November 17, 2015

Spring is not the only season that triggers allergies; fall can be equally bad.

As the weather turns cooler, it brings a new set of allergens in the air causing symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and running nose. The American Lung Association has stated that the St. Louis area is among the top 20 most polluted areas in the United States. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an average home’s indoor air quality is two times more polluted compared to the outside air. This, coupled with seasonal allergies, can make it difficult for people to breathe easy, so here are some tips to help you have a sneeze-free fall. In this post, we will discuss some tips to maintain your indoor air quality and prevent allergies.

What Causes Seasonal Allergies

Allergies are the body’s first reaction to a foreign substance. People who are allergic may experience a severe reaction to allergens such as pollen and dust. Other people might not react at all to these allergens, but some may start experiencing symptoms as soon as they come in contact. Fall allergies, such as ragweed or ambrosia, is one of the top pollen-producing allergy triggers. As soon as the body detects allergens, the immune system wages a war against them, flooding the blood with histamine. This causes congestion, sneezing, itchy and red eyes, and other symptoms that resemble those of the common cold.

Tips to Prevent Allergies

Control moisture – Indoor humidity not just affects your comfort, but also increases your energy bills and promotes the growth of allergy and disease-causing microbes. Dehumidifiers and humidifiers can help regulate the moisture levels and keep you disease-free and comfortable. You can install a whole house humidifier to regulate the humidity level in the entire house. Your HVAC contractor can connect the whole house humidifier with the existing ductwork of your home.

Filter out fine airborne particles – Fine airborne particles are the biggest allergy triggers. Soot and other similar fine particles can settle inside the lung tissue causing a variety of respiratory conditions. If you are using poor quality air filters for your HVAC system, then chances are that you will have a high concentration of these particles in your indoor air. You can solve this problem by using a better air filter with a MERV rating of at least 8. This is a standard filter efficiency and 16 is the highest filter rating for residential purposes.

Biological allergens – Cooler weather can promote the growth of biological contaminants such as germs, bacteria, mold, and some gases. These contaminants can cause allergies and respiratory problems such as asthma. Air cleaners or air purifiers can help capture even fine particles. There are different air purifiers available in the market.