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The Secret To Living With Allergies, Part 11: Reduce Allergens At Home This Summer

If you're an allergy sufferer, from spring through fall seasons, you are likely fighting allergies both inside and outdoors. Indoor allergies can affect you year-round and can be especially difficult in the winter when you spend more time inside. And, from spring through fall, you may be also coping with seasonal allergies that stem from molds, pollens, grays, trees and more. Although there are steps that you can take when outside to reduce your exposure to allergens and control your allergy symptoms, this issue of The Secret to Living with Allergies addresses steps that you can take this summer to reduce allergens within your home.

Step 1: Keep humidity below 50% to control dust mite and mold growth.

Dust mites and molds thrive in high humidity. As dust mite populations increase due to high humidity, dust mite allergens levels will increase correspondingly. Many people have dust mite allergies, and it's important to keep humidity between 35 - 40% to curb the population growth. Reduced humidity levels will also avoid damp areas that foster mold growth. Running air conditioners and dehumidifiers are ideal for lowering humidity levels. Use a humidity gauge inside to make sure that your levels stay within the proper range.

Step 2: Use air filters to keep allergens from circulating throughout the home.

Air filters in your central air conditioning and heating system can trap allergens within the filter media and keep them from circulating throughout the home. Pollens, molds and other allergen particles from outside, as well as dust and pet dander from inside, are trapped in the electrostatic media of the filter, preventing these particles from re-circulating back into your air. Electrostatic air filters are available as disposable air filters or permanent air filters. Disposable air filters are typically convenient to use, inexpensive and are designed to be replaced every 2 to 3 months. Permanent washable air filters are designed for extended use (approximately 10 years) for long-term value, although filters must be washed monthly to remove allergens.

Step 3: Place filter media over air conditioning vents.

If you suffer from allergies, cover the air vent in your room to capture particles at the air circulation point-of-entry. This step is simple and cost effective, requiring the purchase of specialized vent filtration media that is placed either over or behind the vent grille. Filter media can be used in a child's room, if your child suffers from allergies, as an additional allergy relief step. Be careful to cover only a few vents in the home to avoid excessive air flow resistance.

Step 4: Run HEPA air purifiers to capture airborne allergens in the room.

HEPA air purifiers are designed to trap 99.97% of allergens down to 0.3 microns that pass through the air purifier's HEPA filter. An internal fan draws the air into the air purifier, where allergens are captured so that only clean, purified air is emitted. HEPA air purifiers come in all shapes, sizes and prices along with a variety of features and HEPA replacement schedules. Some have virtually silent operation and others may treat smaller or larger room sizes. On-going maintenance is an important point to review, as some air purifiers offer a washable HEPA filter while others have a HEPA filter that requires replacement on a certain schedule (between 6 months to up to 5 years, depending on the brand of air purifier). Selection will be up to your individual needs and tastes, when weighing the features offered by each purifier.

Step 5: Trap mold spores in damp areas to prevent mold growth.

Many homes have damp areas for a variety of reasons, from moisture-prone bathrooms to dark and damp basements. Mold and mildew can build up in these areas, aggravating mold allergies and potentially creating serious indoor mold problems. Mold spores can be trapped by specialized convection products, such as a Mold Zapper, that draw air through a heated chamber and prevent the spores from reproducing. Alternatively, air sterilizers are designed to capture and incinerate organic particles, including molds, for efficient and oftentimes silent operation air cleaning.

Step 6: Clean damp areas to reduce mold and mildew.

Regular cleaning can keep mold and mildew from building up. Specialized mold and mildew control products are designed specifically for this task for use in your bathroom, kitchen, laundry room and more. Other products can do double-duty to clean away mold and mildew and then create a resistant coating to inhibit re-growth. For allergy sufferers, it is important to select cleaning products without harsh chemicals or scents that can aggravate allergy symptoms.

Step 7: Wear a face mask when cleaning or undertaking activities in areas of high allergen exposure.

If you plan to tackle cleaning out the attic or basement or if you're cleaning around the home to reduce mold or dust build-up, it's important to wear a face mask to avoid inhaling airborne allergens. For projects big or small, a face mask is a simple step for reducing the direct inhalation of these allergens that are stirred up due to your work around the house.

Article Source: http://youridahorealestate.com

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