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According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Minnesota typically has four or five [air quality alerts] per winter, and more are possible as the weather warms.” That dirty air can get inside your home, and added to sources of contaminants within your home, can result in awfully dirty indoor air. Using the best air filter for your home and circumstances can moderate that impact, but simply buying the most expensive isn’t necessarily the same as buying the best.

The fact you are reading this article means you are at least contemplating, if not planning to, replace your furnace in the near future. You might be wondering how much a new furnace for your Twin Cities area home will cost you, and which heating options are best not only in terms of cost but in other areas.

A top priority in any home should be to protect you and your family from carbon monoxide exposure. Even limited carbon monoxide exposure can cause serious health issues, and in certain conditions it can be fatal. Since carbon monoxide (CO) is both colorless and odorless, it’s imperative to take steps to limit the presence of CO in your home – and detect it when it is present.

The fall pollen season can be a miserable time of year for anyone with allergies. Ragweed pollen is a common allergy trigger in the autumn, and it’s estimated that up to 20 percent of the population reacts to it with unpleasant symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, an itchy throat, sneezing, coughing, and nasal drainage or congestion. Implementing the right anti-allergy strategies can reduce your exposure and make this fall more enjoyable.

House plants liven up indoor spaces, and even feng shui professionals talk of their benefits. They have a more important function, however, than simply brightening up the space. Indoor plants can make a potentially toxic environment healthier and more livable.

Winters in the Twin Cities are bitterly cold, so an effective, working furnace is more than a matter of comfort. It’s a necessity. With a furnace tune-up, you can reduce the chance your furnace will break down this winter while identifying problems before the cold sets in.

The first hints of fall are already starting to creep up on the Twin Cities, so it’s a good time to get some fall maintenance tasks done before the colder weather sets in. Here’s a quick checklist of HVAC maintenance to look into while the weather’s still nice:

An HVAC system thermostat comes in many different models. Mechanical thermostats are set to a single temperature and remain at that temperature unless manually changed by the homeowner. Programmable thermostats can have multiple settings depending on the type and manufacturer, and can help control energy expenses by limiting use of your heating and cooling system when nobody’s home.

Federal efficiency standards may be dry reading, but since they directly affect your energy bills, Twin Cities homeowners will benefit from a quick review of these evolving standards.

No matter what you’re planning to do with your home’s cooling and heating system, knowing some HVAC terms is helpful when exploring your options or talking with a professional. Here are a few of the most important terms to know: