Skip to main content

How To Reduce Allergens In Your Home



There is a buzz of excitement when Spring finally rolls around.  We shed the layers and bitter cold for fun-in-the-sun and relaxation but sometimes the warmer weather brings its own set of issues.  For over 50 million folks in the U.S., season changes bring along a host of severe allergy symptoms.  These particles in the air can invade your home and make life simply unbearable.

While there is no stopping allergens, such as dust mites, dander, pollen and mold, from causing a ruckus on the outside, there are steps you can take to alleviate the symptoms indoors.

Air Filters

This is the best line of defense against the muck contaminating the air outside.  Filters can trap microscopic particles and create better air quality in your home.  Each filter efficiency is measured in MERVs, with the highest being 20.  Your filter should at least be a MERV 8 to successfully combat nasty particles.  Be sure to change your filter before three months to maximize air quality and keep your HVAC systems running smoothly.


Outdoor Unit

Your HVAC unit pulls air from the outside to circulate through your home.  Make sure there is no debris or dirt piled on or near your outdoor unit to reduce the chance of pulling in allergens.  Also check your unit for signs of mold.  Harmful mold can wreak havoc on an allergen sensitive person.  Vacuum and sweep around your indoor unit to reduce the risk of circulating dust mites through the air.  Be sure to check for mold around your indoor unit as well.

Check Those Vents

Most of the time when you are cleaning your home, you forget to dust off the air vents.  Use a damp rag so you don't push dust back into the air and clean off your air vents and registers.  Keeping these clean prevents harmful particles from collecting and being forced into the air you breathe.



Humidity Check

A spike or drop in humidity can cause as much discomfort as your standard allergens.  If there is too much humidity, you increase the chances of mold spores popping up and spreading but if the air is too dry, your skin will become extremely dry and your pores can clog.  You can use a dehumidifier or a humidifier to regulate your home's levels if your HVAC system isn't keeping up.  If it is a persistent problem that even simple machines can't help fix, you may need to revamp your HVAC system.

When in doubt you can always call your professional HVAC technician to come check your system for vulnerability to harmful air particles or to help clean your unit.  HVAC professionals can clean inside the units and spruce them up to combat upcoming weather changes.  Regardless of whether you follow these steps or call a pro for maintenance, you and your family do not have to suffer from out of control allergies kicked into gear by season changes.

Labels:
Location: Chicago Ridge, IL, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HVAC Tips For Renters

While many homeowners often think about their HVAC unit and how to make it run more efficiently, renters might not think about it at all.  If you are renting a home, townhome or apartment, you should definitely be armed with essential HVAC knowledge that can play in your favor.  The last thing you want is to have to wait on your landlord to get around to sending out an HVAC technician during a 103 degree day because your unit broke down. These few tips can not only keep you from having to wait on the actions of your landlord but can also improve the air quality and safety of your family. Photographic Evidence When you first move in to a new place, immediately take photos of all of the unit systems.  If you have access to them, get a picture of your furnace, condenser, vents and ducts.  This can save you a huge headache down the road if repairs are needed because you will have photographic evidence of the unit's condition when you moved in. Check-Up Along the lines of t
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Spring Clean Your HVAC Systems

March is upon us and along with it comes the warmer weather of spring.  Your HVAC system may have run extremely well during the harsh Polar Vortex months but you need to ensure that it doesn’t encounter any small problems that could create bigger problems down the line.  By properly checking your system, you can rely on a nice, cool home this summer when the temps are scorching and all of your HVAC technicians are swamped. Spring Clean Your System Not only will these few tips keep expensive repairs at bay, helping your systems maintain high efficiency can go a long way in lowering your monthly bill.  Follow these steps to prepare your system for warmer weather. Clean The Outside Unit –  You want to make sure that any debris, such as leaves, branches, dirt and trash, are swept away and that there is at least two feet of clear space around the entirety of your unit.  Cut back any bushes or landscaping they may be edging too close to your outdoor system or potentially fal
Post a Comment
Read more

Too Cool – Air Conditioning Facts That Will Surprise You!

It’s that time of year!  Barbecues, vacations and the humming of air conditioning units keeping homes cool on every block.  Yep, I’m talking about summer.  And while we are grateful for that chilled air when the temperature soars up into the 90’s and beyond, there are still shocking statistics associated with a/c in America.  So, kick back and take a peek at what we’ve uncovered! 84% of homes in the United States has some kind of air conditioning.  The US uses more air conditioning annually than every other country combined. It is more common for homes in the US to have an a/c unit than a dishwasher, garage or even a dining room! Houses in the South, Midwest and West are more likely to have a central air conditioning system while homes in the Northeast tend to utilize a room air conditioner.  This could be a window air conditioner or ventless portable a/c unit. In the Southern United States, 67% of central a/c is used all summer long.  Can you blame them?  Temps can be
Post a Comment
Read more