If you’re living in a home that is more than 30 years old, chances are you’ve had to deal with allergens in the air. While older homes were built to last, indoor air quality was not necessarily a priority. Building materials were many times toxic and HV/AC systems didn’t do as good a job of removing allergens from the home. To make help keep your home free from aggravating your allergies, try these suggestions.
Know What You’re Allergic To
Allergies can manifest in several ways. You probably think of sneezing as the first sign. This is definitely a sign of being allergic to something, but there are other signs as well. Having a continual stuffy or runny nose is likely the result of an irritant in the air. Rashes, unexplained fevers, and coughs can also be a telltale sign. If you’re unsure of things you may be allergic to you can unravel a bit of the mystery with allergy testing kits. This can help identify specific things that you are allergic to.
You HV/AC system
To keep your indoor air quality healthy for your family, you may need to consider changes to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Allergens get sucked into your return vent and then recirculated throughout your home. Having a system that uses the latest filtration technology will certainly alleviate some of the problems. Newer HV/AC systems also do a good job of regulating the humidity in a home and will help keep mold spores and other bacteria from taking hold.
You’ll also likely see lower utility bills as the newest systems run much more efficiently and heat and cool the home using less electricity. Depending on the style of filter in your system; you should likely change the air filters once a month.
Clean the air ducts
Over time, the air ducts in your home can become clogged with dirt and debris. Mold and bacteria has a change to grab on to anything gathering in the duct work and will circulate through your home. A good filtration system can only do so much. Hiring a company that specializes in commercial air duct services can help solve the problems that dirty air ducts cause.
Deep clean carpets
If your home has carpeting, I can guarantee that you will find hidden allergens there. Dog hair, dust, and bacteria can burrow into the fibers of your carpets and is likely a source of allergy problems. It’s a good idea to vacuum your floors a couple of times a week to keep these allergens to a minimum. Consider replacing carpets with laminate or hard wood floors to keep this from happening.
You should have your carpets professionally cleaned a couple of times a year to keep your carpets fresh and to lessen the chances of allergic reactions.
Pest control
It’s totally creepy to think about, but indoor pests can aggravate allergies. You probably generally think that only stinging and biting insects can cause allergic reactions in humans. Actually, the insects that are the most common causes of year-round allergies are cockroaches and dust mites. Even though it may not be able to be seen with the naked eye; the waste from these insects cause allergic reactions.
The best way to combat this type of allergen is to rid your home of pest problems by hiring a professional exterminator. These professionals are trained to spot problem areas and to find the source of any pests in your home.
Air purifiers
Adding an air purifier to your indoor environment could also help clean the air in your home. An air purifier pulls in air from your home and filters it before circulating it back into the room. An air purifier will pull pollutants from the air. The cons of using air purifiers is they can be expensive and you’d need one in every room. As with your HV/AC system, you also must keep a fresh and clean filter in the machine or you’ll wind up circulating the same allergens you’re trying to prevent.
To improve your health and the health of your family, be sure the air quality of your home is as pure as possible.