Each season brings exciting experiences and new challenges. Spring is the season of popsicles, flowers, gardening, and—allergies. You may not be able to escape your allergies, but you can keep the tiny specs responsible for them out of your home.
Your Health Matters
Indoor air quality (IAQ) can dramatically improve everyone’s health in the household. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness. When someone already has a weakened immune system or chronic illnesses like asthma, allergies can make life miserable without proper control.
Live Allergy-Free
Air quality contaminants are everywhere. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the leading expert on indoor air quality, says that air pollutant concentrations can be 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. For instance, you could be breathing in any of the following:
- Mold spores
- Grass and tree pollen
- Tobacco smoke
- Household cleaner droplets
- Outdoor pollution
The constant sniffling and sneezing you experience every spring won’t go away on its own, unfortunately. Still, there are simple ways to improve your indoor air quality, like with the solutions below.
Sofas & Bedding
Your first step should be to eliminate any source of allergens. Cleaning your sheets, bedding, and upholstery regularly limits exposure to dust mites, a primary source of allergies. For an easier time inside, wash bed sheets every week.
Air Cleaners
Additional filtration can work wonders for your sinuses. With an air purifier, cleaner, or sanitizer, you can remove the bulk of contaminants, including gasses. Each appliance needs to fit the space accordingly so they can circulate enough clean air. Otherwise, the air cleaner wouldn’t be doing its job. Check the clean air delivery rate for the correct size system for your spaces.
Reduce Clutter
The best way to accumulate dust in your home is by leaving everything out and not touching all of it for days, or what is known as clutter. Things that fall into this category include home décor, books, games, and more. While most dust sits on top of these objects, gently walking by them is enough to create a dust tornado.
Limit dust by dusting and vacuuming each week. You might also put away anything you don’t need into confined storage spaces.
Air Conditioning
If you didn’t know already, your air conditioner works as a dehumidifier too! The cold refrigerant in your system creates condensation from warm, moist air. Humidity levels in a home should be around 30-50%, but if yours is getting too high, just turn on your AC.
Air Filters
This is your reminder from the Willard Cooling, Heating, Plumbing, & Electrical team to change your air filter! It’s the tool that never gives up, but the filter can’t do much when it’s already full of debris. Change it to ensure the number of allergens in your house doesn’t get out of hand.
For the ultimate guide to everything indoor air quality, check out the EPA’s interactive tour of the IAQ house. Additionally, the team at Willard Cooling, Heating, Plumbing, & Electrical can help you get your home where you want it to be. Just let us know how we can make your space a healthier place to live.
