How to Stop Indoor Allergies Before They Start This Winter
As we shut the windows tight for the winter, it is important to consider the quality of air inside your home. In some cases, the quality of air inside your home can be inferior to the quality of the air outside, because of some impurities that are present.
If you or any of your family members suffer from allergies or asthma, good air quality is important to remain healthy and comfortable. Improving your air quality is easy to do. You just have to be vigilant and commit to a few easy steps.
Remember Your Air Filter
You can improve the quality of your air significantly just by investing in a high-quality air filter and changing it regularly (monthly). This filter can be your first line of defense against allergens circulating through your home, removing them right at the source. One easy job that even the most reluctant DIY person can tackle.
Set Your Humidifier Appropriately
You can set your humidifier to varying levels, but ideally, you should have it in the range of 40- 50%. You never want it to be established for more than 50%. Beyond that, the air is too moist and will create the environment in which mold thrives. Mold poses a significant threat to allergy sufferers.
Guard Against Allergens
If you have a pet, keep them outdoors as much as you can. Don’t let them sleep in your bedroom. Limit pets to areas in the home that are carpeted. Keep them off the furniture or other things where the dander may transfer over.
To reduce dust mites, rid your home of dust collectors. Cut down on clutter. Have vinyl or wood furniture, rather than upholstered. Switch out fabric drapes for shades or roll down blinds, which gather much less dust. Mold grows in moist places like your bathroom. Always run the fan in the bathroom for at least 30 minutes after showering to ventilate it properly.
Vacuum Regularly
You’ve got to beat the dust out of rugs and vacuum at least a few times a week. While vacuuming is an excellent way to reduce allergens overall, it can make things worse by stirring up the air, so make sure that you use a vacuum with HEPA filter, which will trap allergens.
Whole Home Humidity
As an allergy sufferer, you would benefit from extra moisture in the air. Winter is notoriously dry, which can exacerbate problems with asthma and other respiratory ailments. Similarly, if you have skin problems (which many people with allergies do), dry air will make things worse. Installing a whole-home humidifier can help a great deal.
Wash Bedding
To remove dust mites, you’ve got to wash all bedding in the very hot soapy water on a weekly basis. As an extra measure, you may want to seal pillows in hypo-allergenic covers, since you interact so closely for hours every night with your pillows.
If you have allergies, you can’t just leave your air quality to chance. We’ve got the training and the tools to help you find the solution that you need. AAA Modern Air in Ft. Lauderdale, FL call us at (954)-921-4486.
