A Toxin Expert’s Tips For Keeping Your Home Healthy In Cold Weather

Last but not least, if you have a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in your home, Adler says there’s a good chance it’s blowing dust around. (Perhaps you’ve experienced that telltale burnt smell when you turn on your heat for the first time—that would be dust!)

“If people have an HVAC system, I do encourage them to change their furnace filters more frequently than recommended because the system is probably going to be on all the time through the winter,” she explains.

On top of that, she adds you can look for a filter with the highest MERV rating your HVAC system can handle. (MERV stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values,” and is a rating for a filter’s ability to capture particles.) “The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter will be at capturing particulate, allergens, dust, and mold spores,” Adler notes.