Connecting the Dots Between Indoor Air Quality and Seasonal Allergies
The allergens that trigger your seasonal allergies can easily find their way indoors. Whether they’re brought in on your clothing or shoes, in your hair, or on your pets, they can make allergy symptoms flare upon exposure. If you suffer from allergies, you likely experience sneezing, coughing, and itchy, watery eyes. Understanding the connection between indoor air quality and seasonal allergies is important. Here’s how you can be proactive to minimize your exposure to allergens in your home and keep allergy symptoms at bay.
The Presence of Allergens
There are many allergens that are common in a residence. These include pollen from outside, pet dander, dust, dust mites, and mold spores. The types of contaminants in your home can vary from one day to the next. An indoor air quality assessment can provide you with information about the particulates that are currently in your home.
Running your HVAC system can remove some particulates from your indoor air. However, you can install a whole-home air-purification system onto your HVAC setup. This equipment uses better filtration to remove particulate matter, bacteria, viruses, and volatile organic compounds. If you can minimize your exposure to everyday allergens and seasonal pollen while at home, you’ll feel better overall.
Ongoing exposure to allergens can impact your mood, sleep quality, and productivity levels. If you notice that you feel worse when you’re at home, your indoor air quality may be to blame. Maintaining a safe haven during allergy season and throughout the rest of the year is ideal.
Relative Humidity Inside Your Home
The level of relative humidity in your residence can impact indoor air quality and allergen exposure. Humid air often has higher concentrations of allergens and particulate matter. Relative humidity over 50% can promote the growth of mold, which is a common allergen trigger.
Use a hygrometer to monitor the amount of moisture in your indoor air. Strive to keep your home’s humidity levels at between 35% and 50%. While portable dehumidifiers can remove excess moisture, a whole-home model is more effective. If you have dry indoor air, this can lead to sinus and airway irritation. Add moisture back in using a whole-home humidifier.
Maintaining Your Equipment
It’s important that you keep up with routine filter changes for your HVAC system and filtration equipment. Most HVAC filters require filter replacement every 30 to 90 days. Maintain a more frequent schedule during allergy season.
Schedule a routine inspection and maintenance appointment for your HVAC system prior to allergy season. During this appointment, professionals clean the HVAC system’s interior components and lubricate moving parts. Confirming that your HVAC system will help keep your home comfortable and safe throughout allergy season can provide peace of mind. When you need indoor air quality services in Santa Barbara, CA, contact Crocker Refrigeration Heating & Air.
