How to allergy-proof your home
Special to The Weather Network
Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 8:15 AM - Cooler temperatures have arrived and allergy sufferers are breathing a sigh of relief! So long, pollen season. Well, hold on there – you’re not done clearing your throat and catching a runny nose.
While spring allergies get all the attention, the agony of allergies is far from over. Colder months mean spending most of our time indoors – like 90% of our time – so you may want to turn your attention to what’s trapped inside with you. An army of allergens, including dust, dander and mould, can turn your home into a sick house.
In addition, ragweed season may be lingering longer so that means pollen is lying in wait. “Climate change may actually be causing an earlier and longer fall allergy season,” says allergist Dr. Stephen Tilles, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “In addition, windy days can mean heightened allergy symptoms because wind can carry the pollen from ragweed, grasses and trees up to 100 miles from its source.”
It’s carried into your home on your shoes and clothes, and especially if someone let the dog out! Pets are notorious for fetching things that can worsen our allergy symptoms.
We spend so much time worrying about the quality of the air outside and taking pollen precautions, that what you’re missing when it comes to post-summer allergies is right in front of your nose – indoor air.
So clean up your indoor act now to breathe easier – well, at least until the spring pollen vortex arrives. While medications can help relieve allergy symptoms, here are six tips to allergy-proof your home for much needed relief:
Clear the air
Trap nasty airborne allergens with Hepa air purifier. Put one in every room of the house if you can afford to.
“According to the EPA, pollution can be up to five times worse inside your home than outside air,” says Frederic Nicolas, head of research at Dyson. “Allergens, pollutants, dust, mould spores, pet dander and potentially harmful ultrafine particles are all floating in our air – you just can’t always see it.” Something like the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link removes 99.97% of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.3 microns from the air. Home health expert Luis Anacleto, of cleanfirst.ca, recommends Venmar.ca, a Canadian company makes several affordable whole house Hepa air purifier systems.
Filter out the bad stuff
If you haven’t changed the filters in your home’s HVAC system lately, do it now. Dirty air filters prevent your unit from not only trapping allergy-causing particles, but you risk these sneaky allergens getting blown back out through the vents to re-circulate. Get your dusty air vents cleaned too while you’re at it. “Do not open windows and doors in spring, summer, and fall months where more pollen and fungals exist outside; use the air conditioning instead,” adds Anacleto.
Clean up your act
Allergens love to settle in corners and carpets, and collect in nooks and crannies. You need to be vacuuming regularly – especially if you have a pet. Use a vacuum with a high-efficiency Hepa filtration and a sealed system, and equipped with a powerful motorized brush bar to get dirt and allergens out from deep within the carpet pile. Also make sure that your vacuum isn’t spewing out what it’s taking in.
No pet allowed
Move over, Rover, actually right into another room. “We love pets, in fact I have one, but don’t let them in the bedroom where you sleep. Pets carry all kinds of fungals and bacteria in their fur,” adds Anacleto. Bathe dogs often and be sure to brush them outdoors – or send them to the groomers over the cold months. And keep pets out of the pile of damp dead leaves in your backyard – unless you want more moulds in the house.
Go dust free
That means getting rid of carpets and any other dust-attracting things like curtains and horizontal blinds. Consider investing in hardwood floors, and washable roller-type shades. Get rid of knick-knacks, book shelves and other dust collectors. Dust mites live on our sheets, clothing and upholstery too, where they leave ample feces and carcasses for us to sneeze about. Get upholstery and carpets steam cleaned regularly, and invest in hypoallergenic bedding, including mattress and pillow covers. Be sure to wash your sheets weekly in very hot water, at least 54C, to kill those mighty dust mites. When dusting, use a damp mop or rag as a dry cloth will stir up those annoying mite allergens and spread them around. Always avoid using chemical-based cleaners; natural and plant-based mixes don’t damage air quality or you.
Minimize mould
It’s all about humidity so control it through proper ventilation such as turning on an exhaust fan when cooking or showering. If you’re using a humidifier in the winter to counter the drying effects of indoor heating on your skin and nasal passages, but want to avoid growing mould while doing it, aim for an ideal indoor humidity of 45%. In addition, avoid over-watering plants and hanging laundry indoors, and make sure there are no leaks in the roof, foundation, or plumbing.
