It’s springtime, and the weather is beginning to warm up. You’re driving down the local street and rolling down the windows to breathe in some fresh air. That’s the moment when you drive through a pollen cloud, and your seasonal allergies hit you. You roll up the windows and pump the air conditioner for some relief. But it seems like pollen is flying everywhere in the car and sticks to everything. Your itchy eyes begin to water and turn red. After a few anti-histamines, you wonder why your car can’t filter out the pollen in the cabin. Air filters and spring pollen: what can you do to improve the air quality in the car?

The Impact of Spring Pollen on Your Vehicle’s Air Filters

How Pollen Enters Your Car

Pollen tiny particles have no issue getting through the filtration system in your car. Especially if the filters are old and haven’t been changed in a few years. Air filters are porous pieces of fibrous material. The engine draws air into the combustion chamber to combine with fuel and cause a spark.

The air filter is the engine’s last defense against airborne debris. Without it, the engine would suck in all types of pollen, dust, and debris that could damage the components. Your cabin air filter works under the same principle and concept—it filters particulate matter from the cabin.

Are you driving a new car from a luxury manufacturer? Chances are that it comes with a HEPA high-efficiency particulate air filter. That filter can remove 99.998% of all airborne particles, including those from pet dander, trees, grass, and weeds.

If your car is a few years old, the air filter quality—especially for the cabin—will likely be substandard. And the filter probably needs replacing.

When the filters don’t work correctly, they cause warping in the seals. Airborne allergens and pollen get around them and enter the cabin. The only way to stop it is to take the vehicle to a service agent and have them change out the filter.

The air filter is pretty easy to remove. You just swap it out in the airbox, and that’s easily accessible in the engine bay. The interior cabin filter is usually behind the glove box and is a bit more challenging to get to. Chances are you won’t be able to get to it for a DIY replacement job without the proper tools.

Mechanics have the tools to handle it, so let them take care of it for you and service the air system while they’re at it.

Air Filters and Spring Pollen: How Often to Inspect and Replace Filters

Spring pollen will plug up your vehicle’s air filter faster than you expect, especially if you live in high-dust or high-pollen areas.

Check filters before and during pollen season to keep air circulating in the cabin and maximize vehicle performance. Some cars have filter-replacement warnings. However, if yours doesn’t, a quick check is often sufficient to see what’s going on with the filter.

A clean filter is a light color, while a dirty filter is dark and dusty. If tapping it releases a cloud of debris, it’s time to replace it.

Preventing Pollen Buildup in Your Car

Avoiding pollen is impossible, but there are ways to restrict its impact on your health when driving. Parking in a sheltered or garage reduces exposure, especially overnight when pollen is likely to settle.

Regularly washing the vents and windshield wipers prevents debris accumulation. Using the air conditioning’s recirculate function when driving limits pollen entry into the interior. Keeping it in fresh air mode lets in pollen, and it sticks to every surface in the cabin, making it more difficult to clean.

A Small Fix that Makes a Big Difference

Replacing your vehicle’s air filter is a quick fix that profoundly impacts driving comfort and vehicle performance. A clean filter:

  • Increases airflow
  • Makes the engine more efficient
  • Improves performance
  • Prevents the trigger of allergy symptoms

If your engine air filter is dirty, it feels like your car has much more power after changing the filter. When you’ve replaced the cabin filter, you’ll finally be able to roll up the windows in pollen season and breathe freely.

Dave & Rays Automotive Repair Shop in Omaha, NE

Our team has learned one thing: automotive problems are as varied and unique as the customers who bring them to us. Fortunately, our decades of experience in Omaha car repair mean that our skilled network of professionals is ready to accommodate an impressive scope of automotive issues. Our highly recommended team takes pride in delivering top-notch customer service to every client. Contact us today.

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