Allergy season is here again: How to Allergy Proof your Home

Cool, crisp fall breezes have many Americans opening up their doors and windows after a stifling summer. Though the temperature may feel great on the skin, however, all that cool, dry air makes for an convenient transportation mechanism for airborne allergens that can wreak havoc on your sinuses. Is there any way to enjoy the best of both worlds?

Reduce the effects of allergens in your home with these effective air quality solutions:

• Time it.
  Opening up windows to boost air quality, especially in today’s tight homes, is a great idea. However if you or a family member is an allergy sufferer, do it by the clock – and by the weather. Check your local pollen and mold forecast, keeping windows closed when counts are high, especially between 10am and 3pm, and on dry, windy days.

• Leave it at the door.
  When you come in from enjoying a little time outdoors, ditch outer garments on the porch or in your laundry/mudroom – then take a shower. This keeps mold and pollen that have settled on clothing out of your home.

• Be average.
  Average humidity levels – around 50% - are optimal inside your home to keep mold (which likes moisture) and dust (which likes dryness) at bay.

• Keep it contained.
  An essential line of defense against bringing allergens into your living space is tightly sealed ductwork. When was the last time you inspected yours?

• Use your filter.
  Installing compatible HEPA filters on your existing HVAC system with the help of a hvac repair technician can help remove millions of particulates like mold spores, dust mites, pollen, and other harmful airborne contaminants. Just remember to clean them regularly, as dirty filters can do more harm than good – to sinuses as well as your HVAC system.

• Light it up.
  Used in conjunction with your heating and cooling system, an ultra-violet air purification system can further help eliminate mold, as well as harmful viruses and bacteria that can make you and your family sick throughout the cooler weather season.

• Focus your cleaning efforts.
  Though keeping your entire home as clean as possible is recommended, today’s busy lives may make finding time tough. If this is the case, concentrate efforts on bedrooms (dust mite heaven) and bathrooms (mold Xanadu). Proper moisture levels (ventilation fans, de/humidifiers) and careful cleaning are key. Consider upgrading to a vacuum with a HEPA filter, and don’t forget to damp mop shelving and floors regularly.

• Cut the clutter.
  The less stuff clogging up surfaces in your home, the fewer places for allergens to hide – and the easier it is to clean. This includes nick knacks on shelves as well as curtains, and high-pile wall-to-wall carpeting.

• Love Fido in the living room.
  Reduce bedroom dust mites and dander allergens by making your bedroom a no-fly zone for pets, washing bedding regularly to cut down on the buildup of substances you inadvertently track into your room.

Burnt out on sneezing your way through the season? Take a load off your sinuses (and loads of tissues off your tables) with the help of indoor air quality services from H & H. Contact us today.

Where does indoor air pollution come from?

Modern man spends a great deal of time indoors – some 90% of our lives in the “shelter” of homes and buildings. Unfortunately, all this time indoors can come at a cost to our health. Tighter building designs geared toward energy and cost savings are trapping pollutants inside the dwellings where we seek respite.
Rather than clean indoor air, we are instead being assaulted by pollution levels two to five times higher than the air outdoors.
Where are all those pollutants coming from?

• Mold and mildew
  High humidity and dampness resulting from condensation, poor ventilation, plumbing and other leaks can aid in the proliferation of mildew and mold, triggering allergy and asthma symptoms, eye, skin, nose, throat, and lung irritation, as well as upper and lower respiratory issues in those exposed.
• Biological contaminants
  Biological contaminants in your home include not only mold, mildew, bacteria and viruses, but pollen, dust mites, cockroach feces, and more. Contaminants are carried in via your person or on your pets, and are distributed throughout your home – even through your HVAC ducts. These contaminants are capable of aggravating allergies and asthma and/or causing disease, but can be easily controlled with the use of high quality filters and UV germicidal lamps.
• Smoke
  Smoke from both cigarettes and combustion burning create gases and particulates that carry a host of chemicals which can result in eye, nose, and throat irritation, respiratory irritation and infections, emphysema, lung cancer, and more.
• Asbestos
  A natural mineral fiber used in various building components in most homes over 20 years old, including insulation, flooring materials, and more, asbestos exposure can ultimately result in abdominal, chest, and lung cancers and asbestosis.
• Radon
  Colorless, tasteless, and odorless, radon is created from the naturally occurring breakdown of radioactive materials in earth and rock. Symptoms are not immediately apparent, however radon is linked to an estimated 20,000 lung-cancer deaths annually.
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
  Colorless and odorless, CO gas is produced during the incomplete combustion of all carbon-based fuels, including commonly used wood, charcoal, gas, diesel, kerosene, propane, and other natural gases. Often mistaken for the flu, exposure causes headache, drowsiness, dizziness, impairment of respiration, vision, and brain function, and ultimately death. If you fear CO may be an issue in your home, consult an indoor air quality service professional right away.
• Formaldehyde and other VOCs
  Off-gassing from pressed wood products, foam insulation, glues and adhesives, carpet and upholstery, household cleaning and deodorizing products, and more can release pungent gases into the air capable of causing allergic reactions, headaches, nausea, dizziness/confusion, eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing. Multitudinous VOCs are linked to brain, liver, and kidney damage, as well as various cancers.
• Lead
  Lead-based paint, pipes, and fixtures in older homes can contribute to airborne dust particles, causing significant health effects including cognitive and developmental issues in children, brain, nervous system, and kidney damage, anemia, hearing loss, and even death.

Ventilation plays a starring role in indoor air quality
To provide efficient energy use, particularly with regard to your home’s heating and cooling equipment, homes are specifically designed to minimize the amount of air that can leak into and out of them. This can result in the need for enhanced ventilation and specialty air filters in your HVAC systems to preserve the air quality in your home. Options include:

• Site-specific exhaust fans, such as in the kitchen and bath.
• Whole house air purifiers with UV lamps.
• Mechanical ventilation, such as exhaust or supply ventilation systems and heat recovery ventilators.

Concerned about the air quality in your home? Ensure a clean, healthy home environment year-round. Contact H&H Heating and Air Conditioning, the indoor air quality experts, today.