size and up.

An air purifier can do wonders for your home. Instead of relying on HVAC air filters to get rid of contaminants in the air, you can also install a specialized air purifier that will target the problems you are facing. Before picking an air purifier, you should get an indoor air quality (IAQ) test. The test will provide you with more information on what types of contaminants are in your home.

While duct cleaning isn't always necessary, it can do wonders for the air quality inside your home if a lot of dirt, dust, and pollen clings to the sides of the ducts. Duct cleaning is absolutely necessary, however, if there are dead rodents inside the ducts or if you notice excessive mold growth. The last thing you want is to breathe in any spores, which can be quite toxic.

You can maintain healthy air circulation in your home by turning fans on and booking an HVAC service at least twice a year. The heating system should ideally be serviced during late fall to early winter, while the cooling system should ideally be serviced during late spring to early summer.

Having been in business since 1955, George Brazil Heating and Cooling delivers superior services at affordable prices. We take pride in treating each of our customers like family, and our commitment to being the best has earned us over 2,000 5-star reviews. Contact us at (602) 842-0009 whenever you're ready.